And so we had to Bagram overnight without telling anyone? With tens of thousands of westerners and local allies being left in the wind? Nevermind the American (to distinguish from ANA) weapons, vehicles, and gear left behind for anyone to find and claim.
The failure to evacuate was in no part due to lack of notice. The failure to evacuate comes at the head of the ANA and Afghan national governments inability to hold the country in the US's absence as combatants. The plans were there. The Afghan government failed to hold up their end of the evacuation.
The ANA did fail. Miserably. But they also weren't the ones who gave the order to leave our Airbase, leave American issued weapons and gear behind, or leave people behind. We're on the way out anyways, why not let our soldiers do what they want to do in at least assisting the British in rescue operations? Or even in NOT handing over lists with names or biometric info on local allies and Americans stranded outside of American control to the Taliban?
Nevermind that everyone knew damn well that the ANA wasn't going to last without air support or even funding. Yet another failure on the administration if the military leaders were either so incompetent not to notice, too fearful to speak up, or if Biden outright ignored them. Millie was talking about the threat posed by "White Rage"? While this mess was in the works?
You more than anyone should know the situation on the ground dictates what actions need to be taken and how seriously in combat situations. The issue is that much of that equipment was being used in a supportive role to the ANA up until the collapse. As late as 22 July 2021 the airforce flew strike missions against the approaching taliban forces in support of the ANA. These strikes did nothing to stop their advance. The administration has taken a stance in support of humanitarian evacuations over equipment evacuations.
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No evacuation by any military that has conceded the field has ever been able to evacuate in any good rate. The US has Saigon and Kabul to look at as examples. Napoleon has Moscow. Hitler had Stalingrad. In the midst of concession we don't dictate the pace of withdrawal. It's just history.
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*Anecdotes:
*Don't conflate my comments as pro Biden. In no way is that my stance.
*Don't think I'm conflating US involvement in middle eastern affairs with that of dictators.
And here we are at the end of it, telling off the Brits for making us look bad by actually trying to save people, having instead abandoned thousands of allies and hundreds of Americans to the mercies of the Taliban. It's almost like we don't have the best training, the best equipment, the most motivated fighters, or any of the other things that we have.
The situation on the ground does dictate the action, and the Biden Administration created that situation.
Outside forces created most of the situation. The US doesn't and can't dictate every aspect of every interaction.
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The condemning of British forces' rescue efforts was stupid. I won't deny that. What I will raise is whose job was it to secure the airport and vet the entrants to said airport? That would be the US military. Who, by my understanding, were the sole security of the airport of all coalition forces. The Brits and French had excess personel to dispatch rescue missions. The US forces on the other hand were much more constrained due to having to occupy the entire airport.
Then bring in more people, stay passed the deadline, drop bombs and launch missiles and let the Rangers off leash.
Leaving our people and allies behind is indefensible, and again, Biden and his administration set the tone by bugging out of our greatest strategic asset with no notice under the cover of night while leaving weapons and equipment behind.
It comes full circle. Blow past the deadline. Restart the war. Another decade sunk into a cesspit. Another 100,000 casualties.
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Right wingers under Biden sound exactly the same as Left wingers under Trump. Lefties condemned Trump for his attempted withdrawal from Syria
And now righties condemn Bidens withdrawal of Afghanistan.
Both sides preach withdrawal and an end to US interventionalism but when it comes time to do so it's never a right enough time. Fact of the matter is there will never be a right time to fit everyone's narrative.
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It is what it is and I'm finished with this thread.
Jesus Christ, no! Not at all! We do not want to stay in Afghanistan! Literally all I've said is to somehow account for the gear (such as destroying it on the way out), and do whatever it takes to get EVERYONE out. No one gets left behind! Not to stay for another second longer than it would take to get our people and our allies out of there.
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Are you even listening to a single word we've been saying?
Nevermind that everyone knew damn well that the ANA wasn't going to last without air support or even funding. Yet another failure on the administration if the military leaders were either so incompetent not to notice, too fearful to speak up, or if Biden outright ignored them. Millie was talking about the threat posed by "White Rage"? While this mess was in the works?
-
No evacuation by any military that has conceded the field has ever been able to evacuate in any good rate. The US has Saigon and Kabul to look at as examples. Napoleon has Moscow. Hitler had Stalingrad. In the midst of concession we don't dictate the pace of withdrawal. It's just history.
-
*Anecdotes:
*Don't conflate my comments as pro Biden. In no way is that my stance.
*Don't think I'm conflating US involvement in middle eastern affairs with that of dictators.
The situation on the ground does dictate the action, and the Biden Administration created that situation.
-
The condemning of British forces' rescue efforts was stupid. I won't deny that. What I will raise is whose job was it to secure the airport and vet the entrants to said airport? That would be the US military. Who, by my understanding, were the sole security of the airport of all coalition forces. The Brits and French had excess personel to dispatch rescue missions. The US forces on the other hand were much more constrained due to having to occupy the entire airport.
Leaving our people and allies behind is indefensible, and again, Biden and his administration set the tone by bugging out of our greatest strategic asset with no notice under the cover of night while leaving weapons and equipment behind.
-
Right wingers under Biden sound exactly the same as Left wingers under Trump. Lefties condemned Trump for his attempted withdrawal from Syria
And now righties condemn Bidens withdrawal of Afghanistan.
Both sides preach withdrawal and an end to US interventionalism but when it comes time to do so it's never a right enough time. Fact of the matter is there will never be a right time to fit everyone's narrative.
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It is what it is and I'm finished with this thread.
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Are you even listening to a single word we've been saying?