Afghanistan
#77
Lost in BE Cyberspace










Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Somewhere between Vancouver & St Johns
Posts: 19,530












Apparently sales of Burqa's are off the charts and prices have gone up.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/17/asia/...dst/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/17/asia/...dst/index.html
#80
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#81

You appear incapable of reading so I shall reproduce what she said
She says there is a difference herself, why did you need to say so? It couldn't be because you immediately went "trawling for evidence" and not having bothered to read it you wrongly thought of it as a denial could it? 
I always wore a head scarf on the street in Kabul previously, though not w/ hair fully covered and abbaya. So there is a difference but not quite this stark.

#83
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Tillamook does make a pretty decent mass produced cheese, nothing comparable in western Canada to it.
#84

I heard a comment on CNN today to the effect that the Taliban could not lose, all it had to do was to not be defeated.
The understanding was that as time passed the US would predictably lose patience and simply go home, as it has done.
The implication from this is that the US would be incapable of winning a war against a determined and patient enemy.
A further implication is that US politics would ensure that infighting and discord within the US would increase to a level where general consent for such a conflict would always ensure defeat.
Lessons like this won't have escaped the wider international community and confidence is the US as an agent capable of support will evaporate.
Afghanistan has proven to be a graveyard for all would be foreign occupiers, but the US, the world's most established superpower has emerged much as Mao once described the UK, 'A Paper Tiger'.
The understanding was that as time passed the US would predictably lose patience and simply go home, as it has done.
The implication from this is that the US would be incapable of winning a war against a determined and patient enemy.
A further implication is that US politics would ensure that infighting and discord within the US would increase to a level where general consent for such a conflict would always ensure defeat.
Lessons like this won't have escaped the wider international community and confidence is the US as an agent capable of support will evaporate.
Afghanistan has proven to be a graveyard for all would be foreign occupiers, but the US, the world's most established superpower has emerged much as Mao once described the UK, 'A Paper Tiger'.
#85

As the dinosaur thinkers die off, it'll progress at a greater speed.
#86
Heading for Poppyland










Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 13,013












https://www.northcountrypublicradio....r-from-fleeing
Depressing and infuriating article from NPR about the long-term excruciating slowness & complexity of getting a visa to come to America. And this has been going on for years (i.e. pre-Trump.) State Department have perennially short-staffed the effort. Process takes at least two years. And, god forbid it could be simplified or sped up just now.
I know folks have read about this before, but it’s worth a reminder. Why on earth couldn’t the new administration have ordered the State Dept to prioritize getting at least a proportion of these people to America ASAP, back in January? They knew this moment was coming, sooner or later, right?
Depressing and infuriating article from NPR about the long-term excruciating slowness & complexity of getting a visa to come to America. And this has been going on for years (i.e. pre-Trump.) State Department have perennially short-staffed the effort. Process takes at least two years. And, god forbid it could be simplified or sped up just now.
I know folks have read about this before, but it’s worth a reminder. Why on earth couldn’t the new administration have ordered the State Dept to prioritize getting at least a proportion of these people to America ASAP, back in January? They knew this moment was coming, sooner or later, right?
#87

https://www.northcountrypublicradio....r-from-fleeing
Depressing and infuriating article from NPR about the long-term excruciating slowness & complexity of getting a visa to come to America. And this has been going on for years (i.e. pre-Trump.) State Department have perennially short-staffed the effort. Process takes at least two years. And, god forbid it could be simplified or sped up just now.
I know folks have read about this before, but it’s worth a reminder. Why on earth couldn’t the new administration have ordered the State Dept to prioritize getting at least a proportion of these people to America ASAP, back in January? They knew this moment was coming, sooner or later, right?
Depressing and infuriating article from NPR about the long-term excruciating slowness & complexity of getting a visa to come to America. And this has been going on for years (i.e. pre-Trump.) State Department have perennially short-staffed the effort. Process takes at least two years. And, god forbid it could be simplified or sped up just now.
I know folks have read about this before, but it’s worth a reminder. Why on earth couldn’t the new administration have ordered the State Dept to prioritize getting at least a proportion of these people to America ASAP, back in January? They knew this moment was coming, sooner or later, right?
#88
Stocking up on red wine!










Joined: Mar 2017
Location: Buda
Posts: 8,828












One of the many mistakes was the military centring their "collapsing bag" on Kabul instead of Bagram. Bagram is an hour's drive and, more importantly, 20 minutes flight by chopper from Kabul and as an evacuation centre much more suitable and defendable. It is unlikely (& would have been unnecessary) that the Taliban would have attacked Bagram while the NATO forces were there, Kabul being the symbolic & political target. Bagram was cleared out by the first weekend in July.
#89
Heading for Poppyland










Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 13,013












I just read this.
In October 1963, when Harold Macmillan was handing over the prime ministership to Alec Douglas-Home, he is supposed to have passed on some advice.
"My dear boy, as long as you do not invade Afghanistan you will be absolutely fine," he said. Sadly, no one gave the same advice to Tony Blair.
Probably it’s well known, but I hadn’t heard it.
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26483320
In October 1963, when Harold Macmillan was handing over the prime ministership to Alec Douglas-Home, he is supposed to have passed on some advice.
"My dear boy, as long as you do not invade Afghanistan you will be absolutely fine," he said. Sadly, no one gave the same advice to Tony Blair.
Probably it’s well known, but I hadn’t heard it.
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26483320
#90

Taliban in power may find themselves fighting their own insurgents
Essentially this piece suggests the Taliban might have problems from people who think they're too soft. 
At breakfast I gave that summary to my step daughter and at the "too soft" part she just turned and looked at me in disbelief.
Analysis: new regime may face enemy composed not of fighters loyal to former US-backed government but those who see new rulers as sellouts

At breakfast I gave that summary to my step daughter and at the "too soft" part she just turned and looked at me in disbelief.