It isn’t as though I do not want everyone’s input because I do. Everyone is welcome to join the thread. But that said, I’m imagining some pretty mixed feelings from veterans and more specifically, combat veterans about how the whole debacle in Afghanistan and how it was and is being handled. Personally, as I have written in another thread, I’m pretty ticked at not only the lies that have been shuffled from the Oval Office and throughout the political arena to a couple of our generals. I’m ticked about the correlations I can draw between the Nam and Kabul. It’s as if we learned nothing from our past. I’m ticked about how our reputation as a powerful nation has suddenly gone totally south and now, other nations including the one we’re leaving helpless can no longer trust us. I could go on and on but I’d rather leave some space for others to post their feelings and what their reactions are which is also why I posted the thread here, on the psychology board. It wasn’t too long ago, about 10 years now I guess, when a therapist friend of mine said it was time to open the door that I had closed for about 40 years so I did and I’m a better person for it.
I am not a war vet but have seen much of the same horrors in my life. I have posted about some of them here on SOC in the past, so I won't rehash those painful memories except to say I can identify with horrible deaths and the psychological effects it has on the human mind. I couldn't talk about any of it for 50 years and am also glad I finally did as it was a big help in dealing with my PTSD. Anyway, my emotions concerning Kabul are those of sorrow and disappointment for the stupidity and cowardice of the American people for allowing the fascist coup to take over our county so they could repay personal debts to other countries at our expense. That is what all this Kabul bull is about. Repaying debts they traded to gain power in the USA. Such fools believing that these countries would allow them to be leaders other than "overseers" to use an old term from southern slavery days. Overseers while the Chinese Communist rule and control the world. Yes, I am angry! I am angry that all the efforts during the Trump administration were wiped away like they never happened. All the lives lost in previous wars to protect freedom are for nothing other than a few decades of semi-freedom and human rights. I am sick to my stomach and just sad to tears that the USA is letting down its allies. No, I am not a war vet, but I can sure feel the pain inflicted on us all. Kabul is just one cog in the turning wheel of horrors yet to come. Yes, Kabul can be compared to Nam. I think shortly Kabul and others will be on a parallel with Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge. The killing fields are just in the infancy stage. We ain't seen nothing yet. I fear the possibility that many of these refugees will be used to form an army to kill us on our own soil. I don't trust anyone anymore.
My Great Nephew, Danny, did two tours to Irag and one to Afghanistan during the 2000s. He is due to come over here to,our place this weekend from Twenty-Nine Palms. Tuesday he said nothing on the phone about any kind of alert being in place for the Marine Corps. in general. Maybe he is now "safe"............. Frank
@Bobby Cole you know my thoughts on this debacle. The Trump administration had put a great deal of effort and planning into a departure and its timing and execution. The current administration just threw all that out the window--disgraceful. There are many parallels to 1975, but some differences as well. Haste was required in Vietnam, while none was necessary in the current episode. Biden and his cronies just wanted to throw the planning out and doo an abrupt departure just because it was different from what Trump would have done. What is terrible about this entire thing is that it was totally unnecessary. A friend was just notified that her son is on his way to Kabul airport to try to control the airport until something can be done with those stranded.
I just read that 800,000 military members are so far refusing the vaccine despite the mandate to do so from the Biden administration and face possible court martial. That could mean trying over half the U.S. military for insubordination. I listened to a discussion with a local guy yesterday whose father is a retired admiral, and he said he had heard rumors of mutiny in Afghanistan over the prospect of leaving thousands of Americans behind in Afghanistan when the Taliban deadline passes in a few days. His statement was, " We have 82nd Airborne, Rangers, Recon Marines, and Delta folks still over there. They are not prone to leave Americans behind no matter what the Commander-in-Chief says."
I’m getting a lot of chatter about veteran paramilitary groups who are seeking ways and means to go to Afghanistan and fight. I’ve also heard that there are indeed some who have gotten that financing so we’ll just have to wait and see. I see a problem though and that’s the fact that Antifa has our weapons to fight with including a lot of armor and aircraft. They’re even wearing our uniforms. That’s 75K Antifa blood lust members who are armed to the teeth who do not care about dying against a couple thousand specially trained western soldiers who are seriously able to kill people and wreck things. It’s already been said that there is no way that we’re going to complete a pullout by the 31st or even 11 September. Now, if this faux Commander in Chief doesn’t get off his vacation or out of the basement and give our military the go ahead to do whatever they have to do to complete the mission then I’m really concerned about the other chatter I’m getting. Vets from the Vietnam era all the way to the present are arming up. To do what isn’t clear because there’s no real leadership (thank God) but the wind is full of the sounds of some very ticked off people. To be truthful, my war is supposed to be over even though part of me is still there and fighting. I already know that I didn’t lose, our government did and that’s something I have had to teach a few hundred vets throughout the years. I just hope the soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan will come to know that they did the job they were “allowed” to do and I also have hopes that every single American citizen will treat them with the respect and honor that they earned and deserve.
Yes it is and progressivily getting worse everyday no matter who is in office it seems either hands are tied or threats are made.
Horrified that Biden would pull the military before the rest and expect the Taliban would consider our requests to let the people we wanted to let out be 'honored' as before. There is no consequence to their slaughter and worse that can happen with Biden at the helm and his lackies. WE knew he was stupid and not a leader and now Russia knows they can do as they please with no consequence either. The world knows. Horrifying!!!
Faye they chose not to fight after 21 years of training and the best weapons they still just handed over Afganshan to the Taliban. I don't think they were ever really on our side. and we just trained our ememies how to kill us better.I don't feel sorry for them if there sons and fathers won't fight for their rights why should we bring them here since looks like they are The Taliban. Now we have millions of muslims some radical inside our nation like France,Germany Sweden .This is planned no way around it.
From reports I have received, there are Afghan troops still fighting outside Kabul. We trained them to coordinate with aircover, then sneaked out of the country in the middle of the night without informing the Afghan security forces or our allies. The Afghan commander of Bagram Air base reported came to work in the morning to find the Americans evacuated without even telling him. They were all taken aback by the American abandonment. It may well have been planned, but perhaps not by the Afghans. Afghan Special Farces troops are communicating somehow with the Special Forces who trained them asking what happened and how can they get help in the fight.
They had all the weapons and techology to fight the taliban off if they chose to do so. But they stood with their relaives and own people .This is my opinion based off what facts we have been handed. I can't imagine that in 21 years they gave up their religion and family to join us.Anymore than I think Christians would give up their religion if we were invaded.
I'm sure there were a few who wanted change but not that many but like some said some were with us but not enough to bring millions into non mulim nations. Anyone here read the quran or parts of it? It tells a lot about how most think although some may war with each other they will still stand together against non muslims.Plus the whole thing makes no sense why we would leave our own and bring out others first.