Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 4:58pm

Trump on Afghanistan

 

When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
So-oldier of the Queen!

Rudyard Kipling, The Young British Soldier

Further proof that Trump can give a good speech when he wants to.

Almost sixteen years in Afghanistan.  The attempt to reform Afghanistan was a noble effort, but now stands revealed as complete folly.  In certain areas on Earth all you can do is raid them if they give sanctuary to your enemies and get out as quickly as possible.  Afghanistan is one of those places.  In Afghanistan governmental corruption is not a crime, but a time-honored way of life.  It is impossible to eliminate the loathsome Taliban because of their sanctuaries in Pakistan.  The Taliban draw their recruits from the Pashtuns.  There are 13 million Pashtuns in Afghanistan and 30 million in Pakistan.  Pakistani military intelligence give support to the Taliban.  Not all Pashtuns support the Taliban, but enough do so that throughout our sixteen years we have often been able to take territory from the Taliban but eventually they always come back.  They can’t hurt us much.  Last year 14 Americans died in the War.  However, they believe they can outlast us and that is their clear strategy.  If Trump can shut down Pakistani support, the Taliban may wither away, especially if support is given to non-Taliban elements among the Pashtuns.  I doubt if that is possible and stasis will result until the Americans tire of this unending conflict and withdraw.

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J.S.Person
J.S.Person
Tuesday, August 22, AD 2017 10:15am

I may be a member of the left. I may REALLY dislike most of what President Trump has done and hope for his resignation or impeachment. But for once…I actually don’t disagree with the call he made. The artificial timeline business always seemed, shall we say, not wise. And it did seem worth it to at least TRY and plant the seeds of liberty (however long they might take to flower) in at least the Afghan north. There certainly have been, for instance , some women who have benefited from our effort, and we shouldn’t throw them under the bus.

Holding the line in Korea helped South Korea become free. Some like Mark Steyn have suggested holding the line in South Vietnam might have actually worked eventually. Perhaps long term success is possible….if we hold the line.

William P. Walsh
William P. Walsh
Wednesday, August 23, AD 2017 4:51pm

Donald, Kipling’s “The Young British Soldier” always comes to mind, when Afghanistan comes up. Oh the futility.

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