DO fights the war in A-stan.

[dutch508]

oberliner (45,204 posts) https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029500682

What should US policy with respect to Afghanistan be at this point?


Do folks think we should have any presence there at all? If so, to what end?

Oh, this should be good...

shanny (89 posts)
1. IMO, GTFO

Like your daddy shoulda done to you mommy. Pull out.

SweetieD (978 posts)
2. Leave now.

Orsino (35,245 posts)
3. It's a land war in Asia.

And while we're getting the hell out, let's talk reparations.

 

Star Member Demsrule86 (14,398 posts)
8. Leave and leave some more...

Star Member alcibiades_mystery (36,389 posts)
12. The absolutely unquestioned assumption for everybody is that terrorism will thrive if we leave

The Void = Terrorism, AQ, ISIS camps, etc., and then, of course, your new "9/11 style" attacks.

Invariably. And then, we learn that Pakistan will "fall," and the nukes, etc.

I will say that I don't know enough about the situation to agree or disagree, but it does strike me as odd that this impending situation is absolutely beyond dispute. Indeed, it is the only thing we're not allowed to question: "of course if we leave then the Void =, etc., OF COURSE."

I've learned to somewhat distrust foreign policy "realist" assumptions when they're presented as absolutely beyond dispute. It seems to me that AQ took root in Afghanistan under very particular historical circumstances that we have no particular need assume will be replicated. Applying the Syria model to Afghanistan and assuming an automatic ISIS base also seems odd. We can't on the one hand say that the Taliban is homegrown and vigilant against foreign invaders and on the other simply assume that they'll either covert to an ISIS model or allow foreigners to camp out indefinitely. The Afghanistan problem seems nothing like the Syria problem, actually. Now, one might say that the RISK is too great for either of those outcomes, regardless of their probability (even a minimal probability of an ISIS ruled Afghanistan is too great a risk). OK, fine. But let's be honest about that. What I hear is that these outcomes are inevitable if we leave, which is, of course, just another way of saying that we MUST not. There's a strange circularity to all this "rethinking," and the circle always comes back to more war, more war, more war.

If we're going to start to re-imagine our role blank slate, maybe we should do that.

karynnj (55,336 posts)
15. I have not read of the Taliban ever fighting ISIS or AQ

I would guess that the Taliban itself could take over more if not all of Afganistan and allow both ISIS and AQ to exist in safe spaces in exchange for them not fighting the Taliban. Alternatively, Afghanistan could be a failed state with areas controlled by each of these groups and possibly other war lords.

Expecting Rain (314 posts)
17. We should maintain adequate US military forces to prevent a return of the Taliban

to power, following the policy example set by President Obama and Sec. Clinton.

[docstew]

Expecting Rain (314 posts)
17. We should maintain adequate US military forces to prevent a return of the Taliban

to power, following the policy example set by President Obama and Sec. Clinton.

This one. This idiot. Probably wants to return to the same ROE that makes our Soldiers nothing more than targets. There is no such thing as placating the terrorists, or containing them. They want to kill or convert every single infidel, and they are perfectly happy to die doing so. That has been the ENTIRETY of the history of that religion, since inception. And this assclown wants to continue to spend billions on providing them targets.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Eight long years of Obumbler and he didn't do anything productive.  Other than allowing ISIS to spread.  Why don't DUmmies blame President Obama?

[DLR Pyro]

Eight long years of Obumbler and he didn't do anything productive.  Other than allowing ISIS to spread.  Why don't DUmmies blame President Obama?

Because it would be racist to blame anything on oBama

[USA4ME]

So the primitives have difficulty envisioning AQ, ISIS, and the Taliban working in concert against their common enemies?

Libs always have problems imagining potential events taking place beyond what fits neatly into their little box. After all these years I shouldn't be surprised.

.

[SVPete]

Eight long years of Obumbler and he didn't do anything productive.  Other than allowing ISIS to spread.  Why don't DUmmies blame President Obama?

To ask is to answer.

[Wineslob]

You would think that with hundreds of years of "examples" of what Islam does to other countries, they would learn..............

[DumbAss Tanker]

You would think that with hundreds of years of "examples" of what Islam does to other countries, they would learn..............

Look at what they think of Communism.  'Nuff said.

[Wineslob]

Look at what they think of Communism.  'Nuff said.

But, but, it'll work, this time!!!!!!!

[FlippyDoo]

Orsino (35,245 posts)
3. It's a land war in Asia.

And while we're getting the hell out, let's talk reparations.

All of Orsino's government assistance should be send over there as reparations.