Absolutely true. The Afghan government was never a partner, never bought into the fantasy that Bush was selling. They worked both sides like the Saudis who were a part of 9/11 yet Bush didn’t attack them because they were allies? As you say, money, oil and power are the reasons for this. I do think it was time to get out. Too many Americans died there, most likely trillions of dollars were spent there. Russia was bankrupted there- it is a morass. I feel for the Afghan people who don’t want Taliban rule- extremism is their calling card. Fighting the Taliban and ISIS were distractions from the mess of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. Eisenhower was right and he knew the price of war.
In hindsight, maybe our troops should have trained and armed the women of Afghanistan. They would have at least fought for the things they gained. The fact that the "men" wouldn't fight for their wives, daughters, sisters and mothers, is disgusting and cowardly. We should take in as many Afghan women, children, and the men who did help us, as we can, and let the cowardly men, who threw up their hands, without a fight, reap their just rewards at the hands of their new leaders, the Taliban.
I agree with you. I think we underestimate how many of the Afghan men don't care about women's rights and they only gained what they have today because of the U.S. forcing the change. It sickens me that the GOP, who are fighting to remove women's rights, have the audacity to show such faux outrage.
The GOP's faux outrage is generally fluid and hypocritical. It's also, almost always, a projection of the things they are actually guilty of themselves.
It doesn’t matter when America exited Afghanistan, the outcome would have been the same. We were there with “good intentions”, but without Afghanistan’s support. We are a precarious democracy ourselves. Maybe we better work on America before we try to push our way of life on others. It certainly hasn’t worked out well for us. Enough of these ridiculous wars.
My Father always said we should put women in charge of governance because they would only reluctantly send their children to war. Bob Dylan’s song Masters of War is on a loop in my brain.
Absolutely true. The Afghan government was never a partner, never bought into the fantasy that Bush was selling. They worked both sides like the Saudis who were a part of 9/11 yet Bush didn’t attack them because they were allies? As you say, money, oil and power are the reasons for this. I do think it was time to get out. Too many Americans died there, most likely trillions of dollars were spent there. Russia was bankrupted there- it is a morass. I feel for the Afghan people who don’t want Taliban rule- extremism is their calling card. Fighting the Taliban and ISIS were distractions from the mess of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. Eisenhower was right and he knew the price of war.
In hindsight, maybe our troops should have trained and armed the women of Afghanistan. They would have at least fought for the things they gained. The fact that the "men" wouldn't fight for their wives, daughters, sisters and mothers, is disgusting and cowardly. We should take in as many Afghan women, children, and the men who did help us, as we can, and let the cowardly men, who threw up their hands, without a fight, reap their just rewards at the hands of their new leaders, the Taliban.
I agree with you. I think we underestimate how many of the Afghan men don't care about women's rights and they only gained what they have today because of the U.S. forcing the change. It sickens me that the GOP, who are fighting to remove women's rights, have the audacity to show such faux outrage.
The GOP's faux outrage is generally fluid and hypocritical. It's also, almost always, a projection of the things they are actually guilty of themselves.
Amen, a much needed reason for reflection.
It doesn’t matter when America exited Afghanistan, the outcome would have been the same. We were there with “good intentions”, but without Afghanistan’s support. We are a precarious democracy ourselves. Maybe we better work on America before we try to push our way of life on others. It certainly hasn’t worked out well for us. Enough of these ridiculous wars.
My Father always said we should put women in charge of governance because they would only reluctantly send their children to war. Bob Dylan’s song Masters of War is on a loop in my brain.
"Masters Of War"
Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion'
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins
How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead