Democrats love a good war though. Its on the cards that something, somewhere is going to kick off.

Yes, a few months before the election. Get the flags waving. Democrats are every bit as patriotic as Republicans etc. I agree, even though it's obvious and cynical.

Red and Blue Army!

Yes, I hate to say it because it's a depressing thought, but if politicians are good for anything it's 'self interest and damn the consequences'.

I rather think that the POTUS, that's any POTUS rather than just this one, delegates this kind of thing to those whose job it actually is.

Any withdrawal is likely to involve the abandonment of equipment, but part of the planning will surely have involved the destruction, or sabotage, of much of it and the planting of surveillance in others. Nothing is useful unless it can be used, and without training and spares it's questionable how useful any of this stuff is going to be for very long.

Don't that let you chucking cheap jibes at Biden whenever there is the opportunity though.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

I understand the sequence of events and that things didn't go to plan, but the US were still there until a few days ago and were known to be sabotaging equipment. The idea that there is an open market for spares for specialised equipment is ludicrous. More likely that parts will be stripped off of otherwise functioning equipment. There are many controls on who can get hold of sensitive kit to avoid exactly what you describe. Mercenaries know how to use basic things, but high-tech remote control equipment I rather doubt. The US military will also maintain surveillance over everything that happens and has the capacity to act when needed, as we have seen before.

So whilst some vehicles and even aircraft may be used by the Taliban in domestic situations, I doubt whether too much will present a threat to the USA, or the west in general. That's not to say they, or those they may shelter, aren't a potential threat. Only that this loss of equipment doesn't add significantly to it.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

I think we would agree on quite a few middle eastern wars to an extent.....who has the right to intervene, why they are fought and perhaps who really benefits from them.

However your contention along with the OP that Afghanistan fits the same mode and they shouldn't have been invaded I totally and utterly disagree with.

If you want to know why I say that try visiting the various memorials to the 2,977 victims of the 9/11 attacks. Most of them dying (2,753) in the twin tower attacks....I deliberately don't include the hijackers in the victim total.

That's a blood price, that meant war and anyone normal with more than two brain cells knew that this was a pearl harbour level event and war was coming.

Once Bin Laden was identified and his location in Afghanistan was known the Taliban were given the opportunity to avoid war by giving him up. They decided to fight rather than give up this mass murderer and organisation. That was their right as it was ours to kill every fecking piece of sh1te involved in those buildings coming down.

However, once al-Qaeda had been cleared from Afghanistan, what should have happened after that is fully open to criticism.....but that's what putting neo liberals in charge gets you.

Edited by Stirlingsays (25 Dec 2022 9.56am)

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