Afghanistan: Mission Accomplished

[Yossarian]

This may have been covered, but any thoughts on how this might affect next year's mid terms? Plus or minus for Biden and his apparent heir?

Unless there's a major terrorist attack that can be blamed on the Taliban I don't think Afghanistan or any other foreign policy issues will make much an impact on the midterms - the war never even got a mention in last year's presidential debates.

Polls do show a big drop in support for withdrawal though, from 70% to around 50%, apparently many Americans had been paying so little attention to what was going on that they thought they'd be withdrawing as winners.

 

[elbows]

I note the business section of CNN brings us the headline "The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs".

The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs

The swift fall of Afghanistan to Taliban fighters has triggered a humanitarian crisis, with thousands trying to flee the country. It's also brought renewed focus on Afghanistan's vast untapped mineral wealth, resources that could transform its economic prospects if ever developed.

edition.cnn.com

 

[Petcha]

Unless there's a major terrorist attack that can be blamed on the Taliban I don't think Afghanistan or any other foreign policy issues will make much an impact on the midterms - the war never even got a mention in last year's presidential debates.

Polls do show a big drop in support for withdrawal though, from 70% to around 50%, apparently many Americans had been paying so little attention to what was going on that they thought they'd be withdrawing as winners.

Americans don't generally like to be humiliated internationally of course. I've no idea what happened politically after Saigon. I doubt it played well though? His speech was clearly aimed at his local audience so he's obviously a bit concerned.

 

[IC3D]

I meant to say ANP Casaubon good post.. Literally composed of men with nothing to loose and living in complete nihilism unless as they joined to get a weapon to qualify for the opposition.
The section of that doc where the US mil guy tries to stop the systemic rape of boys on bases is really grim. According to the reddit thread he was thrown out of service for bringing that to light and is now a security guard in a shopping mall.

 

[cupid_stunt]

which, tbf, is pretty bad.

Oi!

 

[cupid_stunt]

I note the business section of CNN brings us the headline "The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs".

The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs

The swift fall of Afghanistan to Taliban fighters has triggered a humanitarian crisis, with thousands trying to flee the country. It's also brought renewed focus on Afghanistan's vast untapped mineral wealth, resources that could transform its economic prospects if ever developed.

edition.cnn.com

Nice for China and Russia.

 

[not-bono-ever]

I note the business section of CNN brings us the headline "The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs".

The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs

The swift fall of Afghanistan to Taliban fighters has triggered a humanitarian crisis, with thousands trying to flee the country. It's also brought renewed focus on Afghanistan's vast untapped mineral wealth, resources that could transform its economic prospects if ever developed.

edition.cnn.com

Wants rather than needs surely ? It’s not like the taliban have a rich seam of revolutionary anti malarial drugs in them dusty hills

 

[IC3D]

The National Bank of Afghanistan assets are in the federal reserve. The US didn't just pull out troops they are preventing any continuation of jobs they helped establish as people won't be paid.

 

[cyril_smear]

The ANA seem to have been recruited from Afghanistan's most unemployable. From 48 mins: Elders saying how exactly it will end.

if it wasn't so tragic... ffs

 

[elbows]

Wants rather than needs surely ? It’s not like the taliban have a rich seam of revolutionary anti malarial drugs in them dusty hills

Yeah I only posted it because the headline involved the sort of shitty framing and sense of priorities that speaks volumes.

 

[elbows]

Nice for China and Russia.

If 'global supply chains' remain broadly configured as they are today, then what benefit China in that regard also benefits the west.

 

[pogofish]

However, trump laid the foundation for this little clusterfuck with his Doha agreement so the republicans have a hand in the mess too

The cynic in me is wondering if there is some sort of secret codicil to this agreement that might have allowed the Taliban a very visible "victory" in exchange on them going relatively easy on the departing powers..?

 

[YouSir]

Nice for China and Russia.

As the article says, even previous Chinese investments haven't paid off. Afghanistan isn't going to be stable enough for massive mining projects any time soon. Especially if anyone decides to start funding other forces beyond the Taliban.

 

[YouSir]

The cynic in me is wondering if there is some sort of secret codicil to this agreement that might have allowed the Taliban a very visible "victory" in exchange on them going relatively easy on the departing powers..?

Doubt it, fighting a departing US would have been stupid anyway, just an incitement for a bit of retaliatory bombing. Reckon both sides just knew it wasn't worth it.

 

[Ax^]

As the article says, even previous Chinese investments haven't paid off. Afghanistan isn't going to be stable enough for massive mining projects any time soon. Especially if anyone decides to start funding other forces beyond the Taliban.

always poppy farming to fall back on

 

[Curiouscarl]

I always thought the reason they went to Afghan. Was to be closer to China and do some sneaky things there.

 

[MickiQ]

Doubt it, fighting a departing US would have been stupid anyway, just an incitement for a bit of retaliatory bombing. Reckon both sides just knew it wasn't worth it.

Totally agree with this, any final battle is going to leave a lot more dead Taliban that US soldiers. The US isn't so much retreating so much as going because they think this fight really isn't worth it anymore. There is a risk that some odd loon amongst the ranks of the Taliban might decide to take a pot shot at the Yanks but if he does and especially if he hits and actually kills one then the USAF is liable to leave Kabul in flames.
All the Taliban have to do at this stage is sit and watch and shout the odd insult which none of the Yanks will even understand anyway.

 

[cyril_smear]

The ANA seem to have been recruited from Afghanistan's most unemployable. From 48 mins: Elders saying how exactly it will end.

A good watch And it has indeed ended exactly as predicted in the doco.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I always thought the reason they went to Afghan. Was to be closer to China and do some sneaky things there.

Need to think a bit harder next time, curious.

 

[TopCat]

Psychopaths are very good at such, You know...the sort that can have a business deal with a man minutes after raping his daughter without batting an eyelid. calm does not equal reasonable
That is what I see when I look at these people

You need better glasses.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

The Taliban 2.0 seem very similar to their predecessors to me. From the Guardian:

Taliban militants attacked protesters in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday after they dared to take down their banner and replace it with the country’s flag, killing at least one person and fuelling fears about how the insurgents plan to govern.​

While the Taliban have insisted they will respect human rights unlike during their previously draconian rule, the attack in Jalalabad comes as many Afghans are hiding at home or trying to flee the country as allegations of abuses by the loosely controlled militant organisation grow.
Many have expressed dread that the two-decade Western experiment to remake Afghanistan will not survive the resurgent Taliban, who took control of the country in a blitz that took just days, Associated Press reports.
In an early sign of protest to the Taliban’s rule, dozens gathered in the eastern city of Jalalabad and a nearby market town to raise the tricolour national flag, a day before Afghanistan’s Independence Day, which commemorates the 1919 treaty that ended British rule. They lowered the Taliban flag — a white banner with an Islamic inscription — that the militants have raised in the areas they captured.
Video footage later showed the Taliban firing into the air and attacking people with batons to disperse the crowd. Babrak Amirzada, a reporter for a local news agency, said the Taliban beat him and a TV cameraman from another agency.
A local health official said the violence killed at least one person and wounded six. The official spoke on condition of anonymity has he wasn’t authorised to brief journalists.
The Taliban did not acknowledge the protest or the violence.

 

[Petcha]

The Taliban 2.0 seem very similar to their predecessors to me. From the Guardian:

Taliban militants attacked protesters in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday after they dared to take down their banner and replace it with the country’s flag, killing at least one person and fuelling fears about how the insurgents plan to govern.​

While the Taliban have insisted they will respect human rights unlike during their previously draconian rule, the attack in Jalalabad comes as many Afghans are hiding at home or trying to flee the country as allegations of abuses by the loosely controlled militant organisation grow.
Many have expressed dread that the two-decade Western experiment to remake Afghanistan will not survive the resurgent Taliban, who took control of the country in a blitz that took just days, Associated Press reports.
In an early sign of protest to the Taliban’s rule, dozens gathered in the eastern city of Jalalabad and a nearby market town to raise the tricolour national flag, a day before Afghanistan’s Independence Day, which commemorates the 1919 treaty that ended British rule. They lowered the Taliban flag — a white banner with an Islamic inscription — that the militants have raised in the areas they captured.
Video footage later showed the Taliban firing into the air and attacking people with batons to disperse the crowd. Babrak Amirzada, a reporter for a local news agency, said the Taliban beat him and a TV cameraman from another agency.
A local health official said the violence killed at least one person and wounded six. The official spoke on condition of anonymity has he wasn’t authorised to brief journalists.
The Taliban did not acknowledge the protest or the violence.

And worse. What's with the tarring?

Life under the 'moderate' Taliban: Fighters tar a 'car thief'

The Taliban's new 'moderate' facade has already been betrayed by pictures emerging today of alleged thieves being tarred, reports of a journalist shot dead and a woman for her dress.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Smokeandsteam]

And worse. What's with the tarring?

Life under the 'moderate' Taliban: Fighters tar a 'car thief'

The Taliban's new 'moderate' facade has already been betrayed by pictures emerging today of alleged thieves being tarred, reports of a journalist shot dead and a woman for her dress.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Medieval punishment is entirely appropriate for their medieval views..

 

[Petcha]

Medieval punishment is entirely appropriate for their medieval views..

I meant, what the fuck. why do they do it?

The irony of some bastards riding round in stolen American tanks doing this to some bloke for nicking a car.

 

[_Russ_]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9EPms-WYAE3b7E?format=jpg&name=large

 

[BillRiver]

Medieval punishment is entirely appropriate for their medieval views..

Probably not far off the views of many DM readers, tbf.

 

[_Russ_]

You need better glasses.

OK smartarse, tell me what do you see?

 

[smmudge]

Medieval punishment is entirely appropriate for their medieval views..

Bit lazy isn't it, all this medieval, middle ages shit. They think that way because...they're not as "advanced" as us? Do they need some more colonialism so we can bring some enlightenment to them?

 

[Spymaster]

Probably not far off the views of many DM readers, tbf.

Fucking hell. Only on U75 could slagging off the Taliban get you compared to DM readers.

 

[two sheds]

At least they're not cyclists