Afghanistan

[ousdahl]

Oh, so domino theory was basically that one communist boogeyman would give way to lots of communist boogeymen across South Asia.

But the whole frenchy thing…prior to making it our own war Merica gave them covert support, but why was the frenchies there in the first place?

A cursory search suggests the rise of 19th century French capitalism and the desire to expand to global markets, coupled with - mark your bingo cards - missionary propaganda coming from religious fanaticism?

[ousdahl]

Also, fun fact: Vietnam was the first war for which there was a critical mass of domestic opposition and criticism.

[zsn]

The reason that the Frenchies were there goes back a couple more centuries from what you cited. Around first half of the 18th Century. Pretty much everyone wanted in on the Asian action, Dutch, English, Portuguese and even the Danes. Ostensibly for trade but also colonies. Other than the Portuguese and the Spanish religion wasn’t in the top 5 for them. To be clear, they chose alliances based on religious preference but that wasn’t the primary driver.

Back to Vietnam. By the early 60s most of the locals had driven off their colonial oppressors in that neighborhood but Vietnam hadn’t got around to it yet. Enter Domino Theory. US felt that when the Frenchies do get driven out Vietnam would be ripe for picking by the Soviets or the Chinese. Almost the similar reason for our involvement in Korean Peninsula

[Overlander]

i almost said something similar

but, religious fanaticism doesn’t explain Vietnam

Probably the first major war fought for the M.I.C.

Military Industrial Complex

[jfish26]

My God.

August 23, 2021

Nikki Haley: America must not recognize the Taliban

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... e-taliban/

President Biden badly bungled the withdrawal from Afghanistan, making the United States weaker and less safe while leaving more than 10,000 Americans and 38 million Afghans at the mercy of the brutal Taliban. He must not also bungle the coming decision on whether to recognize these barbarians as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. Doing so would bring the United States even lower while raising up a regime that deserves nothing but scorn and isolation.

Shockingly, the Biden administration has yet to rule out recognizing the Taliban.

***

February 21, 2020

Pompeo, Taliban announce plan to sign peace deal at the end of the month

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/vi ... story.html

The United States plans to sign a peace deal with the Taliban on Feb. 29 provided that a week-long reduction in violence across the country holds, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The Taliban also released a statement confirming the plan to sign a peace deal that day.

The violence reduction, a decisive condition of the possible peace deal, began early Saturday Kabul time — just after midnight, according to Afghanistan's National Security Council and a senior State Department official.

"U.S. negotiators in Doha have come to an understanding with the Taliban on a significant and nationwide reduction in violence across Afghanistan," Pompeo said in a statement Friday, referring to U.S.-Taliban talks in the Qatari capital.

[sdoyel]

They are all f-ing idiots.

[Deleted User 89]

They are all hypocritical f-ing idiots.

fixed

[twocoach]

My God.

August 23, 2021

Nikki Haley: America must not recognize the Taliban

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... e-taliban/

President Biden badly bungled the withdrawal from Afghanistan, making the United States weaker and less safe while leaving more than 10,000 Americans and 38 million Afghans at the mercy of the brutal Taliban. He must not also bungle the coming decision on whether to recognize these barbarians as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. Doing so would bring the United States even lower while raising up a regime that deserves nothing but scorn and isolation.

Shockingly, the Biden administration has yet to rule out recognizing the Taliban.

***

February 21, 2020

Pompeo, Taliban announce plan to sign peace deal at the end of the month

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/vi ... story.html

The United States plans to sign a peace deal with the Taliban on Feb. 29 provided that a week-long reduction in violence across the country holds, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The Taliban also released a statement confirming the plan to sign a peace deal that day.

The violence reduction, a decisive condition of the possible peace deal, began early Saturday Kabul time — just after midnight, according to Afghanistan's National Security Council and a senior State Department official.

"U.S. negotiators in Doha have come to an understanding with the Taliban on a significant and nationwide reduction in violence across Afghanistan," Pompeo said in a statement Friday, referring to U.S.-Taliban talks in the Qatari capital.

This Nikki Haley?

2018: “The U.S. policy on Afghanistan is working,” Haley told reporters in New York on Wednesday after travelling to Kabul at the weekend with the U.N. Security Council. “We are seeing that we’re closer to talks with the Taliban and the peace process than we’ve seen before.”

[jfish26]

Giggle.

[Mjl]

Something is bothering me about this.
When Israel retaliates against terrorist attacks, the world screams they are tyrants and war criminals.
When the Taliban oppresses women and kills "infidels", the world blames the US.

[MICHHAWK]

i don't pay any attention to what the world thinks or says.

[PhDhawk]

i don't pay any attention to what the world thinks or says.

clearly

[Deleted User 863]

This thread is awfully quiet, all things considered....

[ousdahl]

Something is bothering me about this.
When Israel retaliates against terrorist attacks, the world screams they are tyrants and war criminals.
When the Taliban oppresses women and kills "infidels", the world blames the US.

I suppose if there is some common theme or parallel, it’s that blame goes to the colonial oppressor?

But I dunno if there are any good parallels, really

[jfish26]

This thread is awfully quiet, all things considered....

Because the administration is taking action and working the problem, rather than making noises at it and otherwise pretending it doesn’t exist.

[Deleted User 863]

This thread is awfully quiet, all things considered....

Because the administration is taking action and working the problem, rather than making noises at it and otherwise pretending it doesn’t exist.

Was that an implied whataboutism in there?

It's a total cluster fuck. He caved to the Talibans red line. He's said inaccurate, inconsistent, and contradictory things to intelligence reports repeatedly.

And yet, almost no noise on this messageboard.....after 4 years of daily outrage. To be expected i suppose.

Biden has dropped the ball on his first real foriegn policy crisis. There is really no way around it.

[ousdahl]

but I thought you was gonna leave Pompeo outta this?

[jhawks99]

19,000 evacuated in 24 hours. I'd say it's going about as well as it could.

[ousdahl]

How does the anti-war movement compare and contrast between ‘Stan and ‘Nam?

[jfish26]

This thread is awfully quiet, all things considered....

Because the administration is taking action and working the problem, rather than making noises at it and otherwise pretending it doesn’t exist.

Was that an implied whataboutism in there?

It's a total cluster fuck. He caved to the Talibans red line. He's said inaccurate, inconsistent, and contradictory things to intelligence reports repeatedly.

And yet, almost no noise on this messageboard.....after 4 years of daily outrage. To be expected i suppose.

Biden has dropped the ball on his first real foriegn policy crisis. There is really no way around it.

I don't know who you think needs convincing that the Biden administration didn't do well here. It's not me!

But the reason this isn't metastasizing into something even worse is because of what I said: they're working the problem swiftly and professionally. Actually doing something about it.