Calming words from the great Dan Rather on Afghanistan exit.

[cilla4progress]

https://steady.substack.com/p/afghanistan?r=53ypx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy

[The Wizard]

1. The original mission was to defeat al Qaeda

bin Laden's death should have ended our occupation. Where's al Qaeda today?

[irisblue]

2. rebuilding in Indonesia and the Horn of Africa

Forgot my citations
1.https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/why-do-al-qaeda-and-the-islamic-state-continue-to-target-indonesia/

2.https://www.cfr.org/blog/islamic-state-and-al-qaeda-linked-african-insurgencies

[Hekate]

4. Thank you much for your citations

Truly

[irisblue]

7. The most typically consumed American news media

covers the rest of the globe very poorly IMO.

[WheelWalker]

3. In the way our domestic law enforcement is not designed to manage mental health crises,

our military is not designed to be a tool of nation building.

[Hekate]

5. The inability of powerful empires to conquer the region goes back to Alexander the Great...

The United States is destined to be yet another of a long line of foreign powers stretching back to Alexander the Great, and through the British and Soviet empires, that failed to leave its intended mark on this complicated and mercurial country. Dan Rather

Last night there was a young US Congressman who had been a platoon leader in Afghanistan who recalled talking with one of the Taliban. The man pointed at the American’s wrist and said: “You have the watches. We have the time.”

All they had to do was wait us out. Forever, if necessary. I do feel sorry for the women and girls, but no. We can’t do this.

[cilla4progress]

6. We certainly don't learn.

SMDH.

I guess war is just too seductive.

[myccrider]

8. If your only tool is a hammer...

every problem looks like a nail. Maybe we should cut back on military spending?