Afghanistan Megathread

[Ooloo]

Originally Posted by Thorgrimm [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

It's almost as if Biden wanted The Taliban to take over and he left them a huge arsenal of modern US weapons, technology and piles of cash gift wrapped for them on his way out

Yeah the pricetag on that military loot is so depressing. Like, WHY?? Why do that, why?? And they'll just sell half of it to china who will reverse engineer it like they've done a billion times before. It's just the worst possible foreign policy decision of my lifetime, and it's not like I'm an expert. But you don't have to be, that's the thing, it's so *obviously* terrible. And yet people still can't let go of trump for being kinda rude and stuff, sometimes. What a monster.

[Izmael]

Originally Posted by Ooloo [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Yeah the pricetag on that military loot is so depressing. Like, WHY?? Why do that, why??

I suppose nearly all of the military loot you're referring to was actually belonging to the afghan army, not the US. The US gave it to the afghan army during these two decades, then the afghan army fled, leaving everything behind.

It's not like the US were in the position to start running around the whole country trying to gather the equipment that the afghan army left behind while retreating.

I wouldn't be too worried about that "loot".

The talibans will not be able to operate or maintain any advanced equipment such as drones or planes. They can operate an assault weapon or rocket launcher, drive a car. But they already had this all beforehand. They will not suddenly become a bigger threat to anybody just because they now have a bunch of military outfits, that they will not be able to replace as wear and tear happens anyway.

Well, they have a few Humvees, now. That's probably pretty much it, as far as usable "loot" is concerned. Big deal. They have already won the war, there's nothing at stake that these Humvees will play a role in.

The whole US retreat has of course been a huge mess, but above all - a communication fiasco.

[Jibartik]

if centuries from now the west is looked at that way then the terrorists won.

[Ennewi]

Idiocracy IRL is the true pinnacle of humankind?

[Gravydoo II]

All these people with all the bright ideas! NOBODY HAS EVER THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE.

So, why didnt you help?

If it bothers you so much. Why didnt you help?

Where were these questions when rape daddy surrendered?

[Jibartik]

Originally Posted by Gravydoo II [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

All these people with all the bright ideas! NOBODY HAS EVER THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE.

So, why didnt you help?

If it bothers you so much. Why didnt you help?

Where were these questions when rape daddy surrendered?

I helped, I donated like 50% of my income to make those blackhawks they are hanging people from.

[Ennewi]

Originally Posted by Homesteaded [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You’re going to have to make a better argument.

A better argument for progress? Okay, let's proceed...

Originally Posted by Homesteaded [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

We’re talking about a culture that condones rape of boys and girls. A culture that kills homosexuals. A culture that denies women all sorts of basic rights.

Those are elements within that culture, each one reprehensible. Ignoring the religious aspect for a moment and focusing instead on the power structure, America has had a similar problem of its own through the Catholic church. Would it be correct to say that all practicing members of the Catholic faith should have been tried in court, rather than the specific sex offenders and those who facilitated their crimes? Or all Americans for that matter? What about the parents who didn't know for a lack of trying or wanting to know?

In 2007, Elsie McGrath became the first female ordained Catholic priest. Should the American government require that all churches to allow women to become priests, since its citizens should be equally free? Take it one step further, should Catholicism be outlawed and all Catholics deported? That would be a form of discrimination and tantamount to forced conversion, both of which are reprehensible. Granted, I have attended Catholic weddings myself and was disallowed from partaking in certain rituals/ceremonies, which a girlfriend said meant I was essentially condemned to hell or purgatory. In its own way, that is discrimination as well, but at least there's enough respect to allow me the choice of salvation or damnation. Some would call that progress.

https://youtu.be/amArH3ucEYU

Setting aside other cultural differences which may contribute to the problem, we are essentially talking about the same thing. Men in power who condoned rape and prevented women from securing equal rights, be it in the west or the middle east. However, in the case of Catholic church, even with their stranglehold on that part of the culture, those men ultimately did not prevail. Why? How can that knowledge be applied elsewhere?

Prohibition was also part of American culture and remnants of it can still be found in some counties to this day, but speakeasies were a part of the culture as a result. That is the duality of man on a macro level. I am arguing for those who represent the latter in Afghanistan, which does not mean I am also arguing in favor of the former.

But returning back to the matter of dehumanizing acts and not what is or isn't legal, while our culture doesn't necessarily condone rape, it does have a history of giving those in power the benefit of the doubt or at least affording them enough time to continue the behavior until it becomes common knowledge, both in that circle and out.

https://www.missourinet.com/2021/07/...-we-are-heard/
https://heavy.com/news/amanda-househ...ircle-of-hope/

Yes, lawsuits are being filed against both schools, but some cases go as far back as two decades and ABS operated in other states long before then.

Might as well drag the UK into this too...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-37711518

Originally Posted by Homesteaded [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

America has a lot of mixed up ideas right now but we are still the most free and accepting society on earth. People aren’t trying to move to Iran/Pakistan/Afghanistan.

If America is the most free, is it also the most responsible? Because without one the other leads to chaos, pleasure island, an idiocracy. I wouldn't even say that the average American enjoys the most privilege, though at one point in time that must have been true.

It isn't fun, casually lambasting the US, it just happens to be the country I know best from experience and it's also the country I can influence directly. Any other part of the world would receive the same treatment if circumstances were different.

Every country has its own pros and cons, some with pros that far outweigh the cons and vice versa, but the population cannot enjoy the good and conveniently pretend that the bad doesn't exist in order to appear morally superior to countries that are worse off. Just because you or I wouldn't pick up and move to Afghanistan willingly, and just because many of its people would move here in a heartbeat, that doesn't mean we are an exemplary society. Blue server might be the obvious choice to red, but that doesn't mean the raid scene is healthy.

Originally Posted by Homesteaded [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The fear isn’t the Taliban being more powerful, the fear is the power vacuum that was created. Now who fills it? Not our allies.

"America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests." Henry Kissinger

Whether a world power considers its frenemies to be one or the other, both or neither, whoever fills the role will be right to distrust that world power in any event. A relationship without trust is merely a series of tentative exchanges. If everything is transactional than nothing is off the table. How is that mindset not condoning the same offenses mentioned in your post?

[Mesocyclone]

Bill Clinton surrendered?

[Mesocyclone]

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels

[nostalgiaquest]

Only a brainwashed/uninformed American who’s never left the country would consider America the most free and accepting society on Earth. Sorry but probably not even in the top 10.