"Time to Get Out of Afghanistan" Topic

"The decision by President Trump to withdraw 7,000 of the roughly 14,000 American troops left in Afghanistan, possibly by summer, has raised new concerns about his impulsive behavior, especially given his nearly simultaneous decision to pull out all American forces from Syria against the advice of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. But the downsizing of the Afghan mission was probably inevitable. Indeed, it may soon be time for the United States to get out of the country altogether.

No other country in the world symbolizes the decline of the American empire as much as Afghanistan. There is virtually no possibility of a military victory over the Taliban and little chance of leaving behind a self-sustaining democracy — facts that Washington's policy community has mostly been unable to accept.

While many American troops stay behind steel-reinforced concrete walls to protect themselves from the very population they are supposed to help, it is striking how little discussion Afghanistan has generated in government and media circles in Washington. When it comes to Afghanistan, Washington has been a city hiding behind its own walls of shame and frustration…."
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Armand

If you're going to provide a link to the New York Timed please provide a warning. The Gray Lady has become nothing better than bird cage liner.

"Decline of the American empire".

We don't want an empire.

I'm all for pulling U.S. troops out of every country we've deployed to in the last 20 years.

VCarter, I agree. Those places aren't worth a drop of U.S. blood or a penny of U.S. treasure. They were savages before they got there and will be long after we leave. Let them kill each other off and good riddance.

Hey Tango, the U.S has never desired an empire. Unlike countries such as Great Britain, France, ITALY, Germany, etal. Se fight wars overseas because we feel we had a moral obligation to do so. Sometimes we're were right (WWII, Korea, 1st Gulf War). Other times we've had our collective our heads up our collective caboose (WWI, Vietnam, etc.). At no time was the United States attempting to obtain land to create an empire. Please think twice before posting such drivel.

"There is virtually no possibility of a military victory over the Taliban….".

That assertion is "factually" incorrect.

We beat the Germans (twice in two World Wars), and the Japanese and Italians once, and they were far more capable and dangerous than the Talis ever hope to be.

What is currently lacking is the political gumption and support to go in, balls to the wall, full-on attack mode everywhere they reside, in both Afghanistan AND their homebase in Pakistan.

If we were to do that, I have no doubt they could be defeated militarily, but the hue and cry from bleeding hearts and the media would be loud indeed.

My husband was wounded in kunar Province, 2009.

Microgeorge – you are forgetting the Spanish American war and Hawaii. There was a time when imperialism was in vogue in the USA.

Glad someone thinks we could win "militarily". We didn't, though.

We had 100,000 troops in Afghanistan. We had HALF A MILLION in Vietnam. Same result. If we could have won, we would.

Should have pulled out of Afghanistan after putting AQ on the run back in 2002. We were there to dish out some payback for 9/11, not to build up a state.

The Russians pretty much went balls to the wall and ended up leaving. There is no reason for us to still be there.

One wonders what might have happened if AQ hadn't assassinated Ahmed Shah Massoud right before/as part of the 9/11 attacks. He was a Tajik, but more respected as a fighter. Might have been a better partner for a central government, at least one we could have walked away from sooner with more confidence.

Unless you are brutal you will not normally beat insurgents. Ask the British how they liked the insurgents in America.

Nick, that was a brief time in the 19th century. Hawaii is now a state with proper representation in the Congress. The Philippines would have gained it's independence sooner but for the depredations of another Imperial power. Cuba never became a colony of the U.S. And Puerto Rico can do what the hell it pleases. They still haven't decided what they want to do. Don't try comparing this nation's imperial aspirations to those I've already mentioned. That dog don't hunt.