Great piece. I'm of one mind: the mess we're seeing, the complete collapse of the gov't just underlines how right we are to get out pronto. After 20 years and trillions of dollars the gov't we put in power couldn't last a week? That makes a mockery of anyone claiming we "left too soon." And I'm not sure we should be labeling the Taliban the enemy of Afghanistan. It was the enemy of the US. It was the enemy of the corrupt, ineffective patsies we put into power. But of Afghanistan? Not sure how many Afghanis would agree with that.
I agree fully that this proves there was no point in staying long term. Longer term! I still don’t like the current situation, not having enough troops to protect our own people in the embassy — someone should’ve thought of that contingency (we could’ve had Iran hostage part two), and the horrific treatment of the interpreters infuriates me.
Great piece. I'm of one mind: the mess we're seeing, the complete collapse of the gov't just underlines how right we are to get out pronto. After 20 years and trillions of dollars the gov't we put in power couldn't last a week? That makes a mockery of anyone claiming we "left too soon." And I'm not sure we should be labeling the Taliban the enemy of Afghanistan. It was the enemy of the US. It was the enemy of the corrupt, ineffective patsies we put into power. But of Afghanistan? Not sure how many Afghanis would agree with that.
I agree fully that this proves there was no point in staying long term. Longer term! I still don’t like the current situation, not having enough troops to protect our own people in the embassy — someone should’ve thought of that contingency (we could’ve had Iran hostage part two), and the horrific treatment of the interpreters infuriates me.