Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=Giantone;1287907]Do you think FOX would come down on trump like everyone has done Biden?? (rightfully so)[/quote]

Chris Wallace would but the rest probably not.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=punch it in;1287914]Ill keep repeating myself Trump would have walked away and possibly had a ceremony in the rose garden to celebrate amid the ensuing chaos. Fox would have been playing hail to the chief as they floated a possible nobel peace prize. At least Biden is not ignoring the situation. Trump would have flown 1000 Americans out and said it was all fake news and a witch hunt.
See the insurrection. See the kurds. See rocket man. See hate crimes that were at a boiling point because of his mouth. I agree it was a fuck up none the less. Trump would have done the same as you have said many times and would not have tried to make it right.
Biden should be expressing major remorse about his decision at this point besides what he is doing behind the scenes to try and make it right though. Im thoroughly disappointed in the way he is still talking about the mess.[/quote]

Re: Trump you are peaching to the choir. I have no doubt Trump would have been even worse given his history. But right now there are 10-15k (maybe more) Americans trapped in Taliban controlled territory, some of them, maybe even many of them, aren't going to make it out. Biden turned a stable situation into a catastrophe.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[QUOTE=nonniey;1287916]Re: Trump you are peaching to the choir. I have no doubt Trump would have been even worse given his history. But right now there are 10-15k (maybe more) Americans trapped in Taliban controlled territory, some of them, maybe even many of them, aren't going to make it out. Biden turned a stable situation into a catastrophe.[/QUOTE]


Agreed. And I know i was preaching to the choir. There are many afghan allies, all their families, and other foreign allies also trapped. The longer the cameras and media stay there the better. If the Taliban knows the World is watching they will behave to an extent.
I do find myself wondering how it would have been possible to get all those mentioned out whether we had 2500 troops there or not. Stable situation before? Yes. Everyone singing kumbaya not exactly. So I hesitate to say that there was some yellow brick road before for everyone- especially the Afghanistans that helped us and their families. You are talking mass exodus. Biden could have done an expert job and there would be problems. But he certainly could have cut the losses. Im praying for everyone- EVERYONE- in danger to get out and I hope to God Biden does everything in his power to clean up the mess that he was largely in charge of.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[QUOTE=nonniey;1287915]Chris Wallace would but the rest probably not.[/QUOTE]


True

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=punch it in;1287919]Agreed. And I know i was preaching to the choir. There are many afghan allies, all their families, and other foreign allies also trapped. The longer the cameras and media stay there the better. If the Taliban knows the World is watching they will behave to an extent.
I do find myself wondering how it would have been possible to get all those mentioned out whether we had 2500 troops there or not. Stable situation before? Yes. Everyone singing kumbaya not exactly. So I hesitate to say that there was some yellow brick road before for everyone- especially the Afghanistans that helped us and their families. You are talking mass exodus. Biden could have done an expert job and there would be problems. But he certainly could have cut the losses. Im praying for everyone- EVERYONE- in danger to get out and I hope to God Biden does everything in his power to clean up the mess that he was largely in charge of.[/quote]

Well the point was we wouldn't have had to get them out if we stuck with what we were doing. Again 8-10 casualties a year and an occasional non military American casualty before last year then none for over a year. Now potentially thousands of American casualties (Oh and odds are some have already been killed). This idiocy is mind boggling. Seems we replaced one of the worst Presidents in US history with one of the worst Presidents in US history.

All things Middle East related
 

[QUOTE=nonniey;1287932]Well the point was we wouldn't have had to get them out if we stuck with what we were doing. Again 8-10 casualties a year and an occasional non military American casualty before last year then none for over a year. Now potentially thousands of American casualties (Oh and odds are some have already been killed). This idiocy is mind boggling. Seems we replaced one of the worst Presidents in US history with one of the worst Presidents in US history.[/QUOTE]


So why is everyone in favor of leaving? Forget the hack job exit for a moment, clearly the last few presidents, and most Americans wanted out.
Not in disagreement with you, seriously asking.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

This new third party of Trumpers posing as Republicans crack me the fuck up.
Insurrection- no biggie.

Dude with a bomb talking about blowing up two blocks for the revolution- nothing to see here.

Countless domestic terrorists- not worried.

Afghanistans trying to flee the country who are in fear for their lives - security threat!

These fuckin Trumpers are sick motherfuckers.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=punch it in;1287935]So why is everyone in favor of leaving? Forget the hack job exit for a moment, clearly the last few presidents, and most Americans wanted out.
Not in disagreement with you, seriously asking.[/quote]

Bad policy can be popular. Popularity of a position doesn't = it being the right or correct position. A good President (when he is able) will make the right decision not the popular decision or decision that he thinks will score him the most political points.
Examples
- Prohibition
- Opposition to Lend Lease 1940-41 (President made right decision - went against popular choice).
- Detention of Japanese Americans
- The War on Poverty - (The Economic Opportunity Act 1964).
- 1980s Opposition to Nuclear Missile fielding in Europe (President made right decision - went against popular choice).
- Regime change in Iraq
- Full Iraq withdrawal 2011
- And now Afghan withdrawal.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=punch it in;1287937]this new third party of trumpers posing as republicans crack me the fuck up.
Insurrection- no biggie.

Dude with a bomb talking about blowing up two blocks for the revolution- nothing to see here.

Countless domestic terrorists- not worried.

Afghanistans (who passed background checks after literally risking their lives helping americans in afghanistan) trying to flee the country who are in fear for their lives - security threat!

These fuckin trumpers are sick motherfuckers.[/quote]

ftfy.

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[quote=mooby;1287992]ftfy.[/quote]


ty…

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[QUOTE=nonniey;1287991]Bad policy can be popular. Popularity of a position doesn't = it being the right or correct position. A good President (when he is able) will make the right decision not the popular decision or decision that he thinks will score him the most political points.
Examples
- Prohibition
- Opposition to Lend Lease 1940-41 (President made right decision - went against popular choice).
- Detention of Japanese Americans
- The War on Poverty - (The Economic Opportunity Act 1964).
- 1980s Opposition to Nuclear Missile fielding in Europe (President made right decision - went against popular choice).
- Regime change in Iraq
- Full Iraq withdrawal 2011
- And now Afghan withdrawal.[/QUOTE]


I hear you but this was overwhelmingly popular with not only politicians but citizens…but I hear you

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=punch it in;1287996]ty…[/quote]

Real talk, does anybody think any of those Afghanis who made it onto the C17's weren't ran through a serious background check before they were let on the plane?

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=mooby;1288013]Real talk, does anybody think any of those Afghanis who made it onto the C17's weren't ran through a serious background check before they were let on the plane?[/quote]

We already know many (almost certainly most) weren't, through interviews with the refugees and flight crews. Not a major issue as they weren't brought to the United States. They will get their checks in Qatar.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=nonniey;1288014]We already know many (almost certainly most) weren't, through interviews with the refugees and flight crews. Not a major issue as they weren't brought to the United States. They will get their checks in Qatar.[/quote]

Makes sense, don't want red tape holding them up in a life or death situation.

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[QUOTE=mooby;1288013]Real talk, does anybody think any of those Afghanis who made it onto the C17's weren't ran through a serious background check before they were let on the plane?[/QUOTE]


Realer talk, does anybody think the most dangerous enemies to our democracy aren’t already here posing as patriots? Every intelligence agency in the world says domestic terrorists are the greatest threat to us, and the GOP will not even acknowledge they exist.

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This is good news.

[url]https://apple.news/AMZhrLG5SS4OCpF5cZ5G8jQ[/url]

Re: All things Middle East related
 

Well, that didn't take long reports are Al Qaeda and Islamic State are operating in the vicinity of the Kabul Airport. The President said that Afghanistan was no longer a base for international terrorists just a few days ago as one of the major reasons to justify his idiocy.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=punch it in;1288067]Realer talk, does anybody think the most dangerous enemies to our democracy aren’t already here posing as patriots? Every intelligence agency in the world says domestic terrorists are the greatest threat to us, and the GOP will not even acknowledge they exist.[/quote]

We agree on this - but at least we have the leadership in charge to take these threats seriously. More than we can say for a year ago.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=nonniey;1288071]Well, that didn't take long reports are Al Qaeda and Islamic State are operating in the vicinity of the Kabul Airport. The President said that Afghanistan was no longer a base for international terrorists just a few days ago as one of the major reasons to justify his idiocy.[/quote]

Seriously, this is not surprising. Logically, of course terrorist groups would try to take advantage of the chaos to see if they could insert some terrorists over here or at an overseas base to commit some terrorist attack later.

I hope our national defense leadership is aware and takes these threats seriously.

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[quote=mooby;1288075]We agree on this - but at least we have the leadership in charge to take these threats seriously. More than we can say for a year ago.[/quote]

We do? Ok it may be more than you could say from a year ago but that ain't saying much.

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[quote=nonniey;1288087]We do? Ok it may be more than you could say from a year ago but that ain't saying much.[/quote]

You might be right - but I don't worry too much about the things I can't control.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

Good news the evacuation is starting to go faster and I think it’s a really big positive that the violence around the airport has subsided. Gotta be vigilant, but really worried about an extremist attack.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

all my buddy did was patrol poppy fields! he wasnt supposed to show us the photos but hey you dont hear that on the news today.

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It's pretty crazy how many non-active military Americans currently live or are in Afghanistan now. There are some students from my neck of the woods that are there right now. Scary stuff.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=sdskinsfan2001;1288287]It's pretty crazy how many non-active military Americans currently live or are in Afghanistan now. There are some students from my neck of the woods that are there right now. Scary stuff.[/quote]


Lots of NGOs operate/operated there as well as non military Government agencies (USAID).

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=nonniey;1288288]Lots of NGOs operate/operated there as well as non military Government agencies (USAID).[/quote]

I was definitely naive to all of these people that are there.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=sdskinsfan2001;1288287]It's pretty crazy how many non-active military Americans currently live or are in Afghanistan now. There are some students from my neck of the woods that are there right now. Scary stuff.[/quote]

There were plenty of times over the last 20 years where we had more military contractors than we had US soldiers. The worst was during the Obama years. He ramped up spending and it was more $ than the Afghanistan country could hold for infrastructure etc, so it trickled over to funding more contractors. I have a good interview about it I'll share when I get a chance.

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Tragic situation unfolding now. Thinking about those stranding in that hellhole Kabul.

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[quote=sdskinsfan2001;1288287]It's pretty crazy how many non-active military Americans currently live or are in Afghanistan now. There are some students from my neck of the woods that are there right now. Scary stuff.[/quote]

Refugee families from Afghanistan living in SD decided to go back to Afghanistan and visit family in May and June.

If youre refugees who fled your country bc of safety reasons and political turmoil ... why would you go back to visit?

Reading the first few articles, I envisioned some PE teacher chaperone trapped with 15 students on some school trip.

Its really Afghanistan refugess who came to American then decided to go back for whatever poorly thought out reason.

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To be honest zero problems with anybody and their family immigrating from Afghanistan who help carry out the nato, US mission over there. You can’t get more merit based than that…welcome them with open arms

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[quote=Chico23231;1288322]To be honest zero problems with anybody and their family immigrating from Afghanistan who help carry out the nato, US mission over there. You can’t get more merit based than that…welcome them with open arms[/quote]

+1

I don't understand why we can't all agree on that.

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[QUOTE=mooby;1288333]+1

I don't understand why we can't all agree on that.[/QUOTE]


One word. Politics.

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[quote=sdskinsfan2001;1288287] There are some students from my neck of the woods that are there right now. Scary stuff.[/quote]

Why, knowing the US is withdrawing , why would you go there?

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[quote=mooby;1288333]+1

I don't understand why we can't all agree on that.[/quote]

I think most do. The Mrs. and my youngest have joined a group that will help settle some of these refugees.

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[YT]BaChdIiS5FY[/YT]

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[QUOTE=MTK;1288365][YT]BaChdIiS5FY[/YT][/QUOTE]


I still don’t know which is harder to wrap my head around…
A) that these dumb mother fuckers exist in such big numbers or
B) that they chose Trump as their messiah when he is literally the exact opposite of everything they seem to stand for.

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At least 13 U.S. soldiers dead in Afghanistan. And the 1st post that wasn't a reply to a previous post that was made prior to the suicide attack, was some video of a few idiots. Just wrong on so many levels.

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[quote=sdskinsfan2001;1288392]At least 13 U.S. soldiers dead in Afghanistan. And the 1st post that wasn't a reply to a previous post that was made prior to the suicide attack, was some video of a few idiots. Just wrong on so many levels.[/quote]

The video makes a point ,you don't agree with it .

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=Giantone;1288393]The video makes a point ,you don't agree with it .[/quote]

Actually I do agree with it, those people are idiots, and I said such in my post.

Re: All things Middle East related
 

[quote=sdskinsfan2001;1288392]At least 13 U.S. soldiers dead in Afghanistan. And the 1st post that wasn't a reply to a previous post that was made prior to the suicide attack, was some video of a few idiots. Just wrong on so many levels.[/quote]

I think it goes without saying there was no disrespect intended to the situation and those who died. The whole thing is a cluster fuck.