[News] Kabul Explosion Being Reported Near Airport

[Lyndhurst 14]

Biden is now getting a lot of flack from the families and friends of the marines who were killed. I backed Biden for the Presidency but he increasingly looks like a bumbling old man out of touch with reality.

The lack of leadership and level of incompetence from the 'world's greatest military' is staggering

 

[drew]

Biden is now getting a lot of flack from the families and friends of the marines who were killed. I backed Biden for the Presidency but he increasingly looks like a bumbling old man out of touch with reality.

The lack of leadership and level of incompetence from the 'world's greatest military' is staggering

But the alternative...................

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Well, it would be America's first woman President

 

[Bry Nylon]

I backed Biden for the Presidency but he increasingly looks like a bumbling old man out of touch with reality

Of the 2 options presented to US voters during the presidential race he was the better choice but you can see why his handlers did their upmost to keep him hidden away during the campaign. His public appearances hardly install a sense of confidence.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

That’s words not policy. If it were anymore then I would expect to be seeing publication of Trump contingency plans.

Sure it's only words. Would those words have been put into some kind of plan we'll never know.

They however words that we never heard leave Biden's lips. No even the suggestion that was an option.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Of the 2 options presented to US voters during the presidential race he was the better choice but you can see why his handlers did their upmost to keep him hidden away during the campaign. His public appearances hardly install a sense of confidence.

I had hoped that Bernie Sanders would have been the Democratic nomination, but he was one of those wicked Socialists that America isn't quite ready for (and at 79 he's also a year older than Biden)

 

[beorhthelm]

Biden is now getting a lot of flack from the families and friends of the marines who were killed. I backed Biden for the Presidency but he increasingly looks like a bumbling old man out of touch with reality.

The lack of leadership and level of incompetence from the 'world's greatest military' is staggering

i still dont understand what possible alternative plan people want. would a u-turn to commit to continued occupation, at war with Taliban, be act of leadership?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

i still dont understand what possible alternative plan people want. would a u-turn to commit to continued occupation, at war with Taliban, be act of leadership?

Not sure people want US/UK to stay

What they wanted was to leave properly and not making a complete mess of it

Leaving the names lying around of those that helping the allies so they/the families can be rounded up and killed
Arming the taliban with state of the art equipment
Not talking to allies and just doing it
Not getting people out
Not taking responsibility

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Well, it would be America's first woman President

Is it any coincidence she’s been jetted off to Asia to stay out the way?

 

[drew]

i still dont understand what possible alternative plan people want. would a u-turn to commit to continued occupation, at war with Taliban, be act of leadership?

Don't set an artificial deadline for one. The yanks, and probably us, have left tonnes of equipment behind, failed to destroy evidence which can identify those that help us, withdrew air support for the Afghan army before we were ready to leave. Probably all part of the agreement between Trump and the Taliban.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Not sure people want US/UK to stay

What they wanted was to leave properly and not making a complete mess of it

Leaving the names lying around of those that helping the allies so they/the families can be rounded up and killed
Arming the taliban with state of the art equipment
Not talking to allies and just doing it
Not getting people out
Not taking responsibility

This.

It would never have been an easy withdrawal given all the circumstances, but with some forethought they could have come up with a measured withdrawal strategy surely.

It seems even some of Biden's generals and advisers cautioned against this current plan, but he chose to ignore this as he was always determined to get the US out of Afghanistan. As he put it he didn't want to see any more coffins draped in the American flag being flown back to the States for burial at Arlington. He has so far managed to achieve the exact opposite

 

[drew]

Not sure people want US/UK to stay

What they wanted was to leave properly and not making a complete mess of it

Leaving the names lying around of those that helping the allies so they/the families can be rounded up and killed
Arming the taliban with state of the art equipment
Not talking to allies and just doing it
Not getting people out
Not taking responsibility

I'd probably dispute the first line. Educated women, working women, girls getting an education, sports teams etc etc I'm sure were keen for the protective umbrella of the UK and US forces (and any others) that kept them out of harms way in terms of the the extreme view of the Taliban.

 

[Uncle C]

US seem to be happy to have troops in Germany, South Korea and loads of other places so why not retain a force in Afghanistan?

Because they are not openly under attack in those regions.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I'd probably dispute the first line. Educated women, working women, girls getting an education, sports teams etc etc I'm sure were keen for the protective umbrella of the UK and US forces (and any others) that kept them out of harms way in terms of the the extreme view of the Taliban.

Fair

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Of the 2 options presented to US voters during the presidential race he was the better choice but you can see why his handlers did their upmost to keep him hidden away during the campaign. His public appearances hardly install a sense of confidence.

The 99 cent question - why did the democrats select sleepy Joe as their weapon against Trump? I presume it is because they are too factional to get behind a younger candidate. Can you imagine Labour making 89 year old Roy Hattersley leader? I remember him and Kinnock on the cover of Private Eye beneath the caption "The two Wrongies"

 

[drew]

Because they are not openly under attack in those regions.

That still doesn't make them an 'occupying force' in Afghanistan! The US are happy to pay for large numbers of troops around the world. Also their presence in Afghanistan arguably reduced the terrorist threat. That might now change.

 

[lasvegan]

Is it any coincidence she’s been jetted off to Asia to stay out the way?

Hardly, she is so dumb she makes Joe Biden look intelligent.

 

[lasvegan]

I had hoped that Bernie Sanders would have been the Democratic nomination, but he was one of those wicked Socialists that America isn't quite ready for (and at 79 he's also a year older than Biden)

I wouldn’t say he is wicked but he is very definitely a socialist, something that I pray America is never ready for.

 

[beorhthelm]

This.

It would never have been an easy withdrawal given all the circumstances, but with some forethought they could have come up with a measured withdrawal strategy surely.

It seems even some of Biden's generals and advisers cautioned against this current plan, but he chose to ignore this as he was always determined to get the US out of Afghanistan. As he put it he didn't want to see any more coffins draped in the American flag being flown back to the States for burial at Arlington. He has so far managed to achieve the exact opposite

this is the sort of revisionism i cant understand. there was suppose to be a measured withdrawal, first in May but Biden moved back to September. reasons/advantage/disadvantage of this small change i dont know and little discussion on that.

the current "plan" is due to the circumstances of the Afghan army melting away at the mere sight of Taliban, its a reaction to the situation and making the best of the situation, sticking to the agreement. Taliban still maintain their truce, not attacking US/UK forces, so looks like the correct approach. if they hadnt there wouldnt be an evacuation, with many more dead and Kabul flattend as US/UK forces desperately tried to extract under heavy fire.

the blame lies with the ex-Afghan government and army that perpetuated corruption and ran away at first sight of serious conflict.