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US and Nato withdrawal from Afghanistan...- threadbanned users in OP

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    #572
    whisky_galore
    Registered Users Posts: 16,345 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759180#Comment_117759180

    Not the sharpest pin in the pin cushion. Benidorm wasn't good enough for him.



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    #573
    Tony EH
    Registered Users Posts: 19,340 ✭✭✭✭Tony EH


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759736#Comment_117759736

    This is why the Taliban have more support amongst the Afghan population than we would like to admit. As a people, they are already strict adherents to Islam. So, the Taliban aren't the crazy loons to them that we see them as in the West. It's all too easy to imagine a couple of Taliban members rocking up to the local hamlet and giving a speech about how they're kicking out the Great Satan and that they're going to do brilliant things for the locals. It would be relatively easy to pull the wool over the eyes of the average poorly educated Afghan goat herder.

    It's the parish pump politics equivalent in South Asia.



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    #574
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,760 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    https://twitter.com/USEmbassyKabul/status/1400060130243362816


    https://twitter.com/pop_hill/status/1426844536102428679

    Two months a go...



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    #575
    orecir
    Registered Users Posts: 345 ✭✭orecir


    The Taliban taking back control of Afghanistan on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 is a gigantic own goal for Joe Biden and the democratic party of the United States.



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    #576
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,760 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759788#Comment_117759788

    I think it's more the manner of it.

    The optics are these lads with towels on their heads, horses and camels took over the country with no resistance. That was an intentional policy position. It didn't have to be that way, they could have stretched it out over a few weeks, got the people out who needed to leave instead of this last minute chaos.



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    #577
    Loafing Oaf
    Registered Users Posts: 16,574 ✭✭✭✭Loafing Oaf


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759788#Comment_117759788

    Yeah none of this would be happening if The Donald was still in the White House



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    #578
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    The Pentagon and the U.S. political establishment speaks with a forked tongue. Madeleine Albright, another MIC ghoul, appointed by Clinton IIRC, responsible for starving an estimated 500,000 babies to death through sanctions on Iraq, and notorious for saying to a journalist 'It was worth it' when confronted on the point, was on Twitter tonight warbling about 'saving lives' in Afghanistan.

    On the question of why Biden continued w/ the 'Trump' policy. Where the MIC is concerned there is only a Uniparty. I'd bet all the opium in Afghanistan that neither President had any say in the matter.



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    #579
    Richard Hillman
    Registered Users Posts: 12,033 ✭✭✭✭Richard Hillman


    I wonder are the Taliban under instructions not to attack the US forces still there at the airport. It will still only take one young lad to fire at a US soldier and you've got absolute carnage (even more so). The Taliban leaders may be struggling to control them at this stage. They will be in a frenzy.

    If the airfield is flooded with people there will be no flights in or out at all. The US troops won't be able to get out at all. You'd have to imagine there are CIA on the ground or on the blower to the Taliban leaders right now.



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    #580
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,760 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759851#Comment_117759851

    There are 6,000 US troops there. A bit foolish for the Taliban to fire on US troops.



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    #581
    Cluedo Monopoly
    Registered Users Posts: 9,416 ✭✭✭Cluedo Monopoly


    History repeating itself. Poppy cultivation will increase significantly to feed the global heroin market.

    What are they doing in the Hyacinth House?



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    #582
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Al Jazeera reported that the Taliban are under orders to ensure a 'smooth transition' of power. However, they also reported that the Taliban has a target list of people it wants... former government ministers and such. If they are on the blower to the CIA, they are likely asking for those people to be handed over.



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    #583
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759872#Comment_117759872

    Not sure about that. I think production went up something like fourfold while the US was in the country.

    Anyway, Chinese fentanyl is the future, at least as far U.S. drug consumption is concerned. (The Opium Wars are not forgotten in China.)



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    #584
    Tony EH
    Registered Users Posts: 19,340 ✭✭✭✭Tony EH


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759872#Comment_117759872

    The Taliban banned poppy growth in the 90's. It only started gaining again after the were overthrown.

    However, over the last ten years they've apparently been using it as a source of funding. So who knows.



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    #585
    Jeff2
    Registered Users Posts: 7,090 ✭✭✭Jeff2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759694#Comment_117759694

    If the get the information left behind and drones they would be happy alright and pay good price for it.



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    #586
    Gatling
    Registered Users Posts: 40,291 ✭✭✭✭Gatling


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759873#Comment_117759873

    Under orders from who , Pakistan ,Saudi ????

    360_F_102352090_ie3kLjDIvgrT1sxVDknWCUh8PxgMYzM7.jpg




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    #587
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759910#Comment_117759910

    Sorry.. from the Taliban leadership. I don't know who is giving the Taliban leadership orders. They were in China last week... possibly unconnected.



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    #588
    Sierra Oscar
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 8,501 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sierra Oscar


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759872#Comment_117759872

    I wouldn’t be too sure of that. The Taliban cut opium production by 99% the last time they were in power. They used an iron fist to do so, drug users were routinely put to death.

    The allure of the financial benefits of the drug trade must be tempting to the Taliban, but don’t forget that they are religious fundamentalists at the end of the day with a strong hatred of illicit drug use.



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    #589
    Manic Moran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,413 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manic Moran


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759236#Comment_117759236


    I think you're confusing the question of if the Afghans would want anyone "in power". Or more to the point, if they care. As has been observed elsewhere in this thread, the concept of a central 'power' in Afghanistan is foreign to Afghanis. It's about your tribe and your village. Because they were not a nation, Afghans had no particular nationalist objection to Americans, British, Germans, or anyone else, as long as they could continue their tribal policies, national representation was a happy by-product. Which, in fairness, we generally did. This is also something the Taliban are less likely to do. The question for the tribes is whether it is better for the tribe to submit to Taliban rule, or to fight them, and this was a decision made by each tribe individually as from the perspective of each tribe. When the choice is between oppression or death, the lack of resistance is pretty obvious. Remember, "Hearts and minds" are not won just by being nice (It's even in the manual).

    The Taliban didn't need popular support, they just needed a lack of resistance. You know the old saw, from John Stuart Mill. "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing"



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    #590
    alchemist33
    Registered Users Posts: 10,969 ✭✭✭✭alchemist33


    Taking Westerners hostage will only invite Western militaries back so I expect the Taliban will play nice until they've consolidated power. Then it'll be the middle ages shitshow everyone fears. I just feel so sad about this, and maybe the worst part is that it was going to happer sooner or later.



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    #591
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759619#Comment_117759619

    Puts him in a strong position to commence his reflection campaign.

    Good Lord.



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    #592
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,760 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    https://twitter.com/AsaadHannaa/status/1426967237823434756


    This stuff has probably already started. It is sad because so many people put in huge effort to try and bring the country forward through kindness and partnership with the militaries building schools, essential infrastructure, introducing freedoms not there previously...all sorts of things.

    All that is over.



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    #593
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Essential reading from October 2001: https://www.irishtimes.com/business/lockheed-wins-200bn-order-1.334369

    With priorities urgently revised because of the United States's involvement in a new war, the US Defence Department yesterday rushed through the biggest military contract in history, a $20 billion (€22.4 billion) engineering and manufacturing development order to Lockheed Martin for a new fighter plane.Along with Britain, which has committed $2 billion to development, the US plans to buy a combined total of 3,002 war planes for their air forces, navies and marines over 10 years. The total value of the contract will eventually be more than $200 billion, according to the US Congressional Budget Office. The $20 billion contract was rushed out at the urging of a panel appointed by US Defence Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfield, and begins a new era of defence spending, benefiting sub-contractors throughout the United States and Britain.

    Another gem:

    https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/21/military-spending-defense-contractors-profiting-from-war-weapons-sales/39092315/

    Lockheed Martin’s revenue from the U.S. government alone is well more than the total annual budgets of the IRS and the Environmental Protection Agency, combined.




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    #594
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759945#Comment_117759945

    Yes, many genuine people were given false hope. It was never about women's rights or the brotherhood of man though it was about big contracts to defense contractors in return for kickbacks and campaign contributions. You'd despair of the human race sometimes... and with that in mind, I need to tune out of this discussion and go look at some puppy videos or something before I tear me hair out :)



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    #595
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,760 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    How it ended.

    Untitled Image

    They look like nice chaps. #based



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    #596
    jmayo
    Registered Users Posts: 13,186 ✭✭✭✭jmayo


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759571#Comment_117759571

    Because it is the only way out and people are fooking desperate.

    Jaysus.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759375#Comment_117759375


    You remind of that gent Comical Ali.

    nothing to see everything is alright.

    Yet the US and other countries moved their embassies effectively to the airport on Saturday.

    Why the fook would they do that unless they knew it was another Saigon.

    Oh wipee they would not be evacuating from the roof of the embassy this time, they would be evacuating from the airport tarmac instead.

    Jaysus h on a bike, they have spend millions training and equipping an Afghani army and airforce and they have melted away over a few weeks.

    It makes the Iraqi army look like a successful force.

    I am not allowed discuss …



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    #597
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,760 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    https://twitter.com/RichardEngel/status/1426871856645160961

    There'll be all sorts of Al-Qaeda, ISIS and other fighters among the now former prisoners.



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    #598
    Jeff2
    Registered Users Posts: 7,090 ✭✭✭Jeff2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117760003#Comment_117760003

    Looks like the last supper panting.



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    #599
    jmayo
    Registered Users Posts: 13,186 ✭✭✭✭jmayo


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759819#Comment_117759819

    It is who's watch it happened on is what people will remember.

    It doesn't matter that gimp Trump set the ball rolling.

    Biden is the one that oversaw the actual end and did nothing to stop it.

    Yet again the optics is that America has dumped it's allies, by starting to do a deal with the enemy of it's supposed ally.

    This all goes to make China and Russia look all the stronger.

    I am not allowed discuss …



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    #600
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,538 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759780#Comment_117759780

    I lived there for several years, including in remote rural areas, and in one place I stayed, I even helped them build a Mosque. So I have a good idea of how they live and think. All the Taliban would have to do is "convince" the local head / strongman, and the rest would follow suit. But I never heard any of them speak well of the Taliban, and many were very reluctant to even speak about them, on the other hand, when it came to discussing the Russians, they were very vocal and proud of their achievements..completely different outlook. One thing I heard several times though, was why the Taliban were claiming to have came to preach Islam in Afghanistan a country which has been Islamic fior centurys. As far as I could tell,they were not welcome, just another hardship imposed on a long suffering people. And they were quite brutal when it came to collecting weapons or taxes in the district. Nothing unusual either to see a Toyota pick up with 4 or 5 boys on board, and see the look and anger on the faces of my friends, who were powerless to do anything, only shrug their shoulders to my enquiring gaze.



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    #601
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,760 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    https://twitter.com/jmhansler/status/1427036532695834626

    ...



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