Afghanistan

[toasty]

Don't take this the wrong way, as I don't mean to suggest that there's a full-blown war going on there or that we're getting our asses kicked or anything, but is anyone else concerned, in light of recent events, that perhaps the Taliban wasn't as defeated as we were originally led to believe?

Back when Bush declared victory in Afghanistan and stated in unequivocal terms that the Taliban was no more, I pretty much took it at face value, in part because I didn't think there was any reason to think that Bush would make such a representation unless it were true.

In the wake of Bush standing on the deck of that warship with the big "Mission Accomplished" sign behind him and the clear disconnect between what we can all see is going on in Iraq and the adminstration's rose-colored view of it, I now can't help but wonder just how fierce the fighting is there. Clearly, there is still some pretty serious combat going on.

Just a thought.

[joker797]

Re: Afghanistan

I'd say it's fair to say that they never really took full control of Afghanistan. Ok yea they would have taken the major cities, but because of the terrain it would be very difficult to take the rest. Plus there are major areas in the north east that are in a kind of no-mans land between Afghanistan and Pakistan, they were controlled by Warlords, don't really know what's going on there.....

[joker797]

Re: Afghanistan

P.S.

when Bush declared victory in Afghanistan and stated in unequivocal terms that the Taliban was no more, I pretty much took it at face value

No offence, but ROFL

[toasty]

Re: Afghanistan

P.S.

when Bush declared victory in Afghanistan and stated in unequivocal terms that the Taliban was no more, I pretty much took it at face value

No offence, but ROFL

Yeah, I know. That was back when I still considered myself a republican.

[joker797]

Re: Afghanistan

I'm in Ireland, and having never been to America I've no idea what it's like to grow up there, so I'm not judging

From the outside, as I'm sure you're aware, there's a growing feeling around the World that America is playing the bully a bit too much.

I'm wary of what happens when China start getting really involved. They ARE the next superpower

[toasty]

^^Yeah, that's what I understand. There's a lot of people here, too, that feel that we ought to be taking steps to make sure we don't alienate our allies as well. Being inflexible and bullheaded now isn't going to help us next time there is a war and we want (or god forbid need) assistance.

love Ireland, BTW

[thesightless]

Re: Afghanistan

it is a combo of the worms that still kill people, and the gov't's lack of ability to control thier outlying, warlord controlled lands.

[Pataky P]

Re: Afghanistan

This is a very intresting Place in the World..
But also very nice..

[joker797]

Re: Afghanistan

Thanks for another useless comment Pakaty P?l.....

[thesightless]

Re: Afghanistan

leave em be. english isnt his strong suit. he is a good cat.

[joker797]

Re: Afghanistan

leave em be. english isnt his strong suit. he is a good cat.

If you say so

[threehills]

Re: Afghanistan

Yeah, leave him alone. Pataky is to Mercury Nation as Balki Bartokomous is to Larry Appleton

[joker797]

Re: Afghanistan

Yeah, leave him alone. Pataky is to Mercury Nation as Balki Bartokomous is to Larry Appleton

As I said, If you say so.....


Any more want to jump on the bandwagon???

[toasty]

Re: Afghanistan

bump.

Yep, bumped a thread from over a year ago. Thing is, though, with the current situation in Afghanistan being what it is and the Taliban experiencing a resurgence, coupled with North Korea ramping up their nuclear aspirations, it seemed apropos.

Lemme see if I've got this straight:
1. Osama bin Laden attacks us on 9/11
2. We send troops into Afghanistan, but fail to capture bin Laden
3. We remove the Taliban from power, but we don't finish the job, it experiences a resurgence and is regaining power
4. We attack Iraq, remove Saddam from power, but leave a civil war in our wake.
5. While all this was going on, North Korea developed nuclear weapons.

Looking at the ol' scorecard, I can't help feeling that the time since 9/11 has been wasted.
1. Bin Laden is still loose
2. A rogue state has nukes
3. Iraq is a fucking mess
4. The Taliban, whom we ostensibly removed, is back

How has any of this put us in a better position than we were on 9/11? Yes, Saddam is gone, and that's a good thing, but considering the current situation in Iraq, I'm not feeling like high-fiving anyone over that. At best, it's a wash until the region can be stabilized.

At this point, I've gotten so accustomed to Bush's incompetence, it almost doesn't phase me any more. Every now and again, though, something will happen that jogs my memory on what a fucking imbicile we have running the show here.

[malayday]

Re: Afghanistan

hahaha...oh yes indeed he is a complete jackass..but its not him at the end of the day..its a combo of a lot of shit behind the scenes..speculation is unecessary but i dont know...i doubt very much that osama was ever under threat with the american air force (g.i joeeeeeeeee) dropping bombs like hot cakes on freakin mountains and desert land....it was a sham..the whole afghanistan thing was so pathetic...just so that the public could feel better about doing something about 9/11....and it wasnt to remove some oppressive regime and empower women, the place is still just about as fuked..

if anything i hope this makes you and us more sceptical and wary of what our so called freely elected governments act....its really sad because it america we are talking about not amerikkka....this is supposed to be the leader in all that is free and good...and instead it seems to have turned on its own people using propaganda and making empty promises and taking advantage of the vunerability felt by its people..if it were saudi or some north korea doing this sort of shit it would be understandable and not surprising....

but this is supposed to be the leader of the free world...and right now it seems to be far from...