Richard Engel

[reality1]

Has really jumped the shark..

Link to tweet

?s=20

not only is that shit journalism its easily rebuffed nonsense. I encourage anyone that is interested in the situation in Afghanistan to read how easily this b.s. was tossed back into his face.

Joe Biden was dealt a treasonous shit sandwich by Donald Trump and he's adjusting and our troops are getting people out. BUT not only do we not have any Democratic officials able to go on air and knock some of these garbage straw men down, we have idiots like Seth Moulon saying future Afghan vets suicides are on Biden. Are you fucking kidding me!!

Maybe Dem leadership should reach out to some of these people on twitter that are actually thinking this shit through and able to hit back in real time with facts and creative a proper and factual narrative.

At this rate the DEMS will impeach Biden. I am stunned and if the Dems keep it up TFG that is responsible for all of this will be back in the wh in 3 years. and our DEMOCRACY will be gone, but they will still spend the rest of their lives saying Biden didn't stick the landing in Afghanistan and they're not happy about it!

[Texaswitchy]

1. Why didn't Trump do it.

Why was he in such a big hurry to pull out the troops.

[bdamomma]

23. because

he had a failing campaign. and the hell with consequences.

[Texaswitchy]

26. Yeah.

He didn't give a damn.

[onecaliberal]

2. This is why people can attempt a coup while dems wring their hands.

We're in a fight for the soul of this nation. It's not looking good for us. I am exhausted with the media. I don't watch news of any kind. I am done worrying about all of this bullshit. The elected people on our side do not seem to understand that democracy is going to be over when the next election arrives.

[JoanofArgh]

11. Was it Matthew Dowd who said that DC dem politicians don't really take this

end of our democracy stuff seriously? He said they just don't think it will happen. It could happen very easily with all shenanigans red state GOP are pulling with their election laws.


As for Afghanistan, I worry , too but I've been talking about it with both Dem and Republican coworkers and nobody's that interested , in fact , they're tired of it already. Everybody's more concerned with COVID and their kids in school. All politics is local. We'll see.

[onecaliberal]

12. It was just dumb luck that dump wasn't successful.

I hope everyone gets out of Afghanistan. We NEVER should have gone in there, to begin with. Trying to pay for everything and keep my family safe, occupies all of my time.

[JoanofArgh]

18. Yep. People are worried about what directly affects them. I'm sure they want everybody out of

Afghanistan safely but their top priority are themselves and their families.

[FelineOverlord]

4. Yup.

He’s getting roasted on Twitter.

Link to tweet

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Link to tweet

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[OnDoutside]

8. Emotionally involved, as tweeted above, seems to be what's going on here.

He's still a brave and diligent journalist, but he is not looking at the bigger picture in all this.

[BannonsLiver]

5. Sigh

Last edited Fri Aug 20, 2021, 07:04 PM - Edit history (1)

With any luck my respect for Richard Engel will be the final casualty of this war.

On another point, I’m not surprised there are those that don’t understand the difference between reporting of facts while editorializing, and simple reporting of facts. That’s because they’ve been conditioned to expect it. American TV news is 1/3 news reporting and 2/3 editorializing/speculation. Has been for years.

[Hoyt]

6. Biden could have gone on TV and blamed trump for withdrawing too many troops

to guarantee safe withdrawal of our troops and allies.

For some reason he didn’t, and here we are.

Biden (and his military, intelligence, and State Department) could have maintained control of another airfield, but chose not to.

Additional troops could have been sent in to stop advance of Taliban. But nope.

So, now, that we look like fools and people are falling off airplanes, we have sent in more troops.

[Treefrog]

10. Thank you.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

21. The order to send in 5000 more troops was announced 8/14, the pics of people falling off planes was

Monday, 8/16.

There was clearly in intelligence failure insofar as nobody expected the entire Afghan army to bow before the Taliban, and for President Ghani to flee (on 8/15), which more than one person on the ground has reported was what led to Kabul's quick fall.

But I'm going to wait to see what Biden was actually being told, and by whom, before I conclude this was a huge cock-up on his part. He is only 7 months into his term, and has been dealing with a pandemic at home during that time, and TFG screwed up a hell of a lot of stuff during his 4 years.

Personally don't think we know enough yet to justify trying to make things sound as negative as possible for Biden here on Democratic Underground, but maybe that's just me.

[Hoyt]

27. I can see Obama biting his tongue to keep from saying, "Joe, I know you

wanted me to pull out of Afghanistan during our terms. Maybe you get it now.”

In any event, it doesn’t matter what he was told, Biden is the “Decider” on this one.

Whatever, Hugh, I’m not voting for a GOPer. I support Biden, but I’m not going to smile like I’m satisfied with this mess.

He didn’t have to risk his Presidency, and perhaps Democratic control in Congress next year, to pull out of Afghanistan just 7 months into his term.

[Hoyt]

29. BTW, he announced more troops on same day refugees were falling.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/biden-authorizes-5-000-troops-afghanistan-amid-taliban-advance-n1276840

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/14/us-sending-more-troops-to-afghanistan-for-personnel-drawdown

[reality1]

24. ???

The first time he went on TV about this he blamed Trump(re: Troop levels) and the first response from CNN was he was passing the buck.

Problem is he was right but no one is reinforcing this message which happens to be educating people with facts.

They didn't have troop levels to control Bagram, this was discussed by Milley they were focused omg Embassy and Karzai airport where they could airlift and protect commercial flights.

NO ONE was advocating sending in U.S. combat troops to reengage the Taliban in ground combat. No one, I don't even think hawks were. That would've been way worse costing way more lives and been a continuation of loss of blood and treasure for a sham govt.

More troops are there and people are being evacuated.

[Hoyt]

28. Then send in more troops. With this mess he had to anyway.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

7. Apparently he didn't see fit to mention that Biden was left with only 2,500 troops in a country

of 38,000,000, with a size of basically EDIT: California and Oregon put together. (not the Western USA)

I guess if he found ONE 'airman' who wasn't privy to the entire big picture, he should share that one persons view with the world, as if it was some highly profound insight into the situation.

The leading voices of the media (apart from people like Lawrence and Rachel, as usual) have been very unfair in their coverage, based on everything I read here at least.

Particularly insofar as failing to explain to the public how much of this is IQ45's doing, and what a shit-sandwich he left on Biden's doorstep.

Many Democrats themselves are not doing a REMOTELY good job at having their President's back, though, I would also add.

[Klaralven]

13. The area of Afghanistan is 252,071 square miles; Texas is 268,596

But yes, it would take more than 2500 troops to pacify Texas.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

19. Thanks I misremembered ... corrected my post ...

About the size of California + Oregon put together.

2500 would barely be about enough troops to pacify San Francisco.

[Hoyt]

15. Sounds like 2021's version of, "If you are not with us, . . . . . ."

[GoodRaisin]

22. It does seem that Trump boxed him in by cutting his troops to the bone

and the media is mostly ignoring that important point.

[emmaverybo]

34. True and well put.

[Treefrog]

9. Everyone here seems to be against this journalist right now.

I remember when he was a hero here. He’s a fantastic journalist and knows more about that region than anyone on this site.

Smh.

[Hoyt]

14. Completely agree. They are bashing Clarissa Ward too. The truth hurts,

but I’m not for trying to hide it.

[Raine]

17. Agree. He's a good journalist, very experienced after covering this area for years and

he knows what he's talking about.

[chowder66]

20. I respect Engel. He is very good at his job but he's not infallible.

I do think there are some people who are going to be emotionally involved and that it may color their reports. That doesn't mean what they are saying isn't true or legitimate but I do tend to give a little more credit to those that explain the difficulties in context of why we are where we are.

At times he skips the balanced context. Other times he brings that balanced context.

On edit: It's not just Engel that I hold to a higher standard.

[Xoan]

36. When he quotes 'An airman' ...

I'm not gonna take him seriously.

[Hortensis]

16. Vast misfire and overreaction, Reality1. Don't worry. Dems aren't nearly that stupid.

If you took it to a RW forum, it'd undoubtedly get a lot of hopeful agreement.

As for truth hurts, even partial truth and situations where conflicting truths coexist, of course; but where it's actually happening honest people accept it and learn from it. Those who don't get more dishonest and more divorced from reality.

[reality1]

25. Good luck guys!

Engels post of this anonymous troops opinion is truth huh? and the troops logic is truth or cogent? You should really read the thread.

"If you took it to a RW forum, it'd undoubtedly get a lot of hopeful agreement. "

really? what I posted would get agreement on RW sites. really? That makes no sense. They would obviously agree with Engel.

Good luck guys, I really mean it.

"Dems aren't nearly that stupid. "

Yeah, who's worried lol

[joetheman]

30. I am beginning to believe Engel is a deep down Trumpian. nt

[bullwinkle428]

31. Yes, this is exactly why Rachel Maddow has fallen over herself with praise for Engel

more times than I can count over the years, as he's been in conversation with her reporting from various locations throughout the Middle East.

[Caliman73]

33. Completely disagree.

Engel talks with the dogfaces and the grunts. They have a very limited view, but a heartfelt experience. Engel is likely feeling what some of those watching the chaos are going through.

He is not a Trumpian by a longshot. He is just lost in the "feels" right now.

[Raine]

35. Engel was reporting what someone else told him

he didn't say that he felt the same way, he's a good reporter. Engel is real journalist which seems lately to be in short supply, most are advocates for one side or the other not real journalists.

[Corgigal]

32. Engel maybe addicted

to being a war correspondent. It might be time for him to leave.

The Afghan government asked us not to run the airlifts, because they were trying to keep the country calm and allow the citizens to see that they can work within its framework. Of course, no one saw the President booking with 165 million.

This information was talked about on today’s new abnormal podcast, if you want to hear the conversation.