The Fall of Kabul

[Daan Kemp]

We view Afghanistan from a Western perspective, culture, background, etc. That doesn't mean we are right. It doesn't mean we are wrong either. It probably means we don't understand.
Like what happened in Iran when the shah left.

[CINDERS]

History should allow us to understand that whilst the principles of democracy are what we go by they are out of place in certain parts of the world and despite the good intentions or military might ploughed into the country they just go to ground and wait us out.
Pacification & unification, right - wrong who knows its clouded and the many headed snake will be as perineal as the grass its the gate that will probably see that other mob gear up and re assert itself its like a pin wheel going around.

What can we do in the West issue certain sympathetic peoples with 1,000,000 plus sunblock and tell them not to look at the flash! I think its cruel that good men from free willed countries have given it all and to what end, tears for those left at home and poor moral questioning as what was it all for.
These so called peoples who b*stardise religion killing people for basically not believing in what they do will haunt us for eons its like the dark ages and the knights Templars.
We cannot go and give them glass country sides as there are the innocents to consider and besides to many arms dealers are making a squillion from these conflicts we could say the famous saying "Kill'em all and let God sort them out" but that makes us no better than they are.
Also spare a thought for the interpreters and so on who actively put people away helping the coalition forces their families along with themselves will have very short days.

[rcathey]

The previous president made a deal with the Taliban to withdraw from Afghanistan.

Members of the Afghani government were not involved.

Pretty obvious this was going to happen. The farmer made a deal with the fox to stop watching the chicken coop. Who would be surprised the fox took over? I think even the chickens saw that coming…but they weren’t consulted.

[mrclark303]

Spare a thought for all those who embraced the western culture, in teaching young and older children in those last 20 years, making them realise what we valued in Democratic societies!!

It is those teachers now who face and uncertain future, and will sadly be fighting for their lives!

The millions of Dollars and Pounds and Euros spent to train their Police/Army and Air Force have IMHO been wasted as they clearly step away from any acknowledgement of wearing a uniform in search of democracy and peace.

Maybe the Taliban have changed in that 20 years, only time will tell.
I lost a lot of good friends in 2 PARA in that country, and 2 PARA are back there today as the UK's QRF at the airport and Embassy.................was it, and is it worth any losses one has to ask???

Well said Gil, I was moved by the astonishing courage of the female minister of education, who defiantly remained at her post yesterday...

I gravely doubt she saw the sun rise today ...

It was sadly always going to end this way eventually, the mission creep during 2002, from removing the terrorist threat from Afghanistan, shifted to nation building and we were doomed from that point...

An open ended commitment, with no exit strategy. My thoughts go out today for all the widow's and families of veterans who fell in Afghanistan, all who carry injuries for life, physical and mental scars... To the woman of Afghanistan, who will suffer the most as that dark regime crushes hope and freedom.

What a terrible mess...

[CINDERS]

On the news today film of absolute bedlam they were clinging to the outside of a USAF cargo plane as it taxied out evacuating US personnel goodness knows if they cleared them off the plane before take off.
I guess orders are orders but yes the scenes are exactly like the ones we witnessed all those years ago with Saigon falling. So very sad.

[Ovidio]

They didn’t clear them. Just saw a video where you see people falling from the plane after take-off…

[Surpmil]

"Military men are just dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy".

[ssgross]

why did we not wait until the winter for this? Every lowely private even knew that most of the Taliban go home and sit by the campfire all winter long (unless of course we continued to seek them out), and that pattern of fighting in the summer, and going home to the village in the winter, has been going on every year for 2000 years or more? how can we be this stupid...again?

[baltimoreed]

At least they’re not pushing million dollar aircraft off the aircraft carriers into the ocean to make room for the next one.

[Gil Boyd]

Sadly more Opium coming to our shores...........to fund their ill gotten gains!!!