| shadoe01 | 21 Mar 2022 4:01 a.m. PST |
Analysis from the Strategy Page: link One interesting statistic, which seems to have been a largely ignored measure of the US led intervention in Afghanistan is the very substantial increase in life expectancy in Afghanistan from 47 to 62 years. It makes an interesting comparison – lives lost due to violence vs lives lived for a variety of reasons. The other interesting thing was the increase in Kabul's population over the two decades – from 500,000 to 5 million. How would any city cope with that increase? |
35thOVI  | 21 Mar 2022 4:39 a.m. PST |
Good thing we fully equipped them at no cost. 🤬 |
| alexpainter | 21 Mar 2022 6:45 a.m. PST |
Well, imagine from now to..two yrs, how many of these equipments will be yet operational, don't think they'll have the capacity to mantain all these (expensive) things! (At least I hope) |
 Legion 4 | 21 Mar 2022 7:04 a.m. PST |
They certainly have enough weapons … but can they maintain them ? I'd say most they probably could. Or hire someone who could ? They have the largest motorized light infantry force in the region. And many others … intervention in Afghanistan is the very substantial increase in life expectancy in Afghanistan from 47 to 62 years. It makes an interesting comparison – lives lost due to violence vs lives lived for a variety of reasons. Wow ! Talk about unintended circumstances ! So they have more jihadis to arm with all those weapons we left. Of course the Taliban & AQ vs ISIS-K may take it's toll. Plus these jihadi/terrorist/fundamentalist/radical religious zealots have the "quaint" predilection/tendency/habit of killing anyone they want, anytime they want for whatever reasons they want, it appears to me. |
| 35thOVI | 21 Mar 2022 7:35 a.m. PST |
I heard this morning, that the amount of weapons we are supplying to the Ukrainians, amounts to 1/44 of the amount we left in Afghanistan! What stops the Taliban from selling the helicopters to Russia? For that matter, any of it? |
| Legion 4 | 21 Mar 2022 7:37 a.m. PST |
Reports are they are selling some of it. They have more than they need it seems. At least for now … |
| Garand | 21 Mar 2022 8:43 a.m. PST |
What stops the Taliban from selling the helicopters to Russia? For that matter, any of it? The willingness of Russia (or any other power) to buy it. The US supplied helos in Afghanistan are not the top-of-the-line machines, but older versions, so I understand. Russia could buy them…for machines they probably already know about. And now they have to maintain them if they want to use them operationally. Not an easy thing to do when you have no logistics tail for them, & you are embargoed from purchasing parts & expertise abroad. The Afghans were big users of Mi-8s & other helos of that type, so those might be sold to Russia. But I doubt they need those. Damon. |
| Inch High Guy | 21 Mar 2022 8:50 a.m. PST |
Reminds me of the Monty Python bit, "And what have the Romans ever done for us?" |
| ROUWetPatchBehindTheSofa | 21 Mar 2022 9:59 a.m. PST |
Though clearly our departure hasn't exactly improved the cohesion of the country. The list of security problems would rather seem to exceed the likely resources of the army, who will no doubt be supplemented by private armies of the tribal warlords and the like. To carry on the Monty Python-thing the one thing ideological movements have propensity for is 'splitting' over seemingly trivial points, to outsiders, of dogma. |
| 35thOVI | 21 Mar 2022 10:01 a.m. PST |
Do you mean each other? As Afghans have done since the beginning of time. We can only hope. |
