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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Taliban enter Kabul

999 replies

tttigress · 15/08/2021 10:01

I was in my early 20's when 9/11 happened, the last 20 years has been overshadowed by endless wars without clearly defined objectives (original point of going into Afghanistan was to "get" Al Qaeda, there was then massive mission creep)

AIBU to think the last 20 years in Afghanistan was a total waste of time?

OP posts:
RoseRedRoseBlue · 15/08/2021 10:07

Honestly I am so angry about this, and the sense of inevitability and helplessness is overwhelming.

felulageller · 15/08/2021 10:08

It's a scandal- all that for nothing.

Seeingadistance · 15/08/2021 10:10

I can’t stop thinking about the women and girls of Afghanistan. The horrors that they will be forced to endure and the desperate measures they’ll take to escape that fate.

That’s what I keep thinking about. My sisters in Afghanistan and I want to weep and scream and rage about what is happening to them.

Galaxyfiend · 15/08/2021 10:12

It’s just awful, no words Sad my heart goes out to all citizens of Afghan, I can’t even imagine the horror they must be feeling. It’s just devastating.

Mummyratbag · 15/08/2021 10:15

I feel sick for them. The women and girls that will be raped. The boys/men that will be recruited/beaten/killed... it's truly, truly awful.

Idontknowwhat2 · 15/08/2021 10:18

I think its hideous. Remember that the Afghan national army heavily outnumbered the Taliban but from what I see they just let them take over.

I'm horrified for the women and children, but the overall lack of resistance to the Taliban must show Afghans are majority in favour of their barbaric ways?

TwitterTwatterofTinyMinds · 15/08/2021 10:18

@Seeingadistance

I can’t stop thinking about the women and girls of Afghanistan. The horrors that they will be forced to endure and the desperate measures they’ll take to escape that fate.

That’s what I keep thinking about. My sisters in Afghanistan and I want to weep and scream and rage about what is happening to them.

This - just this.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the initial invasion, I am horrified that we are now pulling out and simply leaving these women to their fate, knowing what that will be.

All those lives lost (Afghan and allied forces) and for what?

LonstantonSpiceMuseum · 15/08/2021 10:18

It's only going to get worse.
Wonder how long before China steps in, too?

LonstantonSpiceMuseum · 15/08/2021 10:19

Agreed, we are now absolutely responsible and shouldn't just run away

Comedycook · 15/08/2021 10:20

It's terrifying. Those poor people.

AlexaShutUp · 15/08/2021 10:21

I'm horrified for the women and children, but the overall lack of resistance to the Taliban must show Afghans are majority in favour of their barbaric ways?

I don't know, I think it could be sheer terror. Who knows what any of us would do in that situation, really?

It's chilling to see what is happening in Afghanistan right now. I was so disturbed by the last period of Taliban rule, it's hard to believe that it's happening again. I feel for the women and girls above everyone, but it's awful for society as a whole. Just dreadful.

Sirzy · 15/08/2021 10:22

It’s awful. I am in no way and expert but it seems we (and America) went in, stirred things up more, helped them find a balance and finally and start to be able to build again and then walked out and left all to go to shit again.

Surely if we had kept the low level peace keeping presence we have had then this could have been prevented or at least we could have helped push back?

It’s scary and I wish there was something we could do on an individual level to help

WeAreTheHeroes · 15/08/2021 10:23

I am wondering if the Americans pulled out because the Afghan govt was all talk and no action/didn't actually want to oust the Taliban. I really don't know what to think now - are they letting them takeover to attack them from within or what? But yes, all those people who have died for nothing.

FromEden · 15/08/2021 10:24

It's awful. I saw a report on CNN earlier. They sent reporters there to interview taliban leaders. She asked them about women's rights and what would they do to preserve them and the guy said something like (paraphrasing) "of course we care about womens rights, Allah has told us the rights women should have and we will stick to that because it's God's will". So none then. Just absolutely chilling.

But I'm not sure what the solution is? I mean, the US were getting shit for years about still being there. Obviously the afghan army that they tried to train are useless. What are they supposed to do? Can't win

MsVestibule · 15/08/2021 10:24

I agree. I don't know what's been achieved in the last 20 years, apart from perhaps putting off the inevitable.

but the overall lack of resistance to the Taliban must show Afghans are majority in favour of their barbaric ways?
I don't think that's correct. What would you personally do if this was happening in your country?

meditrina · 15/08/2021 10:25

@LonstantonSpiceMuseum

It's only going to get worse. Wonder how long before China steps in, too?
12th of Never

China buys influence. It doesn't step into wars, and indeed all the rhetoric is against western hegemony and in favour of peaceful self determination and no meddling in the internal affairs of another country.

Ther's nothing to tempt China in to the country that has been fought in and over for centuries, with no invader ever succeeding

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/08/2021 10:25

AlexaShutUp

I'm horrified for the women and children, but the overall lack of resistance to the Taliban must show Afghans are majority in favour of their barbaric ways“

The Afghan Army are not being fed let alone paid. They are beaten down and exhausted. What you say may be true of the countryside but certainly does not appear to be so in the cities. Watch the coverage from Kabul. People are terrified but helpless.

Chaotica · 15/08/2021 10:26

It's terrible. I'm almost lost for words that this has been allowed to happen to the Afghan people (and that 20 years of support seems to have just been thrown away by the US leaving in a hurry). Women and girls will suffer especially, but most people will suffer. The non-Pashtun Afghans such as the Hazara are also in danger.

While some Afghans support the Taliban, I think that many are simply scared of them and what will happen to their families if they do not comply.

Comedycook · 15/08/2021 10:29

I was not a fan of Trump but can you imagine the criticism he'd be getting if he was in power now rather than Biden?!

AlfonsoTheMango · 15/08/2021 10:33

It's very sad.

Sirzy · 15/08/2021 10:35

@Comedycook

I was not a fan of Trump but can you imagine the criticism he'd be getting if he was in power now rather than Biden?!
I agree, the response doesn’t paint Biden in a good light. He seems unwilling to accept the part played by America in leading to this position.

I would much rather see a leader standing up and say “we were wrong so we will do x,y and z to help fix things” rather than saying “well it’s over to them now” and ignore the background

FromEden · 15/08/2021 10:36

I was not a fan of Trump but can you imagine the criticism he'd be getting if he was in power now rather than Biden?!

Not just this but a lot of things. The border situation, hunter Biden etc. Its time the press moved on from trump and started treating Biden like any president. It's okay to criticise certain things ffs. (Btw not a trump supporter at all. See you have to say that now because any questions raised automatically equals far right. Its crazy)

Original poster
tttigress · 15/08/2021 10:37

@Comedycook

I was not a fan of Trump but can you imagine the criticism he'd be getting if he was in power now rather than Biden?!
I believe Trump was in favour of a withdrawal.

But Biden has been in power for 8 months now, so he is responsible for putting together a withdrawal plan, not just running away. He could also have changed direction when it was obvious things weren't working out.

OP posts:
Mulletsaremisunderstood · 15/08/2021 10:38

@Comedycook

I was not a fan of Trump but can you imagine the criticism he'd be getting if he was in power now rather than Biden?!
Yes, exactly. Where is the condemnation of Joe Biden for the many crappy decisions he has made in his short time in office?

This is such a disgrace for the Afghani people, they have been abandoned. A guy on Sky News was just saying that non only did the US pull out troops, they took away helicopter servicing contracts etc. that had been provided by the US, so the Afghan army won't even have the weaponry that they were trained on.

What a shitshow!

FrancescaContini · 15/08/2021 10:39

It’s just terrifying.

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