Afghanistan

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PhilTheFragger

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My take is that as soon as the US announced they were out, the UK had to follow as our presence there became untenable,

This was always going to happen, ie let the afghans sort out their future themselves,

My only hope is that the Taliban leaders have learnt that a strict agenda will not work with the educated city based citizens who have had these freedoms for the last 20 years, they need to let women have a greater role, stopping education at 12 and then marrying girls off will not go down well with the international community

But it is how it has been done there for many hundreds of years.

There is a huge gap between the city dwellers and the country folk and I fear that it is a circle that will not be squared without more bloodshed
 
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I don't think the answer is more Brits being blown up.

I don’t think anyone suggested that was the answer ?
My take is that as soon as the US announced they were out, the UK had to follow as our presence there became untenable,

This was always going to happen, ie let the afghans sort out their future themselves,

My only hope is that the Taliban leaders have learnt that a strict agenda will not work with the educated city based citizens who have had these freedoms for the last 20 years, they need to let women have a greater role, stopping education at 12 and then marrying girls off will not go down well with the international community

But it is how it has been done there for many hundreds of years.

There is a huge gap between the city dwellers and the country folk and I fear that it is a circle that will not be squared without more bloodshed

Unfortunately going by the videos being released the bloodshed is increasing- people being dragged out of their homes and executed - anything good that’s been done over the last 20 years will be undone over the next 20 days - and they know the international community won’t be able to do anything without the use of force again , and I don’t see that happening once again. The Afghan government has collapsed and the President has fled - The Taliban rule the country again

Unfortunately I think the only thing that would have stopped this was keeping a presence in the country and keeping the two air bases open
 
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Tashyboy

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The country is in a real state. Not sure now if China will try and throw their weight around. They are very tied in with neighbour Pakistan (through a massive belt and road infrastructure plan), and they could help to facilitate China chucking a fortune into the country. And, China would love to capitalise on a US retreat
I read a good piece the other day re China, which actually has a border with Afghanistan.They have no interest whatsoever in throwing money into the country they see it as a political and financial banana skin. They unlike the Russians, USA and the UK have learned from previous forays into the country.
 

4LEX

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My take on it.....

Terrible decision to send troops in there, ditto Iraq. Blair has a lot of blood on his hands, both UK and innnocent civilians. You can't airbomb democracy into these countries, you're best off increasing spending into intelligence and use that to protect ourselves. The amount of money wasted in both wars is beyond contempt. The lack of funding into intelligence has caused more terrorism deaths in this country than anything. Before 9/11 what was the total apart from the IRA? After? The numbers say it all. In the meantime we've spent billions on a war that wasn't needed.

The UK and the US should step up to provide for those fleeing and provide a permanent home for many.
 

Tashyboy

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My take on it.....

Terrible decision to send troops in there, ditto Iraq. Blair has a lot of blood on his hands, both UK and innnocent civilians. You can't airbomb democracy into these countries, you're best off increasing spending into intelligence and use that to protect ourselves. The amount of money wasted in both wars is beyond contempt. The lack of funding into intelligence has caused more terrorism deaths in this country than anything. Before 9/11 what was the total apart from the IRA? After? The numbers say it all. In the meantime we've spent billions on a war that wasn't needed.

The UK and the US should step up to provide for those fleeing and provide a permanent home for many.


unfortunately I have a feeling the exact opposite will happen, esp now. how would the poor sods get here.
 
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My take on it.....

Terrible decision to send troops in there, ditto Iraq. Blair has a lot of blood on his hands, both UK and innnocent civilians. You can't airbomb democracy into these countries, you're best off increasing spending into intelligence and use that to protect ourselves. The amount of money wasted in both wars is beyond contempt. The lack of funding into intelligence has caused more terrorism deaths in this country than anything. Before 9/11 what was the total apart from the IRA? After? The numbers say it all. In the meantime we've spent billions on a war that wasn't needed.

The UK and the US should step up to provide for those fleeing and provide a permanent home for many.

I don’t think it’s always as black and white as that

Afghanistan stabilised for a long time , it was growing as a country , people were starting to live normal life’s , Kabul was starting to thrive as well as the other cities.

That all changed when the US pulled out - the country isnt strong enough yet to stand on its own and that’s why the Taliban swept through the country
 

BiMGuy

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Afghans would have been much better off if we'd have spent billions of dollars on things like infrastructure and education rather than going to war.
 

PNWokingham

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I read a good piece the other day re China, which actually has a border with Afghanistan.They have no interest whatsoever in throwing money into the country they see it as a political and financial banana skin. They unlike the Russians, USA and the UK have learned from previous forays into the country.

the difference between Russia and the west is that China have no care about politics etc - they just want to domimate economically and they will be happy to do that by stealtth gradually
 

tugglesf239

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Have to wonder about the training skills of the UK / US army’s training skills.

Left a bunch of gash hands behind after 20 years of PJT’s for the Afghan “forces”

All joking aside though. Anyone harping on about the Taliban gaining ascendancy due to western forces, specifically us. You are Kidding yourselves. We delayed the power vacuum. It was always on the cards because that’s how the populace is wired. Have been for 1000’s of years.

If there was any ‘will’ by the people and the Afghan army then no way would the Taliban have steam rolled the place as quickly as they have.

Where there is no will, there is a way.
 

harpo_72

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Kind of wondered what would be the status if we did nothing and just let the Taliban rule for that 20yrs …
Then the wife said we gave the women a chance to be educated and they have had something they never had. Which is true, but in doing so have we made them into victims or will they rise and fight ?
Our military forces were put in a horrific position, how can you fight someone who wears no uniform and doesn’t respect the rules of engagement… it definitely isn’t by trying to take moral high ground.
My view is they have broken cover and now it’s time to either be decisive or walk away and restrict access to us
 

Hobbit

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There’ll be so many mixed emotions. Was worth it/we gave it go/yesterday’s news.

But what now for the Afghans that gave it a go? Who will support them? Who will speak for them when an Afghan grasses them up over nothing? What happens to all the female teachers/nurses and so on and so on? What about all the female kids that looked like they might be the next scientist who finds the next Covid vaccine.

Those that say stuff ‘em, shame on you. Those that denigrate the sacrifices made by so many, shame on you.
 

stefanovic

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This latest British failure following on from 3 previous Afghan failures (100 - 200 years ago) is proof that trying to intervene in even a poor country like this does not work.
In my brief experience of Afghanistan I can say that this place while being at a crossroads in Asia is still insular yet strangely powerful. Afghans know the terrain. They are a clan of clans. They have driven out the Russians and now us and the Americans.
Yet I hear we'll be back in 2 years.
To fail again, no doubt.
 
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