Afghanistan wrecks another army

 

The British fought in Afghanistan throughout the Nineteenth Century to safeguard the British Raj of India and left, determined to never mention that country's name ever again.

The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 to prop up a failing Communist government and ten years later withdrew without even looking over their shoulders.

Then it was time for the United States, perhaps having the best justification for invading after the 9/11 attacks, to plunge into the graveyard of empires in pursuit of Osama Bib Laden.

The original plan was to go in with about 30,000 troops, overthrow the Taliban and get Bin Laden,  If the Bin Laden hunt did not workout, the regular soldiers would be pulled out in about six months and then Special Forces would continue the hunt and the Afghan people would not even know they were there.

Instead, the US has spent two decades chasing shadows trying to create a "new" Afghanistan.

The US had the perfect excuse to leave on May 1, 2011 when Bin Laden was finally killed.  The United States could have been the first country to invade and leave under something like good circumstances.  As usual, "mission creep" made its way into and everything went off the rails.

Ten years after the perfect reason to leave--and accomplishment of the primary mission--the US was supposed to finally leave.  An agreement had been reached with the Taliban and we would see if the new Afghan Army would hold off the Taliban or would it perform an imitation of ARVN collapsing in 1975.

Then pushed the withdrawal date to September 11, 2021.  In other words, every US solider in the country just became a target for an angry Taliban thinking the Americans would be gone.  And what are those soldiers putting their lives on the line for now?  

PR?

May 1 and the anniversary of Bin Laden's death would have worked better.

With out exceptionally poor quality of leadership, I shudder to think of what other missteps they will take.

Happy Easter! (Western version :-P )

 

HAPPY EASTER!  The Western version anyway :-P

Happy Greek Indendence Day!!!

 

The East Wind blows into Alaska

 

Last week, the world watched China's foreign minister lecture the US Secretary of State about human rights violations on US soil and had the temerity to tell Anthony Bliken that the "United States does not have the qualification that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength."to his face.  From the head of the State Department was silence.  

It was a moment that let the world know another superpower was taking the stage.

China is not stuck in unending wars, has a functioning economy, and a government committed to advancing the nation's interests.    By contrast the United States is stuck in the Middle East, has destroyed its own economy and has a government that has opened the southern border, seemingly committed to eventually destroying itself.  

The worst part was where the Chinese made the observation that "many Americans had no faith in democracy."

After the Supreme Court's refusal to even hear one election challenge, this does not come as a surprise. Also, the ham handed and uncoordinated way several states handled the pandemic, now fading away, did not help build any confidence either.

And the widespread academic discrimination against Asians, usually of Chinese descent, has not gone unnoticed by Beijing.

I have not started learning Mandarin on Duolingo yet, so I still have some faith.

After all, the last four letters of American is "I CAN."

Go forth and conquer!

Tear down this wall!

 

So, the politicians in DC continue to hide behind a "temporary" wall that was supposed to come down in mid-March.  Now, it appears it will stay up until September.

Does this look like a free democratic government to you?

Imaginary threats are created as our (?) alleged government continues to hide.  

In 1987, Ronald Reagan challenged Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" as the Berlin Wall was build to keep East Germans from escaping their country.  

In 2021, the US government puts up a fence, with razor wire, to keep out threats that are not there as the southern border is opened to illegal immigrants carrying disease in the middle of a pandemic.

What is the all-powerful US government afraid of?  With all of its power, it must rely on fences and National Guardmen who do not want to be there because the all powerful government is afraid.

I was not impressed with East Germany.

I am not impressed with today's DC.

Both look and act the same.  Both are headed for the same place.

No great loss. 

Hopefully tomorrow's DC has a bit of common sense.

Just a little would be nice.

Right is right

 

 

 

 

 When you find yourself on the same side with AOC, you know it must be a really screwy situation.

It does not matter...right is right.  Some things transcend ideological differences.

Andrew Cuomo's horrific, bloodstained handling of nursing homes during the COVID pandemic has led to universal outrage.It is also the result of years of build up anger over Cuomo's arrogance and abusive leadership style.  His tone deaf "Who cares?  They died" press conference pushed everything over the edge.  Even New York State Attorney General Leticia James, not the most ethical person, was outraged when it was revealed that nursing home deaths had been grossly, and deliberately, undercounted.  Clearly, she wants to be the next governor.   The mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, is piling on, trying to distract attention away from  his failings as well.  Nonetheless, some form of justice is coming.

Even AOC is calling for a probe and investigation.

If is going to reveal even worse things.

Time for Cuomo to be led out in handcuffs.

The other governors better pay close attention.

You know what they say about karma....

And the point was?

 

Why pursue impeachment charges against someone who is not in office?

Do the idiots in Congress not have anything else to do?  I have quite a few suggestions for them if they cannot think of anything.

After all the money and time that was wasted, nothing was accomplished and the country remains divided and Congress has a approval rating of 9%.

Meanwhile, notice how the COVID rates began dropping after January 20.  Now New York and Calfornia area opening everything up after their governors have found themselves in serious trouble.  California's Newsome is facing a recall vote and NY's Cuomo has been caught fudging deaths from COVID after he crammed the elderly into nursing homes,

I told you this would fall apart.

Meanwhile, go out and enjoy life....it really seems to annoy politicians....sounds like fun on general priciple!

Was this to forestall a Trump 2024 run for the White House?  When I see the Capitol building behind a fence with the National Guard patrolling around it, I cannot help but wonder the worse.  Maybe if they were not so corrupt, this conversation would not be taking place. 

Well, I enjoyed watching Pelosi scream at her press conference.  Too bad they don't look that close at Antifa violence.  

More trails to explore tomorrow as we channel the spirit of TR!