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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:
HarveySchlumpfenburger · 15/08/2021 19:03

@Proudboomer

The uk has pumped £750 million in humanitarian aid into Afghanistan since 2016. £750 million that would have been better spent to tackle poverty in this country. £750 million wasted on the corrupt getting richer whilst the taliban just waited us out to re-emerge without any real opposition.
The UK has plenty of money to spend on sorting it's own poverty out. It's a deliberate choice not to. 750million over 4 years is pocket money. Don't kid yourself that that money would have been doing anything useful otherwise.
trancepants · 15/08/2021 19:13

Reports the internet is starting to go down in Kabul.
mobile.twitter.com/mattczeller/status/1426958374722232321

PicsInRed · 15/08/2021 19:17

[quote trancepants]Reports the internet is starting to go down in Kabul.
mobile.twitter.com/mattczeller/status/1426958374722232321[/quote]
The revolution will be televised but the purges which follow will not.

boogiewithasuitcase · 15/08/2021 19:19

BBC News have been interviewing a few Afghan citizens who have chosen to stay in Kabul for various reasons. They are incredibly brave and I hope they will be ok.

jasjas1973 · 15/08/2021 19:22

How long do you think the West should stay?

As i said earlier, how long in Cyprus, Korea etc ?

We promised the Afghans we would not leave them to the Taliban, we have gone back on that promise, our duplicity will result in loyal Afghans being killed as will their families, put more refugees in europe (they will cross the channel too) and more terrorism/drugs.

jasjas1973 · 15/08/2021 19:23

The uk has pumped £750 million in humanitarian aid into Afghanistan since 2016

Cuts in foreign aid will reduce aid to that region by 75%

StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind · 15/08/2021 19:26

The cuts in ODA earlier this year were disgusting. I emailed my MP. Spoke to him in person when he was canvassing ahead of elections.

And to think girls education is supposed to be one of the FCDO priorities.

DuncinToffee · 15/08/2021 19:26

Raab is finally returning from his holiday today....

RoseRedRoseBlue · 15/08/2021 19:27

That’s good of him. I mean, it wasn’t like this was predictable or anything, was it?

Panickingpavlova · 15/08/2021 19:56

The "West" didn't have to stay indefinitely, but what they absolutely didn't have to do was have this ridiculous withdrawal putting everyone's lives in danger.

They should have had a worse case scenario and got people out well before this..

Panickingpavlova · 15/08/2021 19:57

And unfortunately, your pumping money into a slick network of utter corruption.
Every single angle and trick in the book to siphon money off.

MarshaBradyo · 15/08/2021 20:01

We promised the Afghans we would not leave them to the Taliban

So stay indefinitely then?

As in many posters stated in pp all other countries followed US withdrawal, including U.K. .

Did you change your mind reading those posts?

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/08/2021 20:08

RoseRedRoseBlue

That’s good of him. I mean, it wasn’t like this was predictable or anything, was it?”

Horrified to hear on radio 4 news that Afghan students who have won a place at a British university this forthcoming academic year have been told that they cannot take it up/enter the UK because it will not be possible for the paperwork to be completed. Down to his colleagues at the Home Office/DfE presumably.

Disgusting.

A month to go. As you say, not exactly unpredictable that there might just be difficulties if they weren’t processed post haste.

I don’t even want to think about how many female doctors/engineers/
scientists/academics/lawyers/
human rights advocates etc. the world has lost because of this disgraceful and short-sighted decision.
I certainly don’t want to think about what their lives will be henceforth.

supermoonrising · 15/08/2021 20:24

The Western powers didn't care about the people of Afghanistan when they went in and they don't care now they're going out. The Western powers care about the Western powers.

DuncinToffee · 15/08/2021 20:25

A U.S. defense official confirms that Parwan prison, near Bagram air base, has been busted open, releasing thousands of hardened extremists from both the Taliban and Islamic State.

supermoonrising · 15/08/2021 20:28

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

The UK has plenty of money to spend on sorting it's own poverty out. It's a deliberate choice not to. 750million over 4 years is pocket money. Don't kid yourself that that money would have been doing anything useful otherwise

Exactly. It's like the people who think if we cut immigration, more money per head will be spent on health/education/infrastructure for the current inhabitants. No, that's not how right wing dogma works.

jasjas1973 · 15/08/2021 20:37

@DuncinToffee

A U.S. defense official confirms that Parwan prison, near Bagram air base, has been busted open, releasing thousands of hardened extremists from both the Taliban and Islamic State.
Can't wait for them to turn their attention to the 'West... :(
FedNlanders · 15/08/2021 20:50

@MrsSkylerWhite

RoseRedRoseBlue

That’s good of him. I mean, it wasn’t like this was predictable or anything, was it?”

Horrified to hear on radio 4 news that Afghan students who have won a place at a British university this forthcoming academic year have been told that they cannot take it up/enter the UK because it will not be possible for the paperwork to be completed. Down to his colleagues at the Home Office/DfE presumably.

Disgusting.

A month to go. As you say, not exactly unpredictable that there might just be difficulties if they weren’t processed post haste.

I don’t even want to think about how many female doctors/engineers/
scientists/academics/lawyers/
human rights advocates etc. the world has lost because of this disgraceful and short-sighted decision.
I certainly don’t want to think about what their lives will be henceforth.

This is absolutely heartbreaking.
ThePriceIsNotRight · 15/08/2021 21:03

‘ Can't wait for them to turn their attention to the 'West...’

Maybe, maybe not.

The Taliban have just assumed control over Afghanistan, which is more than they’ve actually had before. They’re not stupid, and they don’t want to provoke a new war, be it with the USA, China or Russia. So far, this is bearing out because they’re letting embassy staff (of those countries leaving) leave the country without violence.

One thing the Taliban wants, and has wanted since before 9/11, is recognition as a governing entity on the world stage. I believe that is one of the reasons they didn’t hand over Bin Laden when the Clinton administration were demanding him, as they intended to use him as leverage in exchange for said recognition. Obviously then 9/11 happened and that went out the window.

What they want primarily is to establish and consolidate power, they’re not wanting to provoke new conflicts.

Panickingpavlova · 15/08/2021 21:10

The price, its been said loads on the todays news from various experts that they will give room to training camps for terror.

They all also be very rich with the control of herion.

ThePriceIsNotRight · 15/08/2021 21:20

They likely will, the Saudis sponsor the same. Whether they will actually strike outside of their borders is debatable, IMO. I’m certainly not saying with absolute confidence that they won’t, but I don’t think it’s a forgone conclusion that they will.

There are a multitude of factors they will have to consider. They absolutely do want international recognition as a government, and sponsoring terrorism is entirely counter productive to that. You can get away with a lot more as ‘freedom fighters’ then you can as a fledgling government seeking legitimacy.

RoseRedRoseBlue · 15/08/2021 21:22

@MrsSkylerWhite Jesus Christ that University thing...really? I am so ashamed to be part of this by virtue of our Government.

DuncinToffee · 15/08/2021 21:54

Looks like there might have been a re-think on the student visa

twitter.com/caoilfhionnanna/status/1426979871478239238?s=19

Good to hear reports the UK has reversed this inhumane decision,& visas to be expedited for the 35 Afghan #Chevening scholars.

DuncinToffee · 15/08/2021 21:57

A video of Hamid Karzai international airport. 16 August, 2021.

twitter.com/bsarwary/status/1427002551858311173?s=19

Peregrina · 15/08/2021 21:57

Can those poor students get to the airport to get a plane out? Or is it too late for them?