Susan Glasser whom I respect said on CNN we should have left a small residual force

[DemocratSinceBirth]

How is a small residual force going to pacify an entire nation? David Gergen then said we have a small residual force in the Sinai Peninsula. As an aside I had a buddy stationed there. The thing is the Israelis and Egyptians aren't belligerents.

[David__77]

1. That's nonsense.

To what end have troops there? To be targets?

[onetexan]

15. bingo. We had to get out and end it once & for all. Hopefully no more unjustified wars and the US

won't make the same mistake again. 2 damn wars lasting way too long, sucking up billions of $ and costing lives of American svcmen & women, not to mention countless lives of Afghans & Iraqis.

[secondwind]

2. I think we are leaving some folks...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. To do what?

[Lovie777]

4. Send in the Maga . ..!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. They would assist the Taliban

[SoonerPride]

14. They ARE the taliban.

Just saying.

[Hortensis]

6. The Taliban would not have been held back by that. They're true believers

in their cause. They were on the move to take control of the parts of Afghanistan they hadn't occupied already when tRump agreed to unilateral withdrawal in return for their stepping down their advances until then. The date tRump set for final withdrawal was May 1, and as we can see they were poised to take over Afghanistan then.

[Polly Hennessey]

7. Susan Glasser is a reporter for The New Yorker

married to Peter Baker, a reporter for the New York Times. As a reporter, I am sure she excels at her job. As a policy maker/expert on Afghanistan politics I have some doubts.

[Grasswire2]

9. Peter Baker is on my "do I really trust this person?" list.

I have half a dozen or so journos that I do not like (spidey sense) and do not immediately accept.

Peter spent a lot of time as bureau chief in Moscow. A person in that position is, of course at risk of being compromised at some point.

[moonscape]

17. I have Baker on the exact same list. n/t

[Grasswire2]

19. he and his wife are power ppl in New York social society

On the "A" lists for dinners and events.

I don't much like that in a journalist.

[48656c6c6f20]

8. Why? is the heroin production at risk?

[empedocles]

10. I suspect that the U.S. having some armed response capability could be a constructive thing.

[WHITT]

11. Sorry Susan

but as soon as that 'small residual force' got into a firefight, we've have to send 3K or 5K troops in to support them, and then more to follow them, then you're right back in the mess.

The only thing I can think might have worked, is pull all personal out, but leave the drones, even triple or quadruple them. Tell the Taliban to stay out of all the cities, and if they even approached the outskirts, bomb the hell out of them until they stop. Each drone can rotate back to the nearby base, rearm, and head back in. Wash, rinse, repeat.

[Johonny]

12. She's free to go

[roamer65]

13. No.

It is what it is now.

[W_HAMILTON]

16. I suppose it depends on what she considers a "small" residual force.

From everything I've read, it would have taken at least 8k to 10k troops there to maintain the peace.

[Chainfire]

18. To what end, and for how long?

That war is over, the quicker we leave the fewer people will die.

[Azathoth]

20. The only reason would be to make attacking Al Qaeda easier

The country itself has been lost ever since Dubya decided to go on his excellent very good definitely not bad Iraq adventure. The only thing we could possibly hope to do is discourage Al Qaeda from setting up shop there again.

[pansypoo53219]

21. 10 little indians.