General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe media is expressing such concern with our departure from Afghanistan, interviewing all these
generals and ex-generals, how the country is going to go into civil war when we leave
Hasnt the country been in a civil war for the last 20 years?
nykym
(3,063 posts)news cycle
SoonerPride
(12,286 posts)As if trillions of dollars wasn't enough of a waste of money.
tirebiter
(2,536 posts)NQAS
(10,749 posts)Great Britain (And Russia) in the 19th century
Soviet Union in the 1980s
US 2000s
And no country ever will. There was a short window of opportunity after the Soviet Union left Afghanistan in the early 1990s, but the US pretty much left as well - after supporting the Mujahedin against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Turmoil ensued, as did anti-American sentiment (fickle Afghans), which led to the rise of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, which led to 9/11, which led to . . . .
Sure, there may be a civil war, but they have to sort this out themselves. It will not be pretty, and what emerges is not likely to be a moderate regime. But if we're smart, we'll stay out of it. Sure, maintain, to the extent possible, a diplomatic presence and apply whatever leverage/pressure, etc. is possible, but, to use the diplomatic vernacular, stay the fuck out militarily.
What's damn near criminal is that the generals and ex-generals know this. They know that "The Great Game" cannot be won by an outside power, so to make these pronouncements and to suggest that US is premature in leaving, is disingenuous and disgusting.