Originally Posted by Wyseguy (Post 1996697)

It is either incompetence, or uncaring disregard for the lives of US Citizens and Allies who are being abandoned. Regrettably it seems a cold uncaring disregard. When asked about the people falling to their death from planes as they tried to escape the Taliban, Biden said "C'mon man, that was four or five days ago". I can not be too hard on him, as I believe he has a mental issue. Those who defend him on the other hand... Just terrible people. So desperate to make it seem like they have accomplished something that they turn their backs on men, women and children.

Originally Posted by Byte1 (Post 1997210)

AT THE AIRPORT. Not all the military equipment. Just the airport.

Originally Posted by Bellavita (Post 1997136)

Sacrifice more young men and women in an in winnable situation? I would make this decision and go back or use leverage to get Americans out. Let’s not forget what we did accomplish 125,000 out that is remarkable. Biden got out period sometimes that exit isn’t pretty.

Originally Posted by alemorkam (Post 1997038)

We left a busload of Americans there that wanted out. Decision of our president AND Joint Chief of Staff.

Originally Posted by MDLNB (Post 1996597)

There is ALWAYS an emergency evacuation plan for Americans in other countries. And there are ways to contact Americans. Most Americans in country are listed at the embassy and a means of contacting them with an evacuation order is known. The problem is that the plan was not utilized properly, if at all. Americans are instructed ahead of time where to meet for evacuation. It appears that this was not done.
Just my opinion, but this is probably an unusual circumstance where the leader of the country flees, leaving the country in the hands of the enemy. Even so, the evacuation plan should have stipulated such a contingency.
And yes the military has a plan written up for just about every foreign country. When civilians/bureaucrats/congress get in the way of set plans, it is inevitable that we have a catastrophe.

Originally Posted by dewilson58 (Post 1996528)

What is the logic of leaving Americans and Allies behind???

If it's political, just state "political" and let the thread live.

Otherwise, what is the logic???

People first, Equipment second, Troops last seem logical.

:posting:

Originally Posted by alemorkam (Post 1997038)

We left a busload of Americans there that wanted out. Decision of our president AND Joint Chief of Staff. If that bus had 50 marines would they have made the same decision to leave them there?

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna (Post 1996959)

So much easier said than done. Once we began to withdraw our military and Afghan employees, the “government” we set up and the army we equipped and claimed we had trained began to quickly collapse as the result. Withdrawing before every single person who wanted to be removed from the country was impossible as soon as we lost control of the country and those desiring to leave couldn’t safely gain access to the airport.

The Taliban essentially won the conflict when the terms of our surrender were documented in the Doha Agreement agreed to by president Trump in 2020, then worsened when president Biden announced the specific date when we would leave.

Once our political leaders made those mistakes, the sequence of withdrawal you suggest became impossible. It was amazing that we were able to get as many people safely out of the country as we did. But our failure to fulfill the promises we made to the Afghans who were loyal to us for years won’t be forgotten by those with whom we attempt to make future agreements. Afghanistan will be another important reason why the reliability and consistency of U.S. foreign policy is mistrusted.

Originally Posted by kenoc7 (Post 1997127)

There is no doubt. that it wasn't incompetence. It was the situation overtaking all reasonable contingency planning.

Originally Posted by Bill Dozer (Post 1997283)