946

What if we gave the weapons to the Afghan Army knowing all along that when we left the weapons would end up in the hands of the Taliban and we could use that as an excuse later to go back? I know my “what if” is a straight up conspiracy but I keep hearing from anyone that was over there that it was obvious this would happen

947

I don’t think it’s that most people including most republicans wanted out of Afghanistan. It’s the way it was executed with full shame being ran out by goat herders, leaving people behind, and now a terrorist organization outfitted with billions of dollars of tax payer weaponry is the primary problem I see with it.

And it’s not just us conservatives pointing this out but pretty much the rest of the world including much of the EU who have not had to many good things to say about the rout.

4 Likes
948

The EU is pissed because they realize that the US is no longer going to do the heavy lifting and they’re going to have to finance their own military efforts. They aren’t just mad at Biden. Trump’s initial decision to leave is a part of their grievance.

949

Did the amount of state of the art weaponry that we have give to the Taliban at no charge exceed your wildest imagination?

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950

My push back on that is, if true, why in the world did we carry on across 18 years, and 4 administrations both democratic and republican?

Isn’t that a tacit admission that we weren’t nation building, and in fact it was an occupation all along, and for the foreseeable future?

If so, Biden’s bungled withdrawal is just the last in a long series of tragic errors, and bungling aside, Biden should be praised for finally putting a stop to it.

951

Should we of disarmed the Afghan Army before starting the withdrawal?

952

No. It was executed perfectly. Biden has made no mistakes with this or anything else.
:roll_eyes:
I’m not trying to convince you that Biden is a mess. Your blinders are too tight. So why bother?

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953

That’s not what I asked and I have said several times that Biden ■■■■■■ up big time so stop trying to make it appear as if I support the way he completed the withdrawal. But he did not tell the Afghan Army to surrender without a fight and give their weapons to the Taliban.

Should we of disarmed the Afghan Army before starting the withdrawal?

954

Here’s what I would have done.

When the Taliban was in the open, on the move to Kabul, I would have wiped them off the face of the Earth.

Next I would have not surrendered Kandahar airbase as he did. I would have kept air power in Afghanistan until it was no longer needed.

I would have evacuated ALL civilians. I would not have retreated and given up any ground before the evacuation was complete. I would not have let the Taliban set up check points. That would be a non starter.

Next I would have removed all of OUR military gear. How the hell do we not fly 4 big C-130 transports out of the country?

Any military equipment captured by the Taliban would have been destroyed by airstrikes or artillery.

Then, I would evacuate the troops.

Good plan?

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955

That was monumentally stupid and in the future the idea of taking out air support first will probably be referred to as the Biden Blunder or something similar. But based on the first 11 months of Trump’s 14 month withdrawel window and how he completed the Syria withdrawal not a lot else would of different.

Biden ■■■■■■ up big time but you are ignoring 20 years of previous ■■■■■■■ before him. Trump negotiated our withdrawal with the Taliban instead of coordinating it with the Afghan Government. Je did not dictate terms but took what he could get. To pretend it would of gone smoothly had Biden not been elected is using those blinders you were talking about.

956

Sure. I dont think that it’s quite what Trump would of done. I also think it would of cost more than 13 American lives

957

I don’t necessarily disagree that part of the reason they are pissed is that they don’t want to pay their share in keeping the world a safer place.

They also don’t want a repeat of the 2015 migration. It would be nice to see bipartisanship consensus between republicans and democrats on making NATO spend more and we spend less.

958

Nobody is saying that. I myself just said the withdrawal was bungled.

959

NATO spending is linked to GDP. We are always going to spend more.

960

I see state department is trying to steal credit from private team of military veterans who rescued 4 Americans from Afghanistan.

6 Likes
961

Biden Doctrine…Plagiarize…claim undeserved credit…deflect and bury.

Only the IBEW still give him photo OPs…as the Venezuelan electricians flock to Ida ravaged east coast.

:electric_plug:

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962

Cool, well all who wanted to stay had twenty years to make something happen.

No I’ve been under no illusion that Afghanistan would ever be a functioning state, nor had any expectation of America miraculously cleaning up all the toys it bought to leave behind.

Not a fan of us delivering a bunch more Super Tucano’s to Nigeria last week either. If the goal is making peace through the way we give or sell everyone weapons we really really suck at it.

963

Ya but it seems I read somewhere only a few countries were hitting that 2% NATO requirement mark.

964

In fact, most of them have missed the mark.

965

Yep I think they all do lol except us, Britain and Poland I could be missing someone.