Afghanistan - mission accomplished?

[Typeflyer]

Just reading a rather depressing article in the paper

" Mission Unaccomplished"

Basically proposing that the modernizing Government propped up by American and British forces will not survive a year after American and British forces withdraw.

The Afghan army, trained by coalition forces, is fleeing across the border to Tajikistan or back to their families.

Bagram airbase has closed according to the papers - is that correct?

President Biden referred to Afghanistan as the forever war and since the withdrawal according to the Times the Taliban have already captured more than a quarter of the country's district centres.

Basically Afghanistan will become a new safe haven for IS so how long will the British Embassy exist in Kabul?

(President George W Bush is 75 today - he thought the war was won in two months with technology)

“Basically proposing that the modernizing Government propped up by American and British forces will not survive a year after American and British forces withdraw.”

Make that one month.....

I can’t believe that new equipment - A-29s and secondhand UH-60s have recently been delivered.

[slogen51]

I don't know what we expected the Afghan air force to with Tucanos against the Taliban?

[seven]

Would you rather they were given A-10s?

[slogen51]

I don't understand what you are inferring but the simple answer is yes but preferably operated by the USAF in conjunction with boots on the ground.

[plmc135]

Bit too late for either as the country now appears to be almost entirely in Taliban hands. Reports they have entered Kabul.

[seven]

Then what? As has been said previously, its a conflict that cant be won. Vietnam all over again. Plus we've spent nearly 20 years training people who clearly don't want to fight, people who clearly will do anything to get what they want. And on top of that, given them basic equipment to do so.
As for Biden urging the Afghan PM to push for a political solution, well...

[Richard B]

Just given the Taliban a big boost with all the Equipment that was left.

[page_verify]

Basically Afghanistan will become a new safe haven for IS so how long will the British Embassy exist in Kabul?

Not quite. The Taliban, AQ, and IS may share a similar ideology, but their views on what they means and how to go about things differ to the extent that the three have often been in conflict with each other. IS focussed on capturing land in Libya, Iraq, and Syria but after its several defeats it's become a network of regional groups with most of its successes in the west within Africa, rather than to the east towards Iran and Afghanistan, mainly because Iran is a strong state that opposes IS. The Taliban also dislike IS's style of violence as well.

As for the Taliban and AQ? This quote reproduced on Wikipedia sums up how much has changed in 20 years:

In July 2012, an anonymous senior-ranking Taliban commander stated that "Our people consider al-Qaeda to be a plague that was sent down to us by the heavens. Some even concluded that al-Qaeda are actually the spies of America. Originally, the Taliban were naive and ignorant of politics and welcomed al-Qaeda into their homes. But al-Qaeda abused our hospitality." He went on to further claim that about 70% of the Taliban are angry with al-Qaeda, revealing the icy relationship between the two groups.

Pakistan is the actor to worry about in the immediate future.

[iainpeden]

Pakitan - worry about or worry for? A genuine and straightforward question.

[airfixpilot]

Yet again, do we send in the carvery, eg USA & UK, to sort out another countries problems?. AGAIN. Who is suppling the ammo and weapons to the taliban and Al-Quaeda?, last report I saw China was interested in the taliban because of the natural recourses in the region.

[Mike]

Yet again, do we send in the carvery, eg USA & UK, to sort out another countries problems?. AGAIN. Who is suppling the ammo and weapons to the taliban and Al-Quaeda?, last report I saw China was interested in the taliban because of the natural recourses in the region.

Errmmm.......!! I think you mean 'do we send in the cavalry?'

[page_verify]

Pakitan - worry about or worry for? A genuine and straightforward question.

From where do you think the Taliban, AQ, and IS has been getting its arms to continuously fight several 'civil wars' for the last twenty years? Please don't say arms dealers and the black market.
To where did many of the Taliban and AQ fighters flee and hide while the NATO force was doing its best to rid Afghanistan of Jihadists?
Which country allowed the world's most wanted man to live for several years deep inside its country while apparently saying it had no idea he was there?
Which country couldn't be trusted to not tip off the world's most wanted man when the US set off to capture him?
Which country is happy for armed tribes to run large amounts of the country around it if it means the West 'loses'?
Which country has nuclear weapons and knows the West is nervous about taking action against armed tribes hiding on its side of the Afghan border?
Etc. etc.

[iainpeden]

Pakitan - worry about or worry for? A genuine and straightforward question.

From where do you think the Taliban, AQ, and IS has been getting its arms to continuously fight several 'civil wars' for the last twenty years? Please don't say arms dealers and the black market.
To where did many of the Taliban and AQ fighters flee and hide while the NATO force was doing its best to rid Afghanistan of Jihadists?
Which country allowed the world's most wanted man to live for several years deep inside its country while apparently saying it had no idea he was there?
Which country couldn't be trusted to not tip off the world's most wanted man when the US set off to capture him?
Which country is happy for armed tribes to run large amounts of the country around it if it means the West 'loses'?
Which country has nuclear weapons and knows the West is nervous about taking action against armed tribes hiding on its side of the Afghan border?
Etc. etc.

Worry about then ... thanks.

[slogen51]

There is talk that the US used B-52 against Bagram airbase a former US base! to destroy assets so they don't fall into Taliban hands . Surely that cannot be true its mad!

Saigon all over again

[Richard B]

There is talk that the US used B-52 against Bagram airbase a former US base! to destroy assets so they don't fall into Taliban hands . Surely that cannot be true its mad!

Saigon all over again

Bit to late for that, they have all the hardware that was left, they are driving around now in hummers with 50cals on top, carrying m16 rifles.
The amount of kit that was left was shocking all now in the Taliban's hands.

[Typeflyer]

More kit to come - the US are not going to be sending in C-17s to collect CH-47s. They basically will re-equip the Taliban Air Force. The lack of foresight beggars belief. I for one thought Biden would be better than Trump - but didn’t think stupidity would prevail so early in his administration.

[mustang5861]

But it plays well with the people at home, who couldn't give a about what is happening and how fast it has happened, just so long as the US 'boots on the ground' at the moment are brought home safely. Short-sighted, yes; but you can never start a re-election campaign (or try to make things a little more favourable for a weak VP) too early - especially as Trump is just watching and waiting, ready to pounce if the opportunity presents itself. That's life, in Washington DC at least.

[raptor9]

Mustang, as the Americans would say 'you sure got that right, fella'

[Alf]

As mentioned in an earlier post the similarities of today in Kabul to the last days of the US in Saigon in 1975 are sadly almost the same. I think one of the last flights out of Saigon in 1975 was a British Midland 707.

[EGDR]

the US are not going to be sending in C-17s to collect CH-47s. They basically will re-equip the Taliban Air Force.

They'll either leave Kabul by other means (Pakistan is well within range of a Chinook), or be destroyed by departing US troops. That being said, there is very little the Taliban could do with any US aircraft that might remain - even if they managed to operate it, spares will not be forthcoming.