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I’m very skeptical, and I’ll even go on record that we will still be there beyond Biden’s 9/11 deadline.
First of all, he picked that date in order to make Bush look even worse than he already is. Purely political reason why we are (supposedly) leaving on Sep 11, 2021.
Secondly, a whole fighting season remains between now and September. There are factions on both sides, to include our so called adversaries, who don’t want us to leave.
I agree that a majority of Americans want us out of there, and I also agree that we should’ve left long ago, but since when does the will of the people factor into anything anymore?
Again, I don’t think we will be gone, and I also predict there will be more troops in the entire AOR than there are currently. So us leaving, if we even do that, will not mean anything other than Biden getting to bash Bush for starting this mess.
The situation is destabilizing, it’s not getting more peaceful.
Biden seems determined to implement the September deadline. I wouldn’t be surprised though that there will still still be advisors aka troops around keeping a low profile. And the possibility of continuing money for weapons and training for the locals.
The reason I even brought this up is because of Obama’s poor decision to leave Iraq, which ISIS took advantage of, and now we are still there. I guess Biden is ok with us being in Iraq?
But the same thing would happen. The Taliban is gonna retake a large part of the country just like they had pre-2001. They will retake Kabul. Of course, Afghanistan isn’t really a country, so the Taliban will never control the whole country, and they didn’t before.
It’s the same old problem, we shouldn’t be there in the first place, but if we leave it’s gonna turn into a horrible situation. That’s gonna be amazing, seeing the Taliban use former US facilities to wage war against the same clans they’ve been fighting for hundreds of years.
The reason I even brought this up is because of Obama’s poor decision to leave Iraq, which ISIS took advantage of, and now we are still there. I guess Biden is ok with us being in Iraq?
But the same thing would happen. The Taliban is gonna retake a large part of the country just like they had pre-2001. They will retake Kabul. Of course, Afghanistan isn’t really a country, so the Taliban will never control the whole country, and they didn’t before.
It’s the same old problem, we shouldn’t be there in the first place, but if we leave it’s gonna turn into a horrible situation. That’s gonna be amazing, seeing the Taliban use former US facilities to wage war against the same clans they’ve been fighting for hundreds of years.
Bush actually signed the agreement in 2008 to withdraw troops from Iraq by 2012.
I do not care what the situation turns into there. They had 20 years and a trillion dollars to get themselves up to speed, they just do not care, they like living the way they do. What is the US to do, spend another 20 years and trillions of more dollars?
So we have a situation in Afghanistan where the the first troops in that country have offspring who are old enough to be in the military and be sent to the same country where their parents fought. That’s a long time. A second Vietnam arguably where for many reasons we could not win and left.
Bush actually signed the agreement in 2008 to withdraw troops from Iraq by 2012.
I do not care what the situation turns into there. They had 20 years and a trillion dollars to get themselves up to speed, they just do not care, they like living the way they do. What is the US to do, spend another 20 years and trillions of more dollars?
Who cares what Bush signed, it was Obama’s decision to leave, and then we had to go back in there.
As far as your point about wasting money in AFG, you act like that money won’t be wasted elsewhere if it is reallocated, because it absolutely will.
Like I stated before, we are both in agreement that we shouldn’t be there, but what I am saying is that we aren’t gonna leave, and if I’m wrong and we do, we will just plus up somewhere else in the region. Saving what exactly?
I just think it’s a political stunt at this point. Also, it’s inevitable that the Taliban will regain sort of control of the country. Afghani women thrown out of jobs, girls barred from school, violence against women, etc.
This whole withdraw fiasco will be used politically.
What ever happened to the Tajiks and the Northern Alliance? Back in 2002, they overran Kabul and drove out the Pashtun Taliban, with American help of course. Then the Americans insisted on letting the Pashtuns pretty much take over again since they're the majority.
It seems to me if the American military leaves, there will be civil war with at least 3 factions:
1. the regular Afghan army supplied by the U.S. and aided by U.S. advisors & air support
2. the Taliban
3. the anti-Taliban Tajiks and other minorities
Pakistan will host and support the Taliban like they've always done. China will move in, too, not that anyone wants them.
I don't see any good coming from an American withdrawal, especially a sudden pull-out on a symbolic date with emotional significance.
That said, it's been a long and expensive 20 years, many good men killed or badly injured, and for what?
Again, I don’t think we will be gone, and I also predict there will be more troops in the entire AOR than there are currently. So us leaving, if we even do that, will not mean anything other than Biden getting to bash Bush for starting this mess.
The situation is destabilizing, it’s not getting more peaceful.
It's very difficult to do. To extricate yourself from a military situation, especially when you aren't winning. That's one of the reasons I was impressed with President Ford. Nixon started the process to get us out of Vietnam, but Ford is the one who got it done. Kudos to him.
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