Political Spergatory or How I Learned To Love /pol

[DarkCorp]

S. Korea took 40 years to turn into what is is today from what was an authoritarian junta that was tolerated because of its anti communism. We also believed in defending S. Korea and Taiwan.


Afghanistan is remarkably similar to Vietnam in a few ways.

A weak and corrupt nascent government that would take decades to mature into a more functional institution, especially if we want it to turn out more like the U.S.

An enemy that was supported by an untouchable partner. Vietnam with Russia and China and Afghanistan and Pakistan.

An enemy that respected actions more than words. We had to bomb N. Vietnamese back to the Paris peace accords and we had to bomb the Taliban before they would even consider giving up Bin Laden.

An enemy that could simply rearm and regroup across the border. The NVA would retreat into N. Vietnam and the Taliban into Pakistan.

If we really meant to make a difference in Afghanistan, much like Vietnam, we would need to really bleed for it.

Unfortunately,, both isolationist Trump and flaky Biden declared that much like S. Vietnam, Afghanistan wasn't worth it.

 

[Alphons]

especially if we want it to turn out more like the U.S.

Why?

Invading Afghanistan was a mistake from the beginning.
20 years and thousands of lives lost and it just wasn't enough?

Ending this pointless conflict was the right thing to do.

 

[TheGM]

Alphons supporter of the 9/11 terrorist attacks? A Heel turn nobody saw coming.

 

[zegh8578]

What's hysterical is that the locals are already protesting in the streets, there have been deaths, injuries, LOOKS LIKE A CIVIL WAR MIGHT BE BREWING
MaYbE sOmEoNe ShOuLd iNtErVeNe MiLiTaRiLy :0

Wiki "Afghanistan war", and it's like - "u mean 2001 to 2021?" maybe "1996 to 2001 then?" "how about 1992 to 1996? 1989 to 1992 perhaps? maybe some 1979 to 1989 will appeal more to your sensibilities?"

 

[Crni Vuk]

S. Korea took 40 years to turn into what is is today from what was an authoritarian junta that was tolerated because of its anti communism. We also believed in defending S. Korea and Taiwan.

I don't believe 20 more years would have actually made a large difference. Not when you consider the history of the country. And comparing it with S-Korea isn't accurate. Those are two completely different set ups. First S-Korea is a peninsula. Rather easy to controll who gets in and who doesn't. So there was no real "fighting force" within S-Korea that could confront the actuall government and their military there while also getting resources from the outside. Something which was also always a serious issue in Vietnam. Same with how Pakistan and a few other countries also have been save positions to the Taliban where they could simply retreat and "wait". And I doubt the United States would really want to attack Pakistan.

Second and more important. There was an actuall infrastructure in South Korea with some sort of education. People often can not imagine how underdeveloped Afghanistan really is and what huge obstacle that represents for any effort to improve the nation. I've read in some article that 1 in 5 memberse of the Afghan military is actually iliterate. The literacy rate in Afghanistan in particular is among one of the lowest in the world. I quote "about 45 percent for men and 17 percent for women.". With a population which never was ruled by any central governments or leaderships.

Afghanistan is what you really can describe only as a failed state. So the amount of resources and lifes which would have to be put in here to change that? It's not comparable with what you saw in South Korea. While there was a military presence in South Korea it was still a relatively stable nation, with a functioning administration and a population that wasn't largely iliterate. So there was no constant fighting for the US forces and this meant a much lower use of resources.

 

[Morgan_]

Does this go here? Kinda seems like a shitpost, but also political? Is there really a difference between these two? Anyways speaks for itself either way.

 

[Alphons]

9/11 terrorist attacks

If only some nation didn't fund, train and arm them so they could commit terrorist attacks against USSR.

Wiki "Afghanistan war", and it's like - "u mean 2001 to 2021?" maybe "1996 to 2001 then?" "how about 1992 to 1996? 1989 to 1992 perhaps? maybe some 1979 to 1989 will appeal more to your sensibilities?"

Exactly. They fought over 40 years to live the way they want. Another 20 years is a drop in the bucket for them.
It's pointless to fight them, as they'll never lose.

 

[Morgan_]

I mean they can be defeated but it would take some type of desert storm situation tailored to the enemy and would likely see chemical and biological warfare used. Major war crimes basically. That would likely do it.

 

[TheGM]

So it turns Alphons was a villain the entire time. the plot thickens.

 

[SquidWard]

What's hysterical is that the locals are already protesting in the streets, there have been deaths, injuries, LOOKS LIKE A CIVIL WAR MIGHT BE BREWING
MaYbE sOmEoNe ShOuLd iNtErVeNe MiLiTaRiLy :0

Wiki "Afghanistan war", and it's like - "u mean 2001 to 2021?" maybe "1996 to 2001 then?" "how about 1992 to 1996? 1989 to 1992 perhaps? maybe some 1979 to 1989 will appeal more to your sensibilities?"

This?

 

[Morgan_]

There's an old saying that Afghanistan is where empires go to die. I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist.

 

[zegh8578]

I mean they can be defeated but it would take some type of desert storm situation tailored to the enemy and would likely see chemical and biological warfare used. Major war crimes basically. That would likely do it.

Well, you'd have to level the goddamn mountains, for one.

 

[TheGM]

*laughs in Mongol*

 

[Morgan_]

Overall I think the real death of the Taliban is not with traditional warfare, but a slow, creeping death of modernization within their own society.

 

[TheGM]

Have I ever told you about the definitive edition of insanity?

 

[Morgan_]

The definition of insanity you mean?

 

[SquidWard]

No, the game of the year edition.

 

[Señor Wally]

Let's be honest here, Afghanistan can barely be called a state or even a nation. It's just Afghanistan.

 

[zegh8578]

Let's be honest here, Afghanistan can barely be called a state or even a nation. It's just Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is a perfect imperial era buffer, just mountains, and countless tribes of more or less functional independence, just doing their thing (well, unless strangers start shooting at them), modernizing anything would require so many prerequisite stages, like - where the hell are the serious fertile valleys, beyond slope-sides to grow poppy? Even Tajikistan has the Fergana - it's just a very unfortunate country to exist, on so many levels, including constantly getting invaded

 

[TheGM]

Let's be honest here, Afghanistan can barely be called a state or even a nation. It's just Afghanistan.

Gonna go with a Region. Like we know it is a place and there are people living in it but it is basically a large swath of chaos. so the great plains of Eurasia during the middle ages or Detroit.