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Best Posts in Thread: The Falls

  1. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    There is a vote. Many of the politicians who were all for starting the war in Afghanistan are still in office. The American people were just fine with the war for 20 years and continued to vote for the people who started and supported it. This is not just a bad look on American politicians, it is a bad look on the American people.

    The collapse of the Afghan military shouldn't have came as a surprise to anyone that spent time training and working with the Afghan military. In the 10 years I worked with the Afghan military and government I recall running across one single squad of afghan soldiers that look like and carried themselves like professional well trained soldiers. The rest were a complete joke (not bad people, just a complete lack of discipline, integrity, punctuality, education and training). From 2009 to 2019 there was zero improvement.

    Who I feel truly sorry and concerned for are many of the translators I worked with over the years. I really hope they were able to get out. They were good people and put everything on the line to help the US. F*ck the Afghan military and government, they had every opportunity to become legitimate. The abandonment of these translators and workers is what disgusts me.
     
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    Rye83, Aug 17, 2021
    #2
  2. PatO

    PatO DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Marines

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    Fall of Saigon, fall of Kabul. What is next, fall of the Space Nation?
    I believe there should be a vote by people in the west before we send militaries to die in wars that politicians and defence contractors decide on. If the people in the west vote to go to war, then win it quickly, not spend billions for military personnel to die and then walk away.
     
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    PatO, Aug 17, 2021
    #1
  3. cabb

    cabb DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster ✤Forum Sponsor✤

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    The way I see this is that there is an equilibrium with anything. A place where things find a balance. The balance in Afghanistan was were we found it and where it will likely be once the US and partner nations are gone. All we do is tip the balance for the time we are there. When we leave, the balance returns. Unless there is a fundamental change in the components, the balance will return to the original equilibrium. Other nations provided support, training, money, security and yet the balance still returns. The thing we couldn't change were the people. I read somewhere that the government forces outnumber the Taliban by 4:1 and yet the balance returned. Frankly, if they aren't ready to fight for it, they don't deserve. It's sad what will happen to them and may in some way the our faults for not cutting our losses earlier. There comes a time where you send the child on his way and hope that what you have done is enough.
     
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    cabb, Aug 17, 2021
    #10
  4. Notmyrealname

    Notmyrealname DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    And it is not up to the USA to be world policeman on its own. All the free world needs to assist (financially as well as with service persons). If the world thinks it can sit on its backside and let one country shoulder the burden then it is in for a shock. In fact, how many governments moaning now actually did much in Afghanistan?
     
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    Notmyrealname, Aug 17, 2021
    #4
  5. Obliged Friend

    Obliged Friend DI Forum Adept Veteran Army

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    Senator John Cornyn sent a Twitter message that the US has 30,000 soldiers in Taiwan. That’s why China started the military exercise today.
     
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    Obliged Friend, Aug 17, 2021
    #12
  6. Notmyrealname

    Notmyrealname DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    I read reports of Americans trying to train Afghans and it seemed to parallel what @DAVE1952 writes about training locals in building skills - they cannot learn basic methods. Combine their inability to fight and use modern military methods with the outcome for them if they were captured and it is no surprise they ran. All compassionate people have to agree with you about those left behind who gave service - what is in store for them and their families when they are identified and captured! It is horrific.
     
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    Notmyrealname, Aug 17, 2021
    #5