Taliban sweep across Afghanistan's south, take 3 more cities

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By TAMEEM AKHGAR and RAHIM FAIEZ

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban captured another three provincial capitals in Afghanistan on Friday, completing their sweep of the country’s south in a lightning offensive that is gradually encircling Kabul, just weeks before the U.S. is set to officially end its two-decade war.

The latest significant blow was the loss of the capital of Helmand province, where American, British and allied NATO forces fought some of the bloodiest battles in the past 20 years. Hundreds of foreign troops were killed in the province, which is also a major opium hub.

The insurgents have taken 18 of the country’s 34 provincial capitals in recent days, including its second- and third-largest cities, Herat and Kandahar. The Taliban now control more than two-thirds of the country just weeks before the U.S. plans to withdraw its last troops.

While the capital of Kabul isn’t directly under threat yet, the losses and advances elsewhere further tighten the grip of a resurgent Taliban. The latest U.S. military intelligence assessment suggests Kabul could come under insurgent pressure within 30 days and that, if current trends hold, the Taliban could gain full control of the country within a few months.



Smoke rises after fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security personnel in the city of Kandahar, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Sidiqullah Khan)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-taliban-c6c8d4a41c554f36031a8131538d1402

[Jon King]

1. Politico had a great story, the Afghans refuse to fight.

Impossible situation, US and NATA trained 300000 fighters, outnumber the Taliban, gave them an air force, better weapons. Yet they lay down their arms and walk away.

Biden said it right, they have to fight for themselves.

[paleotn]

2. 1975 Spring Offensive in Vietnam. We've been here before.

Our record on nation building isn't terribly good.

[rockfordfile]

8. The problem it was never meant to be.

Bushco bullshit was all lies.

[paleotn]

9. Lies with a hefty dose of "This time it will be different"

It's never different. Particularly in places where we don't understand and refuse to understand the culture.

[oldsoftie]

3. The Taliban could easily be taken out; govt forces arent even trying

Look at their formations as they approach the cities. Look at the cellphone videos from citizens. Little organization, walking out in the open, etc.
Where is the Afghan air support? That alone would greatly hinder attackers.
But they have to WANT to defeat them

[jaxexpat]

4. Biden's move to leave Afghanistan was/is exactly right.

The speed and apparent ease by which the Taliban is taking control of these capital cities clearly reveals how little, if any, lasting positive effect the US military has managed there over the last 19 years. The hubris to have gone there, militarily, with some half-baked intention to "rescue?, civilize?, modernize?, pacify?, punish?, decriminalize?" this country was a world-class example of just how arrogantly misguided our foreign policy had/has become.

Trump wasn't the first to ignore or abuse our intelligence community.

Rule of thumb, if over half the general population cannot locate a place on a world map it's probably an indication that military adventures there will be a waste of blood and treasure. I clearly recall how, essentially, nobody had a clue where Viet Nam was though many were pretty sure it wasn't in Europe. But the Paris peace talks DID, for some, bring that assumption into question.

[samsingh]

5. this is an fing disaster

[SpankMe]

6. I love Blinken and Joe, but...

...they've got to stop saying that the US "...remains invested in the security and stability of Afghanistan...". We're either all-in, or all-out. There is no in-between.

We're not invested, and we shouldn't say it. To be invested, we have to be all-in. A full-blown military occupation, basically. Anything less and the Taliban advance.

That place has been a boil on the ass of humanity for half a century. The Russians couldn't take it over. The nominal Afghan citizens couldn't get their shit together and make a country out of the place, and the Americans couldn't tame it with a almost 2 decades of a substantial military presence.

One problem is that there is no Afghan patriotism. None of the Afghan citizens will stand up and fight for a proper government. The minute the Talban come to town, all of the local Afghan army and police - right up to the officer class - change in to civilian clothes and blend in to the background. Or, they flee. Or, they immediately change allegiances and start working for the Taliban.

And, they raid the local armory and police stations of valuable equipment and materials on their way out the door.

It's a failed state. There should be an international effort to wall-off the country as if it's a disease risk and offer asylum to women and other oppressed Afghan people. We should work on draining the country of females and non-Taliban people and re-settle them in modern, productive societies and just let the Afghan territory fester, rot and hopefully die out.

[uppityperson]

7. I've no answers, just sorrow for the people, the women