Those who left and those who could not flee speak of a country in ruins and decry the world’s apathy towards the humanitarian crisis and the lack of rights, mainly for women, which a UN report describes as ‘gender apartheid’
It’s embarrassing to the US that they’ve spent a good 20 some odd years, fiddling with the Middle-East for a various assortment of reasons. Only to lose Afghanistan in less than a week. All of that money. All of the lives involved. Wasted. Just so a group of tyrants with pre-school level of intelligence, maybe even less, take it over and ruin the lives of everyone not them.
Maybe that’s why the US has forgotten it, they don’t want the humiliating memory.
Sort of, the local communists, probably without soviet knowledge or support, overthrew the local military dictator. They started unpopular reforms like gender equality and social ownership, people got very unhappy about that, the situation devolved into a civil war and the Soviets decided to intervene to support the Afghan communists.
Not quite a straight invasion like Ukraine and probably more justified than the US intervention.
They weren’t good because they were reds. They weren’t even really RU/SU-aligned. They were good because they were progressive and also happened to be neutral in terms of foreign affairs. But they learnt that the US funded the taliban and that’s why the reds were invited in. The US got word. And disaster ensued.
The resources you’re referring to during the first decade were not used for “fiddling”, but well-spent on capturing and killing bin Laden and negating the threat of al-Qaeda. The occupation of Afghanistan following the raid on bin-Laden continued to be costly without reaping similar tangible rewards and that’s all the more reason for the US to subsequently withdraw from Afghanistan.
The US didn’t “lose Afghanistan”, they stopped pouring resources and lives into a very costly and difficult occupation without significant local support that didn’t make any sense or reap any benefit after achieving their stated goals of capturing and killing bin laden and dismantling al-Qaeda.
Nobody has forgotten Afghanistan, there just isn’t a foreign power actively occupying and policing their country anymore.
In Vietnam, the stated US goal was to stop the Communist takeover of Vietnam as a means to “stop communism”, which is ludicrous and vague and didn’t work. I have to disagree with you and say the US military lost Vietnam since they did so poorly militarily and didn’t achieve what they set out to.
In Afghanistan, they had specific goals of capturing and killing bin Laden and dismantling al Qaeda, two specific goals that were achieved while dominating the country militarily. So yes, the US “won” Afghanistan in that they achieved both of their goals and did well militarily.
I guess you’re arguing that since communism didn’t spread out from Vietnam following US military intervention, the US “won” Vietnam, but the US military didn’t succeed in any practical sense or achieve anything tangible.
It’s embarrassing to the US that they’ve spent a good 20 some odd years, fiddling with the Middle-East for a various assortment of reasons. Only to lose Afghanistan in less than a week. All of that money. All of the lives involved. Wasted. Just so a group of tyrants with pre-school level of intelligence, maybe even less, take it over and ruin the lives of everyone not them.
Maybe that’s why the US has forgotten it, they don’t want the humiliating memory.
Dude, you should probably read up on the history of Afghanistan before you start saying “America is to blame”.
I mean, yeah… America IS to blame… among others. And it goes back WAY further than 20 some odd years.
Important reminder that the USA financed the mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan war. See Operation Cyclone.
Important reminder that in that war, Russia was yet again the invader
Sort of, the local communists, probably without soviet knowledge or support, overthrew the local military dictator. They started unpopular reforms like gender equality and social ownership, people got very unhappy about that, the situation devolved into a civil war and the Soviets decided to intervene to support the Afghan communists.
Not quite a straight invasion like Ukraine and probably more justified than the US intervention.
The soviets didn’t even like them iirc. Very sad situation all round.
Hell, see Rambo 3.
Yep, the worst religious radical is better than the best atheist. Cuz they’re commies and fuck that.
Lets give these guys some guns, I’m sure it won’t backfire.
They weren’t good because they were reds. They weren’t even really RU/SU-aligned. They were good because they were progressive and also happened to be neutral in terms of foreign affairs. But they learnt that the US funded the taliban and that’s why the reds were invited in. The US got word. And disaster ensued.
Important reminder that the Mujahideen fractured, and one of the factions went on to become terrorists. Not the entire group.
Still means the USA financed the training of the part of the faction that split.
This is also similar to ISIS, it’s almost like we don’t mind the fallout if it justifies further military spending to fight the GWOT.
The resources you’re referring to during the first decade were not used for “fiddling”, but well-spent on capturing and killing bin Laden and negating the threat of al-Qaeda. The occupation of Afghanistan following the raid on bin-Laden continued to be costly without reaping similar tangible rewards and that’s all the more reason for the US to subsequently withdraw from Afghanistan.
The US didn’t “lose Afghanistan”, they stopped pouring resources and lives into a very costly and difficult occupation without significant local support that didn’t make any sense or reap any benefit after achieving their stated goals of capturing and killing bin laden and dismantling al-Qaeda.
Nobody has forgotten Afghanistan, there just isn’t a foreign power actively occupying and policing their country anymore.
No, they were just overthrown by a handful of civilians with guns and thrown out of the country. Totally no loss at all /s
Let me guess, the US also didn’t lose the war in Vietnam, but decided to just leave the country?
In Vietnam, the stated US goal was to stop the Communist takeover of Vietnam as a means to “stop communism”, which is ludicrous and vague and didn’t work. I have to disagree with you and say the US military lost Vietnam since they did so poorly militarily and didn’t achieve what they set out to.
In Afghanistan, they had specific goals of capturing and killing bin Laden and dismantling al Qaeda, two specific goals that were achieved while dominating the country militarily. So yes, the US “won” Afghanistan in that they achieved both of their goals and did well militarily.
I guess you’re arguing that since communism didn’t spread out from Vietnam following US military intervention, the US “won” Vietnam, but the US military didn’t succeed in any practical sense or achieve anything tangible.
Somehow, this chuckles me. What if Americans lose their country in less than a week?
Assange warned us that the war was not to be won. It was to be continually fought.
Kinda like Ukraine now.
Ukraine’s choices are in its own hands.