A Cluster in Afghanistan

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   crankaliciousposted 4 years ago

   I listened to President Biden's speech about the situation in Afghanistan and basically agreed with all his points. We had to get out of there. It was not worth sacrificing American lives.
   
   That said, Biden has responsibility for the cluster and the lack of planning for extricating people from there. Ultimately, we spent 20 years there, spent $1 trillion, and for what? A military that collapsed in mere minutes?
   
   What we have in Afghanistan is four presidents with responsibility for the failure and a prime example of politicians determining military policy without the consultation of the actual military and failing miserably.
   
   Nation-building was never going to work in Afghanistan, but the politicians didn't want to hear it. They just kept pouring money in there and wasting American resources and lives.
   
   Afghanistan is not a nation like America is a nation and, once again, we don't seem to want to understand a country's history before trying to convert them to our way of life.
   
   Sadly, Afghan women and freedom lovers will pay a steep price, but there are many countries in the world where the exact same situation exists and we're not invading any of those, so it's kind of the way of the world.
   
   So, does one particular person have responsibility for Afghanistan? Or is it just another example of American hubris - the idea we can imprint ourselves on any country in the world and be successful?

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   1. 61

      CHRIS57posted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Please allow me to comment from an outsider´s birds eye viewpoint.
      
      Many years ago i read the little book from James Michener: Caravans. This book takes us to the 50ties in Afghanistan and describes in a quite entertaining way the chaos and  disorganisation of the country.
      
      Even though this book is fiction, it gives a realistic overview. Why .. why didn´t the British (ok, too late for them), the Soviet Union and The Americans (with Nato on their tails) why didn´t they read this book?
      
      So, you are right that at least 4 presidents hold responsibility for the the Afghan adventure. But imho this not it, by far.
      
      Biden has to take full responsibility for the mess of evacuation. He and only he and his administration made wrong conclusions, wrong decisions. Even now they halfheartetly try to come up with countermeasures.
      
      And why we are at it: What is US intelligence doing? How much are they worth? Yes i know that some 80% of intelligence operations it on diversion and not on reconnaissance. But someone must set priorities. How much is the leadership of all the intelligence agencies worth? How many agencies are there in the first place? Who is coordinating? Apparently nodbody. How is it possible that the President of the USA is sitting almost alone in a briefing room? Come on, Corona or not, this is of more importance, he should have his staff there and not only a laptop.
      
      In a crisis the quality of leadership shows up. It is about understanding the situation, setting priorities and initiating operation that make a difference. Regretfully Biden fails.
      
      And, i am sure the previous president would have done even worse. But that doesn´t matter now any more.
      
      In 2003 i was asked by the conservative party in Germany if i wanted to join them, at that time being an entrepreneur with a certain amount of local public attention. I turned them down. Their slogan was: "German and western interests are defended at the Hindukush". What a nonsense in 2003 and today.
      
      American hubris? Only Americans can believe in exceptionalism with this fascist smell. And now, leaving 50.000 and more Afghan employees of the US behind at the mercy of the Taliban (the "students"), who will believe that the US will bail any friend out? 
      
      The last 7 months is Biden and this developed only the last 7 months. Who else is to blame?

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