Afghanistan deadline

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by 3catcircus

I would agree, except that social media has become the de facto soapbox on the town common. It's akin to the company contracted to mow the lawn on the town common on behalf of the city coming to the guy on the soapbox and chasing him away so he doesn't get run over as they mow the grass, smashing over his bullhorn and soapbox in the process. They're not kicking him out of the town common, they'll just mow him down along with the grass if he doesn't get out of the way. City government hasn't taken away his soapbox and bullhorn, but they've not told their contractor to not run over people along with the grass if they're in the way. He's still there, voicing his opinion from the side, but now no one who may have an interest in what he has to say can hear him.

The internet is the town common and social media is the soapbox and bullhorn because we're at the point that internet access providers and any kind of messaging/social media providers should be considered as common infrastructure since they enjoy protections of being a common carrier while also exercising the actions of wielding editorial control.

That's the difference. If they didn't shadowban, suspend, or permanent ban people who voice unpopular (even ridiculous) viewpoints, I'd have a different consideration for them. But when they ban unpopular but legal viewpoints while simultaneously allowing unlawful viewpoints, they've lost any credibility.

Not quite. It's more in line with a group of people shouting down someone on their soapbox such that they cannot be heard which is also not a violation of the first amendment as the shouting crowd is just exercising their first amendment rights.

[mapuc]

Day before yesterday the Taliban send a telegram saying they had captured the last province in Northern Afghanistan and video clip from Kabul showed bullets being fired into the air.

Then today news are saying there's a battle going in that area. The leader from this Province has rejected Talibans claimed victory.

Didn't surprise me at all.

It's however only a matter of time before Taliban can say they have won and gain control over this area.

Markus

[Buddahaid]

They can say all they want but I doubt they will ever gain full control of the area.

[3catcircus]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

Not quite. It's more in line with a group of people shouting down someone on their soapbox such that they cannot be heard which is also not a violation of the first amendment as the shouting crowd is just exercising their first amendment rights.

I could see that applying. But, who decides which of those shouting is to be silenced? The answer should be "based upon what the majority of listeners thinks, they will naturally ignore who they don't want to listen to." But, on social media, it isn't a majority of listeners/readers, it's designated individuals whose judgment may or may not reflect majority opinion.

[mapuc]

Going a little off topic.

Remember a documentary on Danish tv about how powerful Facebook and Twitter had become. It was something with they have created their own law and pushed American law away.

Well if this is the case, then the American politicians must do something about it. Facebook and Twitter has their main office in USA and must follow the law there.

Back to Afghanistan Deadline.

Markus

[MaDef]

Originally Posted by Arlo

Get back to me when Islamic fanatics attack the capital intending to kill most of congress so they can place their chief imam in the oval office.

Hyperbole much?

[Arlo]

Originally Posted by MaDef

Hyperbole much?

Not a fraction of what .... some here .... do. However, when the Taliban does that then we have (another) problem. Do your thing, Def.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

They can say all they want but I doubt they will ever gain full control of the area.

Afghjanistan enver was short in supply of wepaons, but still ammunition and such stuff is needed. If the resitrence has access to such suppolies, they cnanot be dirven out. If their supplies run thin, they have bad cards in the long run. Russia an dchina scertainly have an interets in the resistence stallking, so that tehy cna start to make deals with the Taleban. Same is true for the West. I think different to the past, nobody outside Afghanistan sympathises with the resistence in the Panjir valley region. Except maybe some Afghans who fled from Afghanistan now.

And the cvivil population? Is sick and tired of decades of conbstant war and fighting putting their families and kids and wifes at risk. Thats why the Wests wa snot loved. And why many Afghans givign the Taleban now credit for that life is secure and safer now and crime is down.


Pragmatism over idealism and high-flying values.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by August

Matter of time i'm afraid. We've abandoned them. No Special Forces riding mountain ponies into battle, or calling in B52 strikes, and we've left their enemies with enormous stockpiles of arms and munitions. Matter of time.

Rgr that

[Jimbuna]

"Everybody got it wrong" on how quickly the Taliban would take over Afghanistan, the head of Britain's armed forces has said.

Gen Sir Nick Carter told the BBC: "It was the pace of it that surprised us and I don't think we realised quite what the Taliban were up to."

Asked whether military intelligence was wrong, he said the government received intelligence from a variety of sources.

"It's not purely about military intelligence," he said.

The last British and US troops left Afghanistan a week ago, bringing their 20-year military campaign in the country to an end.

There has been criticism of the way the West withdrew from Afghanistan, with questions over how the Taliban was able to seize control of the country at such speed.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told MPs last week the intelligence assessment had been that there would be a "steady deterioration" in the security situation in August but it was "unlikely Kabul would fall this year". However, the Taliban took over Kabul in mid-August.

Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Gen Sir Nick was asked how the predictions had been wrong.

"I think everybody got it wrong is the straight answer," he said. "Even the Taliban didn't expect things to change as quickly as they did."

The chief of defence staff said: "I don't think what anybody predicted was how fragile that Afghan government was and how fragile it was in relation to the command of its armed forces."

The Taliban is expected to announce a new government in the coming days, meaning foreign powers will have to adapt to the prospect of dealing with a Taliban administration.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58453258

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

They can say all they want but I doubt they will ever gain full control of the area.

According to Swedish news they have gain 24 km of this province and captured some town in this province. This was some hours ago

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Two hours old

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/...top-us-general

[Jimbuna]

The Taliban say they are in complete control of the Afghan province of Panjshir.

The valley "has been cleared today completely", a spokesman told a news conference in Kabul.

Pictures on social media show Taliban fighters in front of the gate of the provincial governor's compound.

But fighters resisting Taliban rule have disputed Taliban claims and say fighting continues.

As recently as Sunday, their leader Ahmad Massoud had said he was open to peace talks.

The Taliban took control of the rest of Afghanistan three weeks ago, following the collapse of the Western-backed government.

They are expected to announce who will be in their government soon.

[Rockstar]

You will learn more in an hour from Pepe.

[Jimbuna]

The Taliban have declared victory over the province of Panjshir northeast of the capital Kabul, the final pocket of territory which has remained outside their rule.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58466647