
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If you are determined to not win a war – and are willing to sacrifice America’s human and financial resources in vain &#8212; I guess there comes a time you can legitimately argue to unceremoniously retreat. ; At least it stops the continuing loss of blood and money for no apparent reason.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is too late to proffer the argument that the United States should never have been in Afghanistan. Although we seemed to have had purpose and resolve at the onset.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the wake of the 9/11 attack on the United States by al Qaeda terrorists &#8212; who were shielded and supported by the Taliban government in Kabul – our purpose was to drive out the Taliban and take down the al Qaeda forces in Afghanistan – to annihilate them or at least take away their base of operation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some argue that we succeeded early on and should have left Afghanistan at that point. ; But we had not really succeeded. That is because the Taliban remained a potent force with ambitions to – and the possibility of – retaking power.  ;That is happening in real time at this moment. ; It likely means that al Qaeda and even ISIS will again have a safe harbor from which to engage in international terrorism. With the United States and NATO nations being the primary targets.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In retrospect, it is difficult to understand how America could have been engaged in warfare for soooo long without any intent or strategy of actually winning – defeating the Taliban. ; To some extent, America ceased fighting in Afghanistan several years ago. ; That was when American forces stayed behind the battle lines to serve as tactical support and advisors. ; You may not have noticed, but American troops have not been in the line of fire for several years. ; There have been occasional attacks on American assets, but few and far between.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-some-ways-what-we-have-done-in-afghanistan-mirrors-the-united-states-failed-policy-in-iraq">In some ways, what we have done in Afghanistan mirrors the United States’ failed policy in Iraq. </h4>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There was a sense of initial success. You can recall President Bush standing on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln and declaring victory. In a very short time, American forces took Baghdad and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Rather than remain in Iraq to oversee the transition from Hussein to a more stable and more US-friendly government in Baghdad, President Obama pulled out the American military. ; And what happened? ; Unfriendly elements took over. ; ISIS rose like a monster in a horror movie. ; At one point, they even formed a terrorist caliphate.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While President Trump directed the American military to take down that caliphate, it did not end the anti-American influences in Iraq. ; To this day, it is arguable that Iran and Russia have more influence in Iraq than does the United States.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In real time, we are seeing that movie again in Afghanistan. ; As America retreats, the Taliban are spreading their hegemony over more of Afghanistan. ; At the time of this writing, they are said to be in control of 80 percent of the nation. And they are continuing to expand their dominance.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some are expressing hope that the current Afghanistan government will at least be able to maintain control of Kabul. ; In his recent speech defending the unilateral retreat from Afghanistan, Biden claims confidence that the current government will be able to fend off the Taliban. ; He may be the only person in the world to believe that – and if he does, he is delusional.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-we-are-already-seeing-the-nature-of-the-taliban">We are already seeing the nature of the Taliban. </h4>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">They have commenced an ISIS-like wave of brutal killings – especially targeting those who assisted the United States. Biden says he is concerned about their welfare, but he had no plan to rescue them – and with 90 percent of American troops out of Afghanistan, it is too late. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is sadly consistent with American policy when our military is in retreat. ; We left behind our Hmong allies in Vietnam, abandoned the Kurds on the Turkish border and walk away from the anti-Bashar al Asaad forces in Syria. ; In each case human catastrophes followed.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is not only an internal humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. ; With the Taliban in charge, a new threat of international terrorism will have a launch pad. ; Thanks to American impotence, the forces of terrorism are again on the rise – and it will not be long before we see the results here at home.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, there ‘tis.</p>

Afghanistan Is Even Worse Than Iraq
