Ugh, do you think we will ever get out of that mess?

We will get out the day our politicians turned realistic. As long as the illusion persists to turn the country into a western model or religious backwardly fanatics could be "reformed", no.


Their war index still is around 6. Ours around 1, and below. Guess which civilization will have the longer breath. Overaged against overyouthed society. Good luck with that constellation.

We did not learn from the British when they got stuck there
We did not learn from the Soviets when they got stuck there


We, the US, were different and we would show everyone how it is done.


Speaking as an old crusty vet, I don't see anything in AF that is worth a single additional American life.

Well it was a U.N. mandate that got the ball rolling. Only one nation and coalition on earth had the reach, materiel, and power to project its will half way across the globe. What we've accomplished is something no other nation on earth could. The British tried the Soviet Union tried. This time we got it together and U.S. and NATO forces went in and with the use of their military were able to fulfill that mandate. Politically it remains unseen if the people of Afghanistan can grab hold and not let go of the opportunity we fought for and gave them. I'm under no illusion that it will somehow be perfect when we leave, it wont. It does however need to be relatively stable enough so that it will not fall back into the anarchy of the 80's and 90's and become a terrorist safe haven. The U.S., E.U. want a stable Afghanistan and Russia needs it.


I guess we'll find out May 1st

^Poppycock, the Taliban will wrest control from the Afghan government once the foreign invaders have left, it might take them 5 years or more but once again it will become a terrorist safe haven.

Haven't the UN or the US learnt anything from all the other invasions they've been involved in, most of those people don't want to be little westerners, and its time that the US and any other foreign invader realised that. As for any civilian contractors left in Afghanistan, they'd better use there brains and get the hell out of there quick or they're going to have them splattered all over the streets.

Change the strategic decision makers thinking first to take the above into account before the next invasion occurs or the same screwup is going to happen again. All you've done is given the Taliban the ability and knowledge to kill and melt away into the night without any consequences. When the air cover and foreign troops are gone then they wont even be melting away, that's not the groundwork of a successful invasion old boy, its a bleeding ongoing disaster, and its of their own inept and limited thinking.

Super Powers 0-2 Afghan warlords.

We better run while have the chance? You do realize U.S. and NATO forces have been there for close to 20 years now. If brains were going to be splattered in the streets chaos and Taliban everywhere. I think it would have happened long ago and we would have tucked tail an run like the Brits and Soviets did. The next invasion has already occurred there is no quagmire. The Taliban are no longer in power and we're still there and we're the ones setting the terms of our departure.

I know, its hard to see it any other way when the world is crashing in around you on a daily basis. But things change, and since the death of Mullah Omar even the Taliban have expressed an interest in a political solution. But like I said there is only so much the West can do. I don't expect a perfect Afghanistan when we leave, the rest is up to them to make it work.

He who does not listen, must feel.

Afghanistann will only be not another hellhole again as long as foreign troops stay there. Its like holding a spring stretched out. It stays like that only as long as you keep holding it.

In other words: those foreign forces must stay forever.

Enjoy your stay. Keep up the spirit, but do not forget: forever is a very long time.

This way, spiderwebs get self-spun in which we entangle ourselves.

Oh, and btw: since 2006, the puppy production in Afghanistan has raced from production world record to production world record, reaching an all-time high in 2017. The western presence not only not prevents it, but even seems to help protecting it - if not by in intention then nevertheless in net effect. That are the drugs that then flood onto the streets in Western cities and get bought by your kids.

Sweet dreams are there to find you,
sweet dreams to leave all worries behind you,
but in your dreams, whatever they be:
dream a little dream of Afghanistan.

Trapped in the Afghan Maze!

Hey Skybird, what we're talking about in this thread is The War On Terror. Opium trade and poppy fields is The War On Drugs handled by another office down the hall. Stay on topic or start a new one please! :D :03:

You cant be serious with that clever discrimination.

Back in 2006 I wrote a very long paper and linked it here, maybe you remember. You cannot separate the two in Afghanistan. Drugs are an integral part of the terror problem there. Finances, anyone?


If under the overwatch of Western military the biggest drug production in the world cna blossom and earns records year after year, than something goes terribly wrong with the whole mission.

Of course he is you bloody nutcase, :haha: he's got the same mindset as Hollywood and the US military, you know, the one that miraculously turns a cluster**** into a victory of epic proportions. :O:

I have to hand it to you Skybird. The depths of your narcissism just continues to amaze me even after all these years! I will throw your words back at you. You can't be serious!

What about drugs made from poppies, and who sells it to where? :hmmm:
Depending on what you read it is Europe or the US who buy all the heroine.

Found this interesting:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/201...in-afghanistan

Taliban and Kabul government to meet in Moscow

https://www.dailysabah.com/world/asi...meet-in-moscow

While your yank politicians and military have been dithering the Taliban will have been gathering their forces again for another season of bloodshed, hurry along Biden as the Taliban will use deadly force if that's what's needed.

Afghanistan on brink of total carnage as Taliban threatens all-out war if Biden doesn’t withdraw troops by May 1

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/143739...oops-deadline/

Speaking of politicians and military, any word on the other 7,092 troops from Europe stationed in Afghanistan? Last I heard NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg didn't think pulling out of Afghanistan was such a good idea.