Afghanistan

[Gonzo79 8,138]

Looks like the Taliban are in charge.

 

Many in the West are suggesting we have a duty to go back in.  Should we?  

 

In my opinion, it was a pointless exercise in the first place and we should leave them to it.  No doubt there'll be many refugees due to the Taliban's policies but that would happen if the West intervened, militarily, anyway.  

Edited August 15, 2021 by Gonzo79

[compo 3,654]

We should never have got involved in the first place 

[stewarty 1,293]

Regardless whether we should be in there or not, we were.  It seems like we have left the Afghans to it, and that doesn’t sit easy in the same way as a never ending military presence doesn’t sit well either.  
 

Like the Middle East situation, it feels like there are never any real winners, just variations of inhumanity. 

[Bill 9,004]

We talk about Afghanistan as it it's an aberration and not the typically violent, brutal, corrupt shithole that comprises much of the developing world and some of what claims to be developed nations. To advocate returning a military presence you first need to justify it by demonstrating how it will lead to a lasting change.

[ian1964 8,280]

 

[ChelseaBoy 1,465]

All that has happened is that the clock has been reset to pre 2001, before which the US supported the Taliban in its previous incarnation as the mujahedeen when fighting the Soviet occupying forces. So rather than intercede again (the first time went well didnt it) we let the country sort itself out. After all they are all muslims, despite their differences of interpretation.  Why should the West have any say?

[ranger_syntax 2,343]

 

[ranger_syntax 2,343]

 

How old is it?

 

An entire month perhaps?

[ranger_syntax 2,343]

Chinese state media treating Biden like a stupid little punk now.

[Gonzo79 8,138]

Hopefully lessons have been learned regarding Western intervention (I doubt it).