[arista]

Labour leader has just said we can not walk away?


Is he Stupid or something?

Once the USA Troops pulled out late at night, fast,
we had to leave fast.

[arista]

The UK 600 Troops are to go in
at the next weekend
but their job is to get out UK civilians and embassy staff.

[arista]

[bots]

the government forces aren't putting up any resistance at all. Many cities have surrendered without a shot even being fired. That says to me that the government isn't legitimate. The future once the government has gone will be local clans fighting each other and thats going to be imminent

[MTVN]

The posts here about 'all for nothing' do seem pretty accurate right now, 20 years of fighting for positive change in the country reversed in a matter of weeks

It's not always felt this way but there had been a lot of progress as well, think of the number of girls in Afghanistan who were able to get an education again, the people who were able to vote for the first time, the success of things like the Afghan cricket team in the last ten years. All things that will now be outlawed and instead Afghanistans biggest export will be terrorism again

[bots]

it's a lot easier for western nations to justify intervention when there is a direct terrorist threat to them. It's going to be a cyclic thing i think. The last time, the taliban had all the left over russian military hardware to boost their defences. Now they have the updated american gear. It's going to be grim

[bots]

Reports saying the taliban have entered kabul and there was no resistance

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by MTVN

The posts here about 'all for nothing' do seem pretty accurate right now, 20 years of fighting for positive change in the country reversed in a matter of weeks

It's not always felt this way but there had been a lot of progress as well, think of the number of girls in Afghanistan who were able to get an education again, the people who were able to vote for the first time, the success of things like the Afghan cricket team in the last ten years. All things that will now be outlawed and instead Afghanistans biggest export will be terrorism again

I understand that but my understanding was that they were training the local forces to keep control and they have literally done nothing ....and where are those educated girls now and what will happen to them

[bots]

the afghan pm put out a statement saying the taliban werent in kabul and they were ready to secure the city .... the guy is clearly just a liar

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I understand that but my understanding was that they were training the local forces to keep control and they have literally done nothing ....and where are those educated girls now and what will happen to them

Fair point and the capitulation is pretty staggering. I know we've still been there but our involvement has been pretty limited for years and the country has seemed relatively stable. Can only think there was such a lack of confidence in their government and their superiors that most of the Afghan army haven't thought it was worth fighting to protect

[MTVN]

The Taliban are now in Kabul meeting no resistance, looks like total surrender

[joeysteele]

Rory Stewart who knows Afghanistan like the back of his hand.
On TV this morning has stated the Taliban takeover would be rapid because the air power of the USA and UK was needed to protect the gains we'd help make and head off the Taliban.

Now it seems to me then, with Iran, Pakistan and again Afghanistan the area again is once again, an extremely worrying and dangerous one with an again even bigger breeding ground for terrorists and building up that terrorism too.

What a legacy to leave after 20 years.
The fear there must be now in those Afghan citizens who believed we'd helped give them a more free and maybe secure future, must be unimaginable.

[arista]

Yes, they are allowing those that want to leave
can now leave via the Military airport.

[arista]

Some are fighting

[arista]

Brave Stuart Ramsey
in Kabul
reporting for SkyNewsHD.

The only way out is the Airport, now

[arista]

Taliban want all women to be moved
to safe places in Kabul?


Stuart Ramsey reported from
his Hotel in Kabul.

[MTVN]

Must be pretty terrifying for all reporters and British/American staff there, only 3 days ago they were still saying Kabul could hold out for a year

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Must be pretty terrifying for all reporters and British/American staff there, only 3 days ago they were still saying Kabul could hold out for a year

Well then

[bots]

remember the crap that got thrown at trump when he withdrew usa troops from the turkish border? This is much, much worse than that and it is Biden's responsibility

[The Slim Reaper]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

remember the crap that got thrown at trump when he withdrew usa troops from the turkish border? This is much, much worse than that and it is Biden's responsibility

This whole thing was started by Trump, who even wanted to invite the taliban to camp david on the anniversary of 9/11, and had to be told no.

It's an appalling thing to do to our allies, just as turkey was. Biden has screwed up too, I'm not excusing him of any blame, but the withdrawal process was started by trump.

[The Slim Reaper]

https://eu.usatoday.com/in-depth/new...en/4667248001/

Updated 5:47 PM GMT Mar. 17, 2021

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden is under mounting pressure as he weighs whether to fully withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by May 1, a deadline negotiated by the Trump administration.

The May 1 timetable is part of an agreement the Trump administration forged with the Taliban in February 2020

[bots]

Originally Posted by The Slim Reaper

This whole thing was started by Trump, who even wanted to invite the taliban to camp david on the anniversary of 9/11, and had to be told no.

It's an appalling thing to do to our allies, just as turkey was. Biden has screwed up too, I'm not excusing him of any blame, but the withdrawal process was started by trump.

oh yes it certainly was, but biden agreed with it and implemented it. He could have reversed it.

I think the situation is much more complicated than it appears. For example, 1 high ranking taliban member said women will be allowed freedoms, education etc, while another says nope. One gives a commitment to not breed terrorists another group encourages it The government is a false organisation and it has no legitimacy because thats just not the way afghanistan functions

[The Slim Reaper]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

oh yes it certainly was, but biden agreed with it and implemented it. He could have reversed it.

I think the situation is much more complicated than it appears. For example, 1 high ranking taliban member said women will be allowed freedoms, education etc, while another says nope. One gives a commitment to not breed terrorists another group encourages it The government is a false organisation and it has no legitimacy because thats just not the way afghanistan functions

I agree it should have been reversed, but I think it's a bit disingenuous to put all this on Biden the way you seemed to. I'm not sure that reversing a deal that trump made with a terrorist organisation is the best way to avoid future terrorist attacks in the US which would have also needed to be taken into consideration.

I actually think the Turkey thing was worse - we left our Kurdish allies completely exposed to ethnic cleansing, which they have been facing most of the last 50 years.

[arista]

Stuart Ramsey in Kabul
said the Green Zone
the guards have gone,
The Gates are Open.

[MTVN]

Interesting Tom Tugendhat on Sky news saying the Afghan army was left poorly equipped with no air power and with morale at rock bottom at being abandoned

There's going to be huge amounts written in the future about what a monumental **** up this has been