Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse

The New Coffee Room

  1. TNCR
  2. General Discussion
  3. Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal

Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General Discussion
170 Posts 16 Posters 3.8k Views
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • H Horace
    14 Aug 2021, 20:35

    @loki said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

    @horace said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

    “His” word choice? I’m afraid the days of POTUS choosing his own words are temporarily suspended, pending the next transfer of power.

    I said Blinken.

    Ah, my bad. Rent free in my head, as they say.

    L Offline
    L Offline
    Loki
    wrote on 14 Aug 2021, 21:43 last edited by Loki
    #46

    @horace said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

    @loki said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

    @horace said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

    “His” word choice? I’m afraid the days of POTUS choosing his own words are temporarily suspended, pending the next transfer of power.

    I said Blinken.

    Ah, my bad. Rent free in my head, as they say.

    I get your point though. Biden is making him sell a shit sandwich. 3 battalions are withdrawing to Kabul to protect the outflow of American interests in the city. I do wonder what the Taliban will do. I think the US is counting on no siege. I would love to be in the war room as that assessment is being continually updated.

    G 1 Reply Last reply 14 Aug 2021, 21:49
    • L Loki
      14 Aug 2021, 21:43

      @horace said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

      @loki said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

      @horace said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

      “His” word choice? I’m afraid the days of POTUS choosing his own words are temporarily suspended, pending the next transfer of power.

      I said Blinken.

      Ah, my bad. Rent free in my head, as they say.

      I get your point though. Biden is making him sell a shit sandwich. 3 battalions are withdrawing to Kabul to protect the outflow of American interests in the city. I do wonder what the Taliban will do. I think the US is counting on no siege. I would love to be in the war room as that assessment is being continually updated.

      G Offline
      G Offline
      George K
      wrote on 14 Aug 2021, 21:49 last edited by
      #47

      @loki said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

      I would love to be in the war room as that assessment is being continually updated.

      That's not in Camp David, is it (asking for a friend, of course)?

      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

      1 Reply Last reply
      • K Offline
        K Offline
        kluurs
        wrote on 14 Aug 2021, 21:51 last edited by kluurs
        #48

        The shame resides with the people in Afghanistan who believed - particularly, the young girls/women who sought education. Raising dreams/hopes to have them dashed is a greater tragedy than when no hope existed. It would appear that once again the idea of nation building - of bringing another nation's view of the world to a nation where only a segment of the population wanted that was a dream too far. It has implications far beyond the middle east. How do we all get along with such divergent ideas of what the world should look like - and how it should work? Who should lead and to what destination?

        C G 2 Replies Last reply 14 Aug 2021, 21:55
        • K kluurs
          14 Aug 2021, 21:51

          The shame resides with the people in Afghanistan who believed - particularly, the young girls/women who sought education. Raising dreams/hopes to have them dashed is a greater tragedy than when no hope existed. It would appear that once again the idea of nation building - of bringing another nation's view of the world to a nation where only a segment of the population wanted that was a dream too far. It has implications far beyond the middle east. How do we all get along with such divergent ideas of what the world should look like - and how it should work? Who should lead and to what destination?

          C Offline
          C Offline
          Catseye3
          wrote on 14 Aug 2021, 21:55 last edited by
          #49

          @kluurs said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

          Raising dreams/hopes to have them dashed is a greater tragedy than when no hope existed.

          I disagree. It is cruel, but new ideas were brought to light, hope for the future; these women have daughters who they will pass these new messages on to.

          Not treating it lightly. You're right, the disappointment must be bitter. But -- well, I won't repeat myself.

          Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

          1 Reply Last reply
          • K kluurs
            14 Aug 2021, 21:51

            The shame resides with the people in Afghanistan who believed - particularly, the young girls/women who sought education. Raising dreams/hopes to have them dashed is a greater tragedy than when no hope existed. It would appear that once again the idea of nation building - of bringing another nation's view of the world to a nation where only a segment of the population wanted that was a dream too far. It has implications far beyond the middle east. How do we all get along with such divergent ideas of what the world should look like - and how it should work? Who should lead and to what destination?

            G Offline
            G Offline
            George K
            wrote on 14 Aug 2021, 22:00 last edited by
            #50

            @kluurs said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

            The shame resides with the people in Afghanistan who believed - particularly, the young girls/women who sought education. Raising dreams/hopes to have them dashed is a greater tragedy than when no hope existed. It would appear that once again the idea of nation building - of bringing another nation's view of the world to a nation where only a segment of the population wanted that was a dream too far. It has implications far beyond the middle east. How do we all get along with such divergent ideas of what the world should look like - and how it should work? Who should lead and to what destination?

            Well said, @kluurs .

            However, I question this:

            "It would appear that once again the idea of nation building...where only a segment of the population wanted that was a dream too far. "

            I may be wrong, but the population that didn't want that was the one that was better-armed and more persistent than the US and its allies were.

            It would be interesting to see a poll of the population and see how then feel about it.

            My memory fades in my dotage, but I remember seeing polling in Iraq that supported new freedoms, etc.

            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

            K 1 Reply Last reply 14 Aug 2021, 23:27
            • G George K
              14 Aug 2021, 22:00

              @kluurs said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

              The shame resides with the people in Afghanistan who believed - particularly, the young girls/women who sought education. Raising dreams/hopes to have them dashed is a greater tragedy than when no hope existed. It would appear that once again the idea of nation building - of bringing another nation's view of the world to a nation where only a segment of the population wanted that was a dream too far. It has implications far beyond the middle east. How do we all get along with such divergent ideas of what the world should look like - and how it should work? Who should lead and to what destination?

              Well said, @kluurs .

              However, I question this:

              "It would appear that once again the idea of nation building...where only a segment of the population wanted that was a dream too far. "

              I may be wrong, but the population that didn't want that was the one that was better-armed and more persistent than the US and its allies were.

              It would be interesting to see a poll of the population and see how then feel about it.

              My memory fades in my dotage, but I remember seeing polling in Iraq that supported new freedoms, etc.

              K Offline
              K Offline
              kluurs
              wrote on 14 Aug 2021, 23:27 last edited by
              #51

              @george-k

              It is a very fragmented, tribal society. The government troops were well armed but neither unified or well led. To survive, we would have needed to maintain a sizable number of troops as we have in Korea and Germany. That’s a costly proposition.

              G 1 Reply Last reply 14 Aug 2021, 23:28
              • K kluurs
                14 Aug 2021, 23:27

                @george-k

                It is a very fragmented, tribal society. The government troops were well armed but neither unified or well led. To survive, we would have needed to maintain a sizable number of troops as we have in Korea and Germany. That’s a costly proposition.

                G Offline
                G Offline
                George K
                wrote on 14 Aug 2021, 23:28 last edited by
                #52

                @kluurs said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

                maintain a sizable number of troops as we have in Korea and Germany

                Yes.

                Are either of those necessary now? I can almost understand Korea...

                "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                1 Reply Last reply
                • G Offline
                  G Offline
                  George K
                  wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 00:32 last edited by
                  #53

                  POTUS speaks:

                  "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                  The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • G Offline
                    G Offline
                    George K
                    wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 01:24 last edited by
                    #54

                    Former POTUS speaks:

                    https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/all-things-trump/trump-blasts-bidens-afghan-exit-strategy-driven-weakness

                    Former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening blasted his succesor’s strategy for exiting Afghanistan, saying it was driven by
                    “weakness, incompetence, and total strategic incoherence.”

                    “Joe Biden gets it wrong every time on foreign policy, and many other issues,” Trump said in a statement issued by his office. “Everyone knew he couldn’t handle the pressure. Even Obama’s Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, said as much.”

                    Trump said his administration left behind a plan to keep pressure on the Taliban while U.S. troops withdrew, and that it was disregarded. He suggested the sudden surge by the Taliban across Afghanistan was due to that failure.

                    Biden “ran out of Afghanistan instead of following the plan our Administration left for him— a plan that protected our people and our property, and ensured the Taliban would never dream of taking our Embassy or providing a base for new attacks against America,” he said.

                    Former Pentagon chief of staff Kash Patel told Just the News on Friday that Trump’s plan included continuing U.S.air power to keep the Taliban in check and try to force them into negotiations.

                    “What a disgrace it will be when the Taliban raises their flag over America’s Embassy in Kabul. This is complete failure through weakness, incompetence, and total strategic incoherence,” Trump said.

                    And, like everyone else in the last week, he offers no opinion as to what should be done.

                    "Don't do that," is not good criticism, unless you can append it with "do this instead."

                    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                    D 1 Reply Last reply 15 Aug 2021, 02:58
                    • L Offline
                      L Offline
                      Loki
                      wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 02:12 last edited by
                      #55

                      Well said Kluurs. Interesting thread.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • G George K
                        15 Aug 2021, 01:24

                        Former POTUS speaks:

                        https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/all-things-trump/trump-blasts-bidens-afghan-exit-strategy-driven-weakness

                        Former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening blasted his succesor’s strategy for exiting Afghanistan, saying it was driven by
                        “weakness, incompetence, and total strategic incoherence.”

                        “Joe Biden gets it wrong every time on foreign policy, and many other issues,” Trump said in a statement issued by his office. “Everyone knew he couldn’t handle the pressure. Even Obama’s Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, said as much.”

                        Trump said his administration left behind a plan to keep pressure on the Taliban while U.S. troops withdrew, and that it was disregarded. He suggested the sudden surge by the Taliban across Afghanistan was due to that failure.

                        Biden “ran out of Afghanistan instead of following the plan our Administration left for him— a plan that protected our people and our property, and ensured the Taliban would never dream of taking our Embassy or providing a base for new attacks against America,” he said.

                        Former Pentagon chief of staff Kash Patel told Just the News on Friday that Trump’s plan included continuing U.S.air power to keep the Taliban in check and try to force them into negotiations.

                        “What a disgrace it will be when the Taliban raises their flag over America’s Embassy in Kabul. This is complete failure through weakness, incompetence, and total strategic incoherence,” Trump said.

                        And, like everyone else in the last week, he offers no opinion as to what should be done.

                        "Don't do that," is not good criticism, unless you can append it with "do this instead."

                        D Offline
                        D Offline
                        Doctor Phibes
                        wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 02:58 last edited by
                        #56

                        @george-k said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

                        Former POTUS speaks:

                        https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/all-things-trump/trump-blasts-bidens-afghan-exit-strategy-driven-weakness

                        Former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening blasted his succesor’s strategy for exiting Afghanistan, saying it was driven by
                        “weakness, incompetence, and total strategic incoherence.”

                        “Joe Biden gets it wrong every time on foreign policy, and many other issues,” Trump said in a statement issued by his office. “Everyone knew he couldn’t handle the pressure. Even Obama’s Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, said as much.”

                        Trump said his administration left behind a plan to keep pressure on the Taliban while U.S. troops withdrew, and that it was disregarded. He suggested the sudden surge by the Taliban across Afghanistan was due to that failure.

                        Biden “ran out of Afghanistan instead of following the plan our Administration left for him— a plan that protected our people and our property, and ensured the Taliban would never dream of taking our Embassy or providing a base for new attacks against America,” he said.

                        Former Pentagon chief of staff Kash Patel told Just the News on Friday that Trump’s plan included continuing U.S.air power to keep the Taliban in check and try to force them into negotiations.

                        “What a disgrace it will be when the Taliban raises their flag over America’s Embassy in Kabul. This is complete failure through weakness, incompetence, and total strategic incoherence,” Trump said.

                        And, like everyone else in the last week, he offers no opinion as to what should be done.

                        "Don't do that," is not good criticism, unless you can append it with "do this instead."

                        I'm pretty sure that embracing The Force would work.

                        Failing that, re-arranging G.I. Joe and Barbie in amusingly erotic positions never fails.

                        I was only joking

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • G Offline
                          G Offline
                          George K
                          wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 12:12 last edited by
                          #57

                          B52s deployed to Afghanistan

                          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • G Offline
                            G Offline
                            George K
                            wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 22:58 last edited by
                            #58

                            The Speaker Speaks:

                            “The President is to be commended for the clarity of purpose of his statement on Afghanistan and the actions he has taken.

                            “The Taliban must know that the world is watching its actions. We are deeply concerned about reports regarding the Taliban’s brutal treatment of all Afghans, especially women and girls. The U.S., the international community and the Afghan government must do everything we can to protect women and girls from inhumane treatment by the Taliban.

                            “Any political settlement that the Afghans pursue to avert bloodshed must include having women at the table. The fate of women and girls in Afghanistan is critical to the future of Afghanistan. As we strive to assist women, we must recognize that their voices are important, and all must listen to them for solutions, respectful of their culture. There is bipartisan support to assist the women and girls of Afghanistan. One of the successes of U.S.- NATO cooperation in Afghanistan was the progress made by women and girls. We must all continue to work together to ensure that is not eroded.

                            “Once again, I want to acknowledge the clarity of purpose of President Biden’s statement and the wisdom of his actions. Congress shares the President's concern for Afghans who have assisted U.S. efforts in country, and we passed Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) legislation to provide for their relocation on a strong, bipartisan basis.

                            “Most of all, we join the President in acknowledging the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and their families.”

                            Once again, I really don't have an opinion on what should have been done. Afghanistan has been a clusterfuck for centuries. The US is simply the latest nation to partake in it.

                            But...

                            The Taliban must know that the world is watching its actions.

                            I suppose a strongly-worded letter is to follow.

                            Had Trump or Obama done this, the negative press would have been just as bad. Well, in Trump's case, much worse, LOL.

                            But they didn't, and you know where the buck stops.

                            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • G Offline
                              G Offline
                              George K
                              wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 22:59 last edited by George K
                              #59

                              Oh...

                              0e732e69-9f25-49f2-b2c3-f087db5c1a93-image.png

                              "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                              The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • G Offline
                                G Offline
                                George K
                                wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 23:20 last edited by
                                #60

                                "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • G Offline
                                  G Offline
                                  George K
                                  wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 23:21 last edited by
                                  #61

                                  Gotta wonder what our allies, the Pakistanis think of all this.

                                  Probably winking and smiling.

                                  "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                  The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                  G 1 Reply Last reply 16 Aug 2021, 18:26
                                  • M Away
                                    M Away
                                    Mik
                                    wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 23:28 last edited by
                                    #62

                                    Was listening to NPR on the way back from Indy. Apparently Pakistan’s intelligence has orchstrated and supported the Taliban’s rapid takeover.

                                    “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

                                    G 1 Reply Last reply 15 Aug 2021, 23:41
                                    • M Mik
                                      15 Aug 2021, 23:28

                                      Was listening to NPR on the way back from Indy. Apparently Pakistan’s intelligence has orchstrated and supported the Taliban’s rapid takeover.

                                      G Offline
                                      G Offline
                                      George K
                                      wrote on 15 Aug 2021, 23:41 last edited by
                                      #63

                                      @mik said in Biden "Forcefully" defends Afghan withdrawal:

                                      Apparently Pakistan’s intelligence has orchstrated and supported the Taliban’s rapid takeover.

                                      Looking for my shocked face...

                                      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      • G Offline
                                        G Offline
                                        George K
                                        wrote on 16 Aug 2021, 11:51 last edited by
                                        #64

                                        Not like Saigon at all.

                                        In Saigon it was a helicopter.

                                        "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                        The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                        G 1 Reply Last reply 16 Aug 2021, 12:53
                                        • ImprovisoI Offline
                                          ImprovisoI Offline
                                          Improviso
                                          wrote on 16 Aug 2021, 12:12 last edited by
                                          #65

                                          This debacle ultimately falls on the 80+ million people who elected these idiots. You knew these two were not qualified to sit in these seats but you voted for them anyway, because your TDS was stronger than your intelligence.

                                          Jimmy Carter is smiling today. Why? Because today, he is no longer the worst president ever.

                                          238685640_4051554124954297_1050098030469124563_n.jpg

                                          We have the freedom to choose our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences.
                                          Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on.

                                          G 1 Reply Last reply 16 Aug 2021, 12:42
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes

                                          55/170

                                          15 Aug 2021, 02:12


                                          • Login

                                          • Don't have an account? Register

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          55 out of 170
                                          • First post
                                            55/170
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Tags
                                          • Popular
                                          • Users
                                          • Groups