"With U.S. Forces Leaving Afghanistan, The Taliban... " Topic

Are Making Significant MIlitary Gains In The Country.

"Taliban fighters are scoring early gains in several strategic areas near the capital this summer, inflicting heavy casualties and casting new doubt on the ability of Afghan forces to contain the insurgency as the United States moves to complete its withdrawal of combat troops, according to Afghan officials and local elders.

The Taliban have found success beyond their traditional strongholds in the rural south and are now dominating territory near crucial highways and cities that surround Kabul, the capital, in strategic provinces like Kapisa and Nangarhar.

Their advance has gone unreported because most American forces have left the field and officials in Kabul have largely refused to talk about it. The Afghan ministries have not released casualty statistics since an alarming rise in army and police deaths last year…"

Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

well what a surprise!

Oh my little pretty one, pretty one
When you gonna give me some time Sharona
When you make my motor run, my motor run
Gun it, coming off the line Sharona

*Never gonna stop, give it up
Such a dirty mind, always get it up
For the touch of the younger kind
My my my i yi woo
My my my my Sharona

Come a little closer huh, ah will ya huh,
Close enough to look in my eyes Sharona
Keeping it a mystery gets to me
Running down the length of my thighs Sharona

Music to play when in zone with B1 loaded with Tac Nuke. And finger on button.

When the cat is away, the mice come out and play.

Wait until the US/NATO leaves totally … will look like Mad Max Thunderdome … Zargon … As much as I like the sound of a B1 with Tac Nuc … It would be considered by many as a crime against humanity, etc. … Even though the Talis, AQ, ISIS, BH, etc., etc., commit war crimes on a daily basis … The more I think about it, another option, though very much not PC and would be considered inhumane by many. But daily Cruise Missile, Drone, B1, B2 and B52 strikes on hot spots like Mosel in Iraq and various other targets in Afghanistan and Iraq and maybe even Syria …

And nothing was learned.

The point you're missing, L4, is that the majority of people in that area, many of whom I have met and gotten to know individually, are nice people, not at all extremist, who want the same things for themselves and their families that you and I want. They want security first of all, and then economic opportunity.

Bombing Mosul, and where ever else indiscriminately, just kills or alienates those people, who in the right conditions are our potential allies.

Tuscaloosa, Very good point, but what will these nice people do to prevent the extremist Taliban party from taking over again. It seems so similar to Germany in 1930's. The majority of the people are nice but not morally tough enough to stop the religious thugs.

"what will these nice people do to prevent the extremist Taliban party from taking over again"

What I think they would tell you, if we were all sitting down together over a cup of tea, is that Iraq used to work just fine as far as internal stability; Iraq played an important role as regional counterbalance to Iran; and Iraq played an important role restraining Sunni extremism.

And then, it was the U.S. decision for whatever reasons, to throw Saddam out of power. They would tell you that we then installed a Shi'a strongman who arrested or forced to flee, all the leading Sunni politicians who were representing them in Parliament.

And then they would ask you, with no opportunity for political representation in Baghdad, exactly what should they or could they do against violent armed factions who show up in their town and take over?

No, tuscaloosa, you miss the point … I understand that, just like with the VC in Vietnam … Many nationalists/locals joined the VC after their vill was leveled, etc. … I didn't say it was a good option, and noted the inhumanity of bombing towns, cities, villages, etc., in modern conflicts. That is why no one with those capabilities [or humanity] does it today … However, terrorists don't seem to have our humanity, etc. … And "swim among the fishes", ie.: blend in with the local non-combatants … it's almost doctine for guerilla warfare. As we see what is going on in Gaza … And yes, one man's freedom fighters is another man's terrorists … Yes, we all know those almost cliche' statements about COIN … But again thanks for thinking you have to annoy me … I mean remind me … I'm old and forget things …

I agree with your post Bobgnar … A lot of nice people died in the towers at 9/11 and other terrorists incidents too … and keep dieing … So … I don't know the answers ? I'm a simple former Grunt. You try to kill me and my comrades and I'll shoot back …