Biden gets U.S. out of Afghanistan

[TC Talks]

George W Bush got us into this mess to avenge his father's embarrassment. No other President but Joe Biden had the guts to get us out. As of today he accomplished another promise.

KABUL, Afghanistan — American troops and their Western allies have departed the U.S. military base that coordinated the sprawling war in Afghanistan, officials said on Friday, effectively ending major U.S. military operations in the country after nearly two decades.

For generations of American service members, the military hub, Bagram Air Base, was a gateway to and from a war that cut across constant changes on the battlefield and in presidential administrations. But the final withdrawal overnight on Thursday occurred with little fanfare and no public ceremony, and in an atmosphere of grave concern over the Afghan security forces’ ability to hold off Taliban advances across the country.

The American exit was completed quickly enough that some looters managed to get into the base before being arrested, Afghan officials said.

The quiet leave-taking from the base weeks before the planned withdrawal of American troops in mid July, and months ahead of President’s Biden announced Sept. 11 departure, highlights Washington’s efforts to signal two different messages: one to the U.S. public that its longest foreign war is ending, and another to the Afghan government that the United States is not abandoning the country in the middle of a Taliban offensive, and would retain some ability to conduct airstrikes if need be.

“We are on track, exactly where we expected to be,” Mr. Biden told reporters at the White House on Friday.

[Matt]

George W. Bush went into Afghanistan because of 9/11. His dad did not take action there.

[TC Talks]

I'm glad we all agree that he started an irrelevant military action that cost thousands of American lives. There is no cause and effect to begin military action in Afghanistan over the act of a handful of Saudi nationals.

Thankfully, Joe Biden got us out of that conflict and Americans should be grateful for his ability to get the job done.

I find it ironic that it happened on the day Donald Trump once again has to defend himself for his criminal enterprise.

[jadednihilist]

The decision to go into Afghanistan was based on sound reasoning: the Taliban openly and willingly gave Al-Qaeda the space to plan and execute 9/11 attacks. They also in the following days aided and abetted Al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Ladin, as did Pakistan. That is an act of war and hostility that certainly calls for a proportionate response to prevent future attacks on our soil.

Where things fell off the rails is in Iraq. The justification for invading Iraq was made under pretenses that were proven to be false. Invading Iraq also diverted necessary resources to continue legitimate efforts in Afghanistan, allowing things to spiral further out of control. We took our eye off the ball; and created a new power vacuum that allowed an even more radical sect of Al-Qaeda, ISIS, to seize control of northern Iraq and Syria while simultaneously destabilizing Iraq and making fundamental power dynamic shifts of which Iran had the most to gain. So, in that sense, you can probably make a reasonable case to blame the war in Yemen on Iraq as well.

Trump got a lot of things wrong, but he wasn't wrong on Afghanistan and Biden leaving only finishes the job that Trump started. This is an area of bipartisanship.

[TC Talks]

To follow your logic, why aren't we at war with Saudi Arabia?

It has been well documented that they protected Bin Laden.

[jadednihilist]

To follow your logic, why aren't we at war with Saudi Arabia?

It has been well documented that they protected Bin Laden.

Because foreign policy is much more murky and convoluted than even domestic affairs; and while Saudi Arabia acts against out interest on many fronts, but they are also critical allies in others. I'm not saying that I agree with our relationship with Saudi Arabia, but the fact is that the Taliban never had the kind of leverage that the Saudis have, so invading was an easy decision. It's also why we haven't gone to war with Russia, China, and Iran.

[TC Talks]

What little I know about public policy tells me that any conflict with Afghanistan is going to end poorly.

I still think invading was a political tool not a military imperative.

[jadednihilist]

I should also note that's also why we never went to war with Pakistan, even though we did engage in limited covert ops to retrieve Bin Ladin there.

[jadednihilist]

What little I know about public policy tells me that any conflict with Afghanistan is going to end poorly.

I still think invading was a political tool not a military imperative.

It's definitely going to end poorly there, but that's not because of the decision to invade in the first place, it's due to the mismanagement and no well-defined directives in the decades that followed.

[TC Talks]

Was there a well-defined directive at the beginning of this mess?

I guess there are never winners in a war but I'm glad we are done with it.

[Matt]

Was there a well-defined directive at the beginning of this mess?

I guess there are never winners in a war but I'm glad we are done with it.

Funny that you still haven't mentioned jn's point that this was a TRUMP decision that is being finished by Biden. Of course, you see everything through partisan hack sunglasses.

[TC Talks]

I didn't mention it because why? Oh yeah Trump failed to get the job done.

[Matt]

I didn't mention it because why? Oh yeah Trump failed to get the job done.

Trump's plan was by 5/1/21. If he won, that likely would have happened. Stop being an obtuse partisan hack.

[MWmetalhead]

I completely agreed with the decision (and still do) with the decision to take military action in Afghanistan against Al-Qaeda and against the Taliban. It was absolutely necessary. Scores of terrorists and would-be terrorists have been killed or taken into custody.

Jaded raises some terrific points regarding Iraq.

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi seems like a proponent of Democracy and is trying very hard to manage and stabilize an extremely unstable country. He is deserving of international support, in my opinion, including significant foreign monetary aid.

[audiophile]

The pull out is quickly turning into a disaster.