The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was toppled by the U.S. many years ago. So after so many lives lost and trillions wasted, we have absolutely nothing whatsoever to show for it.
“Afghan president flees the country as Taliban move on Kabul,” by Ahmad Seir, Rahim Faiez, Tameem Akhgar, and Jon Gambrell, Associated Press, August 15, 2021:
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan’s embattled president left the country Sunday, joining his fellow citizens and foreigners in a stampede fleeing the advancing Taliban and signaling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking Afghanistan.
The Taliban entered the capital early Sunday and an official in the militant group said it would soon announce the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the presidential palace — a return rich in symbolism to the name of the country under the Taliban government ousted by U.S.-led forces after the 9/11 attacks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media….
“The Latest: Official says Taliban to declare Islamic Emirate,” Associated Press, August 15, 2021:
The Latest developments on Afghanistan, where a Taliban blitz has taken large swaths of territory just weeks before the final pullout of American and NATO troops:
A Taliban official says the group will soon declare the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the presidential palace in the capital, Kabul.
That was the name of the country under the Taliban government ousted by U.S.-led forces after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief media.
___
KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has suspended all operations and told Americans to shelter in place, saying it has received reports of gunfire at the international airport.
The U.S. is racing to airlift diplomats and citizens out of Afghanistan after the Taliban overran most of the country and entered the capital early Sunday.
“The security situation in Kabul is changing quickly and the situation at the airport is deteriorating rapidly,” the embassy said in a statement.
“There are reports of the airport taking fire and we are instructing U.S. citizens to shelter in place. The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan has suspended consular operations effective immediately. Do not come to the Embassy or airport at this time.”…
Buraq says
I am completely baffled! The Taliban have zero airpower. We could bomb them day in and day out round the clock. They would be helpless under such firepower. Then just send in the Afghan ground troops to fast track the survivors to Paradise.
How could nations with 21st Century nuclear power allow the 7th Century to overrun Afghanistan?
Something just doesn’t add up!
Infidel says
Buraq
Military hardware and firepower ain’t all that is needed to ensure any victory: the will to fight, and a belief in what they are fighting for is also needed. There is nothing our troops could ever have done to imbibe that feeling in Afghans to resist the Taliban. At the heart of it all, what inspires the Afghans is islam, and what the Taliban have always promised has been islam. So why would the Afghan ground troops or anybody resist the Taliban?
I do blame Joe Biden for a lot of things. This ain’t one of them. If the Afghans don’t have the will to fight and simply roll over and play dead, that’s on them, not him. There are enough valid reasons to ding Biden over: we needn’t do it on something he had and has no control over
ConstantineXI says
Sorry, but Joe Biden and tge woke left are to blame. He(and his Democrats) have done nothing to help the situation and they are more concerned about appeasing terrorists and avoiding charges of Islamophobia than anything else. Remember, this is the same administration that says(falsely) “white supremacy” is the U.S.’s number one security threat.
Infidel says
I agree that that was an asinine statement, but there is nothing that Biden could have done to keep Afghanistan from falling back into Taliban’s hands in the long run, since both the Afghan people and the Taliban are committed to islam. The outgoing regime, not the Taliban, put stoning back on the books. If that’s gonna be the reality, there’s no reason to oppose the Taliban’s return to power there
gravenimage says
Agreed, Infidel. 99% of Afghans want to see Shari’ah law imposed–not much anyone can do about that. No way we could have ever really civilized Afghanistan.
Lion heart says
Just Lionel ISIS in Iraq after all weapons provided by us to Iraqi army , they fled it to ISIS and they declared back then Islamic state of Iraq and Syria ! So nothing new here whenever Islam is taken seriously and implemented, we gonna see many ISIS- liked minded and as a former Muslim said it “ there is a mini ISiS member inside each individual Muslims worldwide but tuft don’t want to show their passion for Sharia to be implemented right now until the appropriate time .
gravenimage says
Yes–most Muslims are ambivalent *at best* about opposing Jihad terror, because it is a key part of Islam.
owensgate says
Well, to be clear, I admit to knowing nothing about internal Afghan politics, but I’ll wager two items here… One, the “President” who just ran out the back door was U.S. approved, and we made sure he was “elected”, and Two, If said president had made an example of his “Paid for by the US Taxpayer” Military commanders in the field who “gave up” too easily before a battle, the remainder of them might have taken the NEXT battle a bit more seriously. On the other hand, the Taliban and the Afghan Army have more in common than they have different.
gravenimage says
I don’t think we controlled the elections in Afghanistan, owensgate–in fact, former president Karzai often publically castigated the US.
Then, the idea that being reminded that the US was paying for support would motivate Muslim commanders seems *highly* unlikely. The Afghan army–such as it was–always seemed reluctant to take on commited Muslims like the Taliban. And this was not just a problem in Afghanistan–in just the same way, the Iraqi army often folded and ran away when confronted by the Islamic State.
James Lincoln says
owensgate says,
“…the Taliban and the Afghan Army have more in common than they have different.”
100% true, and your quote is a keeper.
The common bond is islam – which Western leaders have failed – for 20 years – to acknowledge…
Walter Sieruk says
History seems to be repeating itself again . Only this time it’s with Sunni Islam in Afghanistan.
Meaning in the year 1979 with the coming of Shiite Islamic Revolution of Iran the Shah of Iran fled the nation of Iran because of advancing power of the Ayatollah Khomeini to compete power.
Now in this year of 2021 the President of Afghanistan also fled his country because of advancing Sunnie Taliban Muslim savages achieving complete power.
Another comparison is that the bunging and incompetent Jimmy Carter had a hand in that Shite brutal Islamic tyranny rising to total power. in Iran Likewise that bunging and incompetent Joe Biden had a hand in the comming Sunnie brutal Taliban tyranny rising to total power in Afghanistan.
gravenimage says
No fan of either Carter or Biden, but unless we were willing to invade Iran–or stay in Afghanistan indefinitely–this cannot be prevented. Even under the elected Afghan government, stoning was put back on the books.
Infidels cannot civilize Muslim countries.
gregbeetham says
There’s only one thing that might work, remove the Islam out of the Muslim like China is doing.
James Lincoln says
gravenimage says,
“Infidels cannot civilize Muslim countries.”
100% true.
But would saying it be considered “hate” speech?
CogitoErgoSum says
This should surprise no one. Along the way to defeat the U.S. changed its mission from seeking to capture Osama bin Laden to insuring Afghanistan will be a country governed under Islamic principles. Now it will be so according to those principles – in as pure a form as possible. This reset back to zero is a totally logical outcome. The lesson to be learned by Americans is this: next time know and UNDERSTAND what you are wanting to achieve before you start fighting and define exactly what will constitute victory before you are willing to stop fighting. The political and military leadership of the U.S. did not and still do not show any signs of having the ability to learn this lesson. Joe Biden perfectly exemplifies the state of the U.S. right now – a doddering old fool trying to look cool while slipping into dementia.
tom parry says
BECAUSE, we have turned into a nation that allows statues of Lincoln, Washington and Jefferson to be toppeld and replace by a serial criminal and drug using convict George Floyd.
If our leaders welcomed instead of dis-welcomed the advice of Robert Spencer we would never have gotten involved in this fool hearted attempt.
It’s Korea, Vietnam Part III. I Guess Biden gets his Sept 11 celebration a few weeks early.
God Save America and Jihad Watch
gravenimage says
South Korea was able to become a civilized democratic nation–one of the best in Asia. But not all Koreans were married to Communism–you cannot say the same of Muslims and Islam.
Infidel says
On this one, I blame Presidents Bush and Obama, not Trump and Biden. It was the former two who had that Quixotic mission to transform Afghanistan into a modern democracy, totally ignoring the fact that islam made that impossible. Trump and Biden got us out. It’s not their fault that the Afghans don’t have the will to ensure that the Taliban didn’t return to power
There are enough valid reasons to ding Biden for the way he’s running this country. Afghanistan ain’t one of them
CogitoErgoSum says
Yeah, it’s not Joe’s fault. After all, he doesn’t even know where Afghanistan is.
Crusades Were Right says
BBC has been giving a Taliban mouthpiece airtime to claim they are going to behave like perfect gentlemen, more or less, regarding their takeover of Kabul, and their oncoming rule in Afghanistan.
I wonder how many lives will be lost because of this deception?
“Al taqiyya for a ride, kafirs!”
gravenimage says
Afghan president flees, Taliban to declare Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
…………….
This is what Ghani had to say:
“The Taliban have won with the judgement of their swords and guns”. This is how Muslims think–that brutal conquest is a postive judgement from Allah. This is why so many pious Muslims reject any sort of voting or democracy–only bloody force repesents the judgement of Allah. *Ugh*.
Walter Sieruk says
The President of Afghanistan wouldn’t have need to flee that country if that old incompetent fool ,Joe Biden, wasn’t so incompetent and ignorant in his handling the situation in that nation in the first place,
For Biden in his wicked folly has lead to the hostile , vicious and murderous Taliban taking over Afghanistan.
Infidel says
Walter
It’s not our job to keep troops there forever so that the Afghan president remains in power. At some point, they do have to stand on their own
At least, one good aspect of this Taliban seizure of power is that we now have no reason to have any troops there once the embassy is evacuated
Roland says
Trump wanted to leave Afghanistan, too.
James Lincoln says
Yes, Roland.
But I believe that Pres. Trump would have listened to his in-theater military commanders in order to prevent a complete takeover by the Taliban.
Phased troop withdrawal would have been tied to conditions on the ground…
Major Tom says
Invading a Shariah compliant, tribal, land locked country to introduce democracy makes as much sense as teaching a pig to tango…….the pig gets mad and the pig don’t dance…..
sidney penny says
The first green on blue attack should have been a warning for America to get out .
OLD GUY says
Just what the world needs another Islamic State. Hard to beat an enemy when your hands are tied, and the enemy has free rein to attack and kill at will. You can’t fight a war without killing civilians. The enemy will use that against you and to their advantage.