`Let's go home': Afghan war vets torn on US-Taliban deal

[Chosen Daughter]

`Let's go home': Afghan war vets torn on US-Taliban deal

By RUSS BYNUM, Associated Press 3 hrs ago


SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Veterans of America's longest war are finding themselves torn as the U.S. signs a potentially historic peace accord with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

For many, the U.S. is long overdue in withdrawing its forces after more than 18 years of fighting. Others question the trustworthiness of the Taliban, whose hard-line government the U.S.-led forces overthrew in 2001. Skeptics worry the Taliban's re-integration could cause Afghanistan to backslide on such issues as human rights.

“If they sign a peace treaty and Afghanistan goes back to the Taliban or Sharia law, then it’s all been for nothing,” said former Army Staff Sgt. Will Blackburn of Hinesville, Georgia.

Though doubtful the Taliban will abide by the peace deal, Backburn said he's ready for hostilities to end. He first deployed to Afghanistan in 2004 with an infantry unit of the Army's 10th Mountain Division. A decade later, his son headed overseas for the same fight.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/lets-go-home-afghan-war-vets-torn-on-us-taliban-deal/ar-BB10yIFz?ocid=spartanntp

[DB]

Peace with the Taliban...

Not worth the paper it is written on.

A better plan would have been to bomb the hell out of the Taliban and then leave telling them not to give us a reason to come back. All entirely on our terms.

[Chosen Daughter]

Peace with the Taliban...

Not worth the paper it is written on.

A better plan would have been to bomb the hell out of the Taliban and then leave telling them not to give us a reason to come back. All entirely on our terms.

I agree.  I also agree with the Staff Sgt.  It makes it all for nothing.  All of the sacrifice and the men and women we lost in this fight.  Just to allow them to come right back in.  We should have wasted them.

I don't think this is going to go well for Trump if this is an absolute failure.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

As I understand it thousands of imprisoned Taliban fighters will be released.   

[bilo]

I agree.  I also agree with the Staff Sgt.  It makes it all for nothing.  All of the sacrifice and the men and women we lost in this fight.  Just to allow them to come right back in.  We should have wasted them.

I don't think this is going to go well for Trump if this is an absolute failure.

The question that isn't being asked is why after 18 years aren't we confident that the govt we supported can't defend itself. If the Afghani's want to be ruled by a totalitarian death cult what do we care as long as they know the second they harbor a group that does us harm we are coming back.

[Chosen Daughter]

As I understand it thousands of imprisoned Taliban fighters will be released.   

      

That is not dignity.  That is shame.  Knowing that terrorists that killed our soldiers are going free.

[Chosen Daughter]

The question that isn't being asked is why after 18 years aren't we confident that the govt we supported can't defend itself. If the Afghani's want to be ruled by a totalitarian death cult what do we care as long as they know the second they harbor a group that does us harm we are coming back.

Or perhaps why our government hasn't actually expected it to.  I am sure there are many leverages that we could use to convince them.  And if we are running with our tails between our legs I hope the deal includes absolutely no more foreign aid to this country.

Further more expecting the Taliban to respect human rights is like expecting the devil to change his spots.  Its a waste of Military funding to leave and have to go back.  Because we know that the Taliban will do exactly what they have always done.  And all of those Sharia Laws will go back into affect.  More terrorist training camps and terrorist schools too.

[Chosen Daughter]

Taliban uses violence as leverage during peace negotiations

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/in-afghanistan-the-taliban-uses-violence-as-leverage-during-peace-negotiations

And we also have to consider what kind of negotiations Trump is making with Russia and China on this

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-help-trump-withdraw-afghanistan-1456634

Pretty dicey if you ask me.  Look what is happening in Syria.

There was an article that required membership that suggested in the opening paragraph that Russia wanted to get help from Iran also.

[Chosen Daughter]

Making Sense of Russia’s Involvement in Afghanistan
There are plenty of reasons to seriously examine Russia’s role in Afghanistan, but what do many analysts miss?

Much of the current analysis of Russia’s involvement in Afghanistan and engagement with the Taliban has come out of an unfortunate formula. First, Afghanistan is reduced to an arena in which external great powers jockey for influence and power. U.S. government statements about Russian support for the Taliban are then accepted at face value without parsing what exactly is being communicated. Russian denials are then assumed to evidence Russian involvement and, finally, assumed to prove that Russia aims to undermine the United States abroad.

There are plenty of reasons to seriously examine Russia’s role in Afghanistan, but too many articles fail to ask questions fundamental to making sense of Moscow’s aims. By refusing to closely scrutinize the facts on the ground, the role of China, and the logic of U.S. policy, the authors of many pieces can claim expertise but never be held accountable for their analysis. Russia is certainly an adversarial power for Washington, but Afghanistan deserves more than talking points from an aerial view.

The Origin of the Claim...…….

https://thediplomat.com/2018/08/making-sense-of-russias-involvement-in-afghanistan/

As U.S. Mulls Withdrawal From Afghanistan, Russia Wants Back in
By holding its own peace talks, Moscow is laying the groundwork to play kingmaker.

As Washington mulls a full withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, Moscow is angling to take a leading role in the country’s future as part of a broader effort to counter the United States and NATO in the region.

While U.S. officials tout progress in peace talks with the Taliban, Russia has been quietly conducting a parallel effort, hosting a landmark diplomatic conference in Moscow in November 2018 that was attended by a Taliban delegation and several members of the Afghan government’s High Peace Council, as well as representatives from major players in the region including Pakistan, Iran, and China. A representative from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow also attended as an observer.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/01/31/us-mulls-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-russia-wants-back-in-taliban-peace-talks/

[Right_in_Virginia]

Syria, Iran, Ukraine and now Afghanistan.  Pooty-Poot is just itching to bankrupt Russia. 

Do it.

[TomSea]

The insider attacks, blue on green. How many of those are accepable. Correct, none are. To me, that's the most troubling aspect of the war. Someone who is suppose to being on our side, shooting at us.

Let alone, all of the suicide bombings too.

[ArneFufkin]

We never made Pakistan pay for giving these thugs "sanctuary" after their hit-and-run violence.

We should have told Musharraf, or whomever is governing there now, that "If you cannot govern FATA and SWAT we'll consider it open season."

We know where those guys are at most all times, we just cannot kill them until they cross that border.  Kill them while they're "Preparing for their Spring Offensive" in Pakistan?  Good grief, it's like hitting a hornet's nest at night.

The Taliban are more like the violent Mexican cartels than the "Allah Akubar" morons from AQ or ISIS.  They're narco terrorists.  They want poppy.  And, they'll fight and kill for it to supply Russia and Europe with heroin and other opiods.   The "Islamist" aspect is just to rationalize their throat-hold on the populace.

[TomSea]

The Diplomat article cited above is from India.

I know in the last 3 years, there was an article written where they said if we left Afghanistan, then, an India/Pakistan (or was it China) proxy war could break out. That we were keeping the peace.

I don't know, it's a mess and yes, the analogy of saying the Taliban are a bit like the Drug Cartels, yes, that seems an apt comparison.

[ArneFufkin]

The Diplomat article cited above is from India.

I know in the last 3 years, there was an article written where they said if we left Afghanistan, then, an India/Pakistan (or was it China) proxy war could break out. That we were keeping the peace.

I don't know, it's a mess and yes, the analogy of saying the Taliban are a bit like the Drug Cartels, yes, that seems an apt comparison.

Trump had extensive talks with Modi last week about Kashmir.   

I think he was trying to set up an ... accommodation.

It's a "sticky wicket" trying to intervene between two historic enemies who share a 2,000 mile border and have nukes.

Did you ever see those nature films where two male leopards will walk in tandem, stride for stride,  their territorial boundaries for several hours ... 20 feet apart and never glancing at each other?  Eventually, the understanding is understood?

That's kind of it.

[corbe]

   We should consider renaming the DoD the War Department, again, now they had a winning record.

[EdinVA]

Given that the American people will not allow the military to fight to win, are we suggesting that we continue to bring home dozens of caskets every year, and hundreds of injured so we don't have to say we left?

The Afghans are the only ones that can solve their problem, we can help, but we cannot do it for them.

[Chosen Daughter]

Given that the American people will not allow the military to fight to win, are we suggesting that we continue to bring home dozens of caskets every year, and hundreds of injured so we don't have to say we left?

The Afghans are the only ones that can solve their problem, we can help, but we cannot do it for them.

What help.  Hell no.  If we leave and the Taliban take control.  No more.  No more help.  No more aid.  No more training.  No going back.  Our help has been to sacrifice our loved ones.  I don't think we ever intended on winning.  the Iraqi constitution was a sign that we were pandering to Islamic Law at the same time trying to pretend it was bad.

[skeeter]

We have two choices; prepare for another 20 years, & more billions of dollars and tens or hundreds of American lives spent in that shithole, and leave afterwards with the situation unresolved anyway, or get out now.

Kipling knew. The problem is unsolvable.

[Chosen Daughter]

 
John Bolton blasts Trump's 'Obama-style' Taliban deal

Sam Dorman 2 hrs ago

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/john-bolton-blasts-trump-s-obama-style-taliban-deal/ar-BB10z3ss

Trump ally Graham and ex-aide Bolton voice concerns over Taliban deal
Senator ‘very suspect of the Taliban’, ex-national security adviser slams ‘Obama-style deal’ and Democrats call for oversight

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/29/us-taliban-agreement-reaction-pompeo-trump-allies

[Cyber Liberty]

Let's have us some "Peace with Honor."  It's a catchy phrase, that.

[Chosen Daughter]

We have two choices; prepare for another 20 years, & more billions of dollars and tens or hundreds of American lives spent in that shithole, and leave afterwards with the situation unresolved anyway, or get out now.

Kipling knew. The problem is unsolvable.

Or 20 years down the road multiple terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

[skeeter]

Or 20 years down the road multiple terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

Makes no sense. What you are trying to say, I guess, is you disagree with Trump’s decision.

And all I can say is that is quite a surprise.

[Chosen Daughter]

Makes no sense. What you are trying to say, I guess, is you disagree with Trump’s decision.

And all I can say is that is quite a surprise.

Actually I am very torn.  Nobody wants U.S. Military men and women to die in Afghanistan.   But if our troops had been able to do their job without hindrance perhaps we wouldn't be making deals with terrorists.  As I said before I agree with the Staff Sgt.  It has all been for nothing.  And I have no doubts that Afghanistan will revert to the crap hole that it was before we went.  That means that we will see terrorism on U.S. soil.

[skeeter]

Actually I am very torn.  Nobody wants U.S. Military men and women to die in Afghanistan.   But if our troops had been able to do their job without hindrance perhaps we wouldn't be making deals with terrorists.  As I said before I agree with the Staff Sgt.  It has all been for nothing.  And I have no doubts that Afghanistan will revert to the crap hole that it was before we went.  That means that we will see terrorism on U.S. soil.

As the saying goes we are always preparing to fight the last war when we should be looking ahead. Just because Afghanistan spawned the 9/11 attack does not mean it will spawn the next one - there are many countries who can and would be delighted to fill that roll.

Afghanistan is a steaming pile this administration was handed (as it was handed to the last) and I respect Trump for refusing to kick the can down the road, especially when he knows any action he takes will be immediately followed by a cascade of mewling by the usual suspects.

[Chosen Daughter]

As the saying goes we are always preparing to fight the last war when we should be looking ahead. Just because Afghanistan spawned the 9/11 attack does not mean it will spawn the next one - there are many countries who can and would be delighted to fill that roll.

Afghanistan is a steaming pile this administration was handed (as it was handed to the last) and I respect Trump for refusing to kick the can down the road, especially when he knows any action he takes will be immediately followed by a cascade of mewling by the usual suspects.

Cheney, House Republicans express 'serious concerns' with US-Taliban deal
By Rebecca Kheel - 02/27/20 12:40 PM EST

excerpt:
But in their letter, dated Wednesday, the 22 Republicans warned the Taliban “has a history of extracting concessions in exchange for false assurances.”
“They will accept nothing less than a full-scale U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as they seek to establish their totalitarian ‘Islamic Emirate,’ ” the lawmakers wrote. “Our withdrawal would then allow terrorist groups in Afghanistan to grow stronger and establish safe havens from which to plot attacks against us. Any promises the Taliban may have made to the U.S. related to counterterrorism cannot be trusted, not least because the group is a long-time ally of al-Qaeda.”

The lawmakers stressed that “any supposed counterterrorism assurances and potential verification mechanisms” must “be made public.” Time reported earlier this month the deal would include four “secret annexes.”

“The safety of the American people is inextricably linked to this deal. They deserve to know its details,” the letter said.

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/484964-cheney-house-republicans-express-serious-concerns-with-us-taliban-deal

And that is exactly what I thought, and I hadn't seen this yet.