>> When Biden committed to the withdrawal did he know at the time how lacking in
>> resolve the well trained and equipped Afghan army was.
Of course he did. As did everybody else.
>> He either got it very seriously wrong, or he had an expectation of the outcome and decided
>> to go ahead anyway.
His choice was stay in Afghanistan forever or leave. And it would have been "forever". If Afghanistan could have been "fixed" it would already have happened. There was, is and never could be any clean or clever way of leaving.
>> Was Boris and his team aware of the realities of the Biden decision.
I'd expect that they were informed.
>> If they were did they simply hope "it would be alright on the night". Did
>> they have any input into the decision making process.
You mean did the US say "Dear UK, we would like to leave Afghanistan but we need youyr approval to do so"? Why would they, or anyone else, seek permission or approval for such a thing?
>>Or is the UK treated as an inconsequential second division by the US military.
I expect the UK is treated under the banner of "friendly and important but not as important as the US". Why would it be any other way?
>> What does this do to US/UK special relationship - or is it a product of
>> a UK delusion.
What "special relationship"?
>> - intelligence on Taliban and Afghan army was completely flawed, or
I doubt it.
>> - politicians on both sides of the Atlantic withheld the truth and went ahead anyway
Which truth did the US withhold?
>> - the UK cannot rely upon the US for its foreign policy and strategy
As I said, they do not need or want our authorisation for what they do with their own people or resources. Anymore than we need theirs. How could it be any other way?
>> - we (the public) cannot rely upon the integrity of our political leaders (what's new?)
One cannot rely on the integrity of any political leaders, shadow leaders, or associated people in any way on any subject ever.
>> Biden can't be sacked - only impeached. Up to the US what happens.
Why would he be impeached? I know the BBC is running a blatant campaign seemingly in the hope that if they say Biden is troubled at home often enough then it will become true, but impeached? Hardly.
>> Johnson and Raab can be forced out - Johnson would lack support from any of
>> the opposition, but more importantly many of his own MPs are disgusted by his actions
>> in a way which far exceed any strong opinions held on Brexit or Covid management.
Oh my a*** they are. MPs disgusted by anything other than consideration of their own position and a sprinkling of grandstanding? Not on this planet.
What do you believe that the US would have achieved by remaining in Afghanistan other than the hope of approval from the British media? Except the British media would have switched tracks and found it outrageous at the loss of life because he kept the troops in.
It's tough, it's hard, there will be loss of life. The Taliban will rule harshly and victimise and kill people. Innocent people will suffer an die because the Taliban are in charge. Not that the "Taliban" is actually a unit, it's just a bunch of entirely disjointed people who do wtf they like and only align when it suits them.
And the alternative is what, exactly?
|
Afghanistan new
Afghanistan new
