7 Comments
Aug 16, 2021Liked by Steven Beschloss

Absolutely true. The Afghan government was never a partner, never bought into the fantasy that Bush was selling. They worked both sides like the Saudis who were a part of 9/11 yet Bush didn’t attack them because they were allies? As you say, money, oil and power are the reasons for this. I do think it was time to get out. Too many Americans died there, most likely trillions of dollars were spent there. Russia was bankrupted there- it is a morass. I feel for the Afghan people who don’t want Taliban rule- extremism is their calling card. Fighting the Taliban and ISIS were distractions from the mess of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. Eisenhower was right and he knew the price of war.

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In hindsight, maybe our troops should have trained and armed the women of Afghanistan. They would have at least fought for the things they gained. The fact that the "men" wouldn't fight for their wives, daughters, sisters and mothers, is disgusting and cowardly. We should take in as many Afghan women, children, and the men who did help us, as we can, and let the cowardly men, who threw up their hands, without a fight, reap their just rewards at the hands of their new leaders, the Taliban.

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Amen, a much needed reason for reflection.

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It doesn’t matter when America exited Afghanistan, the outcome would have been the same. We were there with “good intentions”, but without Afghanistan’s support. We are a precarious democracy ourselves. Maybe we better work on America before we try to push our way of life on others. It certainly hasn’t worked out well for us. Enough of these ridiculous wars.

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My Father always said we should put women in charge of governance because they would only reluctantly send their children to war. Bob Dylan’s song Masters of War is on a loop in my brain.

"Masters Of War"

Come you masters of war

You that build the big guns

You that build the death planes

You that build all the bombs

You that hide behind walls

You that hide behind desks

I just want you to know

I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'

But build to destroy

You play with my world

Like it's your little toy

You put a gun in my hand

And you hide from my eyes

And you turn and run farther

When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old

You lie and deceive

A world war can be won

You want me to believe

But I see through your eyes

And I see through your brain

Like I see through the water

That runs down my drain

You fasten all the triggers

For the others to fire

Then you set back and watch

When the death count gets higher

You hide in your mansion'

As young people's blood

Flows out of their bodies

And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear

That can ever be hurled

Fear to bring children

Into the world

For threatening my baby

Unborn and unnamed

You ain't worth the blood

That runs in your veins

How much do I know

To talk out of turn

You might say that I'm young

You might say I'm unlearned

But there's one thing I know

Though I'm younger than you

That even Jesus would never

Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question

Is your money that good

Will it buy you forgiveness

Do you think that it could

I think you will find

When your death takes its toll

All the money you made

Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die

And your death'll come soon

I will follow your casket

In the pale afternoon

And I'll watch while you're lowered

Down to your deathbed

And I'll stand over your grave

'Til I'm sure that you're dead

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