Taliban seize control of Afghanistan

[Sarah]

The situation in Afghanistan is absolutely horrific following the Taliban taking control. The country’s PM has fled and thousands of people are trying to escape as they fear for their lives. It’s really shocking and so sad that so many soldiers died to try to bring a sense of peace to the country during the war there. With the 20th anniversary of 9/11 coming up, it’s the last thing anyone expected.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-asia-58219963

 

[Angela Channing]

Twenty years ago when the USA and UK invaded Afghanistan as part of their "war on terror" policy, a small group of 14 MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn, warned against this policy and predicted the outcome we are seeing today and voted against deploying troops in Afghanistan. They were widely condemned by the media and fellow politicians when everyone should have been listening to those dissenting voices.

Western nations shouldn't be invading countries in the Middle East to impose Western values on the people there because we are deluded into thinking we know what's best for them. It's the same argument that was given to justify African slavery (although the 2 things are not directly comparable). Now we no longer consider Afghanistan is our priority we think it's ok to walk away and sod the consequences for the people that live there. We created the problem so we have to take responsibility for fixing it.

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding. There will soon be an exodus of refugees from that region trying to escape the war we have left behind. I'll make a prediction, people in the UK currently saying how terrible the situation is in Afghanistan will also say the UK shouldn't accept Afghan refugees.

As usual, hypocrisy will be the winner.

 

[Angela Channing]

Diane Abbott MP, who voted against military action in Afghanistan in 2001, has said it so much better than I could:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1427229270993158145

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

The US military hardware manufacturers want permanent conflict for permanent profits, and they don't care much how they achieve it. Human life means nothing to them, and de-stabilization is always the whole idea.

 

[Sarah]

I don't fully understand it all, other than being so upset for friends who served as soldiers during the first invasion. But what I do know is that blaming Biden solely for this is unfair. The blame surely has to lie with -



Perhaps now they can be tried for war crimes?

 

[Frank Underwood]

I don't fully understand it all, other than being so upset for friends who served as soldiers during the first invasion. But what I do know is that blaming Biden solely for this is unfair. The blame surely has to lie with -

View attachment 29440

Perhaps now they can be tried for war crimes?

The Bush Administration shares the bulk of responsibility for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but Biden did vote in favor of both military actions.

Biden had actually been advocating for war with Iraq since 1998, three years before 9/11 and the WMDs lie.

As VP, Biden was part of an administration that took the US from two wars to seven. And since becoming president, Biden has illegally bombed Syria and Somalia.

Blair and Bush are surely guilty of war crimes, but Biden surely is too. I'm glad he pulled out of Afghanistan, but it's too little too late. He's still a war monger like Bush.

War mongers are never tried for war crimes, and always fail up. It's the whistleblowers who expose war crimes that get prosecuted. As NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden put it, “When exposing a crime is treated as committing a crime, you are being ruled by criminals.” The cabal of criminals that runs the world wouldn't have it any other way.

Some people on the left have made the case for staying in Afghanistan. Their reasoning is that the Afghan people are now at the mercy of the Taliban, even though they had previously been at the mercy of the US. Journalist Glenn Greenwald said "Of course the images from Kabul in the wake of US withdraw are harrowing to any decent person. The 20-year US war itself created massive amounts of suffering and death as well. But the images of that remained mostly hidden, and thus never produced the same reaction."

 

[Willie Oleson]

Western nations shouldn't be invading countries in the Middle East to impose Western values on the people there because we are deluded into thinking we know what's best for them.

The gay man who's being executed for being gay probably doesn't think "this is part of my culture, this is the best thing for me".
Basic human rights and cultural values are not the same thing, imo.

 

[Frank Underwood]

The gay man who's being executed for being gay probably doesn't think "this is part of my culture, this is the best thing for me".
Basic human rights and cultural values are not the same thing, imo.

What you say is true, but the West's goal isn't basic human rights. That's not something you achieve through illegal invasions and bombs.

 

[Willie Oleson]

but the West's goal isn't basic human rights

Yes I'm sure it's much more complex than that.

 

[Sarah]

I didn’t know that about Biden so thanks @Frank Underwood. Wow.

it just bothers me so much that you show up wearing a tie and suit and you are exempt. Surely the likes of Saddam Hussein etc were executed for war crimes and more so what’s the difference? That’s what I have never really understood.

The Iraq war was proven illegal and hundreds of millions lost their lives as a result. Proven illegal for the benefit of going in for oil.

I repeat - what is the difference?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

 

[Sarah]

This, from him of ALL people, cracks me up:

"Ex-UK Prime Minister Tony Blair described the decision to withdraw US forces as "imbecilic""

Afghanistan: Tony Blair says withdrawal was driven by imbecilic slogan

The ex-PM criticises the US decision to withdraw its military as "tragic, dangerous, and unnecessary".

www.bbc.co.uk

How DARE he. Considering him and his buddy started an illegal war in the first place, he has no right to criticise anyone whose mess he started.

 

[Crimson]

The warhawks from the Bush administration -- plus, y'know, from every other administration as well -- are out in full force on cable news, doing their best to get us back into Afghanistan as quickly as possible.

 

[Frank Underwood]

All of the faux-resistance, Trump-hating shitlibs who claimed voting for Biden was a moral imperative are now shitting on him for the one good thing he's done so far.

Then again, I'm not surprised. Dems joined forces with devil spawn Liz Cheney to keep Trump from pulling out of Afghanistan, proving their opposition to him was superficial.

Even the public have turned on Biden for this. According to Kyle Kulinski, "Biden's approval rating has taken a big hit due to relentless pro-war propaganda. Getting out of Afghanistan is still 60% supported but the media managed to make Biden following through on this a net negative for him. A united reactionary media is a powerful propaganda tool." Once again, the majority of Americans prove they are sheep. They ignore their own political beliefs and allow the media to tell them how to think and what to believe. There are many things I disapprove of about Biden, but pulling out of a 20 year war we never should have been in to begin with isn't one of them. The US media is trash.

 

[CeeCee72]

What's happening in Afghanistan right now is tragic; it was also predictable and inevitable.

Every US Administration since Bush deserves blame. They all had basically the same policy.

Biden certainly shares in the blame, but it's not his alone - or even mostly his. To claim so now is moronic.

 

[Biggie]

A tragedy is unfolding in Afghanistan. Watching events on TV have made me value the peace I benefit from.

Tony and H.W et al invading to thwart the Taliban and their bad Juju was nothing more than "the good guy" wanting to punish a soft touch for getting turned over something spectacular by a small group people that sidestepped all intelligence services, and all their trumpeted ways and means of protecting those deemed worthy.

The Taliban didn't cook up this plan, where it was conceived is who knows. But the civilians in Afghanistan have paid beyond reason for a plot that was consolidated in America. The Taliban just had to wait for the occupying forces to leave. They were in Afghanistan and going nowhere. Now their are back in government.

What was the point other than needing someone to punish for the failings of intelligence services, aeroplane operators, airport security and so on. It took someone noticing that cockpit doors are not locked during flight and exploiting the fact that anyone can just walk in, before the aeroplane operators said "yeah, lets lock to door"

 

[Crimson]

I am about as non-conspiratorially minded as a person could be, but if I were inclined to such musings I might find a terrorist attack during the withdrawal to be a suspiciously convenient reason for America to resume the war and occupation.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I am about as non-conspiratorially minded as a person could be, but if I were inclined to such musings I might find a terrorist attack during the withdrawal to be a suspiciously convenient reason for America to resume the war and occupation.

And some conspiracy theories turn out to be true.

 

[Rove]

it’s the last thing anyone expected.

Really? I thought the announcement by America they were pulling out of Afghanistan after 20 years is exactly what we expected to witness these last few weeks.

 

[9unfold]

All of the faux-resistance, Trump-hating shitlibs who claimed voting for Biden was a moral imperative are now shitting on him for the one good thing he's done so far.

Then again, I'm not surprised. Dems joined forces with devil spawn Liz Cheney to keep Trump from pulling out of Afghanistan, proving their opposition to him was superficial.

Even the public have turned on Biden for this. According to Kyle Kulinski, "Biden's approval rating has taken a big hit due to relentless pro-war propaganda. Getting out of Afghanistan is still 60% supported but the media managed to make Biden following through on this a net negative for him. A united reactionary media is a powerful propaganda tool." Once again, the majority of Americans prove they are sheep. They ignore their own political beliefs and allow the media to tell them how to think and what to believe. There are many things I disapprove of about Biden, but pulling out of a 20 year war we never should have been in to begin with isn't one of them. The US media is trash.

A skilled proctologist can put this back where you found it.