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Taliban greets Pentagon's withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan with cries of victory

sangha

sangha

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Taliban greets Pentagon's withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan with cries of victory

News that the White House had ordered the Pentagon to draw up plans for a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan provoked widespread criticism that the move would kneecap efforts to broker a peace deal to end America's longest war.
But there was one group on Friday celebrating the reports — the Taliban.

Senior members told NBC News the news was a clear indication they were on the verge of victory.
“The 17-year-long struggle and sacrifices of thousands of our people finally yielded fruit," said a senior Taliban commander from Afghanistan’s Helmand province. "We proved it to the entire world that we defeated the self-proclaimed world’s lone super power."
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#SoMuchWinning
 
sangha said:
#SoMuchWinning
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It seems that NATO and the UN declared victory in 2014 and the Afghan forces are fully in control.

NATO led the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from August 2003 to December 2014. ISAF’s mission was to enable the Afghan authorities and build the capacity of the Afghan national security forces to provide effective security, so as to ensure that Afghanistan would never again be a safe haven for terrorists.

ISAF is NATO’s longest and most challenging mission to date: at its height, the force was more than 130,000 strong with troops from 50 NATO and partner nations.

ISAF also contributed to reconstruction and development in Afghanistan through 28 multinational Provincial Reconstruction Teams – led by individual ISAF nations – securing areas, outside of Kabul in the provinces, in which reconstruction work was conducted by national and international actors.

The transition to Afghan lead for security started in 2011 and was completed in December 2014, when the ISAF operation ended and the Afghans assumed full responsibility for security of their country. By the end of 2014, PRTs had been phased out and their functions were handed over to Afghan authorities. In January 2015, NATO launched the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) to train, advise and assist Afghan security forces and institutions. Currently, it numbers over 16,000 troops from 39 NATO Allies and partner countries.
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https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_8189.htm

Surely, with 38 other nations dedicated to the well being and support of Afghan forces, the US can step aside after 17 years.
 
sangha said:
#SoMuchWinning
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The Taliban were never going to be defeated. What's the point of staying.

US warhawks seem to thing the Taliban could do another 911. Not possible. We weren't prepared then. We are now.

Trump is the only President since Bush II to have the balls to tell the warhawks to pound sand and bring our troops home for the right reasons.
 
sangha said:
This is about Afghanistan
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Alright, if you want to get semantical instead of actually addressing the point.

Why shouldn't we get out of Afghanistan?

In any case, most rational people knows that the word of a terrorist isn't worth jack.
 
Kal'Stang said:
Alright, if you want to get semantical instead of actually addressing the point.

Why shouldn't we get out of Afghanistan?
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To prevent terrorists from taking over the country and to retain military bases near the Russian border
In any case, most rational people knows that the word of a terrorist isn't worth jack.
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What did this Taliban leader say that is not true?
 
Kal'Stang said:
In any case, most rational people knows that the word of a terrorist isn't worth jack.
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Unless, of course, they say Islam made them do it. Then we believe them, right?
 
sangha said:
To prevent terrorists from taking over the country and to retain military bases near the Russian border

What did this Taliban leader say that is not true?
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How long have troops have been over there? If we want to apply your standards of preventing terrorists from taking over the country it seems we have to send our troops in a lot of other countries in the ME.
 
I think we should all be honest and say the Taliban would rejoice no matter when and how the US pulled out of Afghanistan.
 
Airyaman said:
I think we should all be honest and say the Taliban would rejoice no matter when and how the US pulled out of Afghanistan.
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For sure. The strategy for the Taliban was to make it hard for the US and its allies to maintain a presence and wait for them to get sick of being there. The unfortunate part of this is Afghanistan is a predominantly rural nation, so even with a secure government in Kabul it is going to be hard to keep everyone in line or weed out Taliban fighters. You have a similar dynamic in Pakistan, but that country is more developed and has better resources to keep extremist groups in check generally speaking.
 
ecofarm said:
Unless, of course, they say Islam made them do it. Then we believe them, right?
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They can claim that Islam made them do it, but they do not get to assert what is and isn't reality. I could say that me sitting on my butt makes me post on this forum. But reality is that I post on this forum because I like this forum.

You see, your attempt at a "gotcha" moment failed. I have never claimed, suggested, or implied that I believed them when they say "Islam made them do it".
 
Kal'Stang said:
They can claim that Islam made them do it, but they do not get to assert what is and isn't reality. I could say that me sitting on my butt makes me post on this forum. But reality is that I post on this forum because I like this forum.

You see, your attempt at a "gotcha" moment failed. I have never claimed, suggested, or implied that I believed them when they say "Islam made them do it".
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Yeah, sure.
 
sangha said:
I am not in favor of appeasing Russia and futilely hoping to gain their trust.
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Is that the only reason that you oppose pulling out? Because you think it appeases Russia?

sangha said:
please post something relevant
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It is relevant. That you refuse to accept what NATO said on the matter is your problem. Not mine.
 
Kal'Stang said:
Is that the only reason that you oppose pulling out? Because you think it appeases Russia?
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Try reading what I have already posted.

Either that, or tell me exactly how many times you need to read the answer before it sinks in

It is relevant. That you refuse to accept what NATO said on the matter is your problem. Not mine.
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Yeah, a statement NATO made a month ago explains the lie a Taliban leader said yesterday :screwy:
 
ElChupacabra said:
Other countries with troops in Afghanistan; or the Elves of Lothlorien at Helms Deep if you're a LOTR movie fan.

:)
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That is a good question - how many generations should it take Afghanistan to establish a self sustaining military and/or security force? Another 23 years, or so, ought to suffice.
 
sangha said:
Try reading what I have already posted.

Either that, or tell me exactly how many times you need to read the answer before it sinks in
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I have read your responses. You claim that you don't want terrorists taking over the country so that we can keep our military bases next to Russia. Pretty sure it goes deeper than that. Hence, my question.

sangha said:
Yeah, a statement NATO made a month ago explains the lie a Taliban leader said yesterday :screwy:
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Yep, it does. Like I said, that you refuse to accept what NATO said on the matter is your problem, not mine.
 
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