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Well, they never did care much for the city.
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"The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists."
-Joan Robinson -
So they leave the population for the enemy to feed, the cities and roads for the enemy to defend. Hell, they'll probably bury their weapons, melt back into the population and get fed, sheltered and clothed by the enemy themselves over the winter.
That's why they call it the "Afghan trap." The trap has now been set.Any views I may express here are personal and certainly do not in any way reflect the views of my employer. Tis the rising of the moon..
Look, I just don't anymore, okay?Comment
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AH, et al.:Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
So they leave the population for the enemy to feed, the cities and roads for the enemy to defend. Hell, they'll probably bury their weapons, melt back into the population and get fed, sheltered and clothed by the enemy themselves over the winter.
That's why they call it the "Afghan trap." The trap has now been set.
Thinking along those lines, perhaps Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida terrorist network left a few "surprises" behind in the abandonded cities? Surprises like ... chemical ones? Biological timebombs? Maybe a radioactive weapon.
Returning to mainstream thinking, I highly doubt that's likely. It's too akin to poisoning your own well ... you only do that if you know you will never return and have no problem with scorched earth policies.
CYBERAmazon"I may not agree with what you have to say, but I'll die defending your right to say it." — Voltaire
"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart." — ConfuciusComment
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Maybe, but they don't need to do that. You have no idea how much damage even a five or ten man team can do in say a road convoy ambush. They'll be hoping to pick off U.S. advisors and the like the old fashioned way
Any views I may express here are personal and certainly do not in any way reflect the views of my employer. Tis the rising of the moon..
Look, I just don't anymore, okay?Comment
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So far, the NA army has increased greatly in size due to defections, and has retook the northern half of the country. What's more interesting is how even Kabul, people greeted the Taliban retreat with chants of "Death to the Taliban". According to reports, altough a bit scared, they seem glad that the evil Taliban regime has left their city.
One point some idiots who compare this to Vietnam are misssing is the popular support issue. The commies in Vietnam had wide support. The Taliban is widely hated. They have suffered demoralizing defeats and massive defections."I'm moving to the Left" - Lancer
"I imagine the neighbors on your right are estatic." - SlowwhandComment
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One of the main reasons I was so passionately against 'inevitable civilian casualties' They're oppressed by their government, not in support of it.Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
So far, the NA army has increased greatly in size due to defections, and has retook the northern half of the country. What's more interesting is how even Kabul, people greeted the Taliban retreat with chants of "Death to the Taliban". According to reports, altough a bit scared, they seem glad that the evil Taliban regime has left their city.
One point some idiots who compare this to Vietnam are misssing is the popular support issue. The commies in Vietnam had wide support. The Taliban is widely hated. They have suffered demoralizing defeats and massive defections.
"Chegitz, still angry about the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991?
You provide no source. You PROVIDE NOTHING! And yet you want to destroy capitalism.. you criminal..." - Fez
"I was hoping for a Communist utopia that would last forever." - Imran SiddiquiComment
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Really? The VC were popular? Pull the other one, you're talking out of your arse again.Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
The commies in Vietnam had wide support. The Taliban is widely hated. They have suffered demoralizing defeats and massive defections.Any views I may express here are personal and certainly do not in any way reflect the views of my employer. Tis the rising of the moon..
Look, I just don't anymore, okay?Comment
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Well, as far as you guys have said, the Northern alliance troops are theo nly ones moving in, not the US...soo...any surprises left behind will affect the NA. ALso, say we catch bin laden and move out. what is to stop the taliban from returning? in addition, what is the likelihood of catching every al quiada terrorist member. it's like the branch davidians: they will always be some left stirring the kettle to keep things going. And what if the people WANT the Taliban? what if they end up preferring the taliban to whatever the northern alliance does?"Speaking on the subject of conformity: This rotting concept of the unfathomable nostril mystifies the fuming crotch of my being!!! Stop with the mooing you damned chihuahua!!! Ganglia!! Rats eat babies!" ~ happy noodle boyComment
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*Bump* for Cockney.
www.my-piano.blogspotComment
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Well it is hardly surprising. The NA were bound to take it whilst they had the momentum, and not give the Taliban chance to get reinforcements to the city. Hopefully this will be a major nail in the coffin of the Taliban...Speaking of Erith:
"It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham" - Linda SmithComment
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I heard the Northern Alliance nows controls 50-55% of Afghanistan at this time. The Taliban are screwed. This isn't Vietnam, because we are using B-52s. The North Vietnamese had one of the highest concentrations of SAM sites in the world during the war, the Taliban have ****. So no more arguments, we will probably see a new Afghanistan Government soon, probably a broad-based one consisting of the NA and Moderate elements of the Taliban. Those who were forced to serve in the taliban.For there is [another] kind of violence, slower but just as deadly, destructive as the shot or the bomb in the night. This is the violence of institutions -- indifference, inaction, and decay. This is the violence that afflicts the poor, that poisons relations between men because their skin has different colors. - Bobby Kennedy (Mindless Menance of Violence)Comment
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A Strategic withdrawal...
This was a planned and well coordinated withdrawal. The Taliban are retreating to their traditional strongholds around Kadahar and reducing their lines of supply and communication...
I think the main hope is to sow conflict and discord within the NA and coalition - they're hoping that the famous indiscipline of the NA forces and their tribal differences will again flare up now that they have retaken the capital.
The US and Pakistan expressly called on the NA not to enter Kabul, and yet here they are...
But then you wonder why the US didn't stop the bombing of Kabul if that were really the case! Incidentally, remember how the US wanted to shut up the Al-Jazeera TV network - well they bombed their offices, by accident of course...
They said they would enter if a power vacuum presented itself, so in the absence of any other peacekeeping force they almost had to intervene to stop the lawlessness and anarchy.
Still, most of the original warlords etc have now retaken their old land - will they be more interested in consolidating their original fiefdoms etc and descend into petty squabbling over territory etc like they did before, or will they stay focused and disciplined with their eyes on finishing off the Taliban.
Another concern will be what happens when NA forces reach the border with Pakistan - will that touch off a skirmish?
So we're not out of the woods by any stretch, but then there's not much the US can do about it because they don't have any troops on the ground...Comment
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Re: A Strategic withdrawal...
Hopefully not - that would be extremely bad form, and a propaganda disaster greater than leaving them alone. In short, the most moronic thing to do short of dropping a nuke on kabul.Originally posted by MOBIUS Incidentally, remember how the US wanted to shut up the Al-Jazeera TV network - well they bombed their offices, by accident of course...
http://www.hardware-wiki.com - A wiki about computers, with focus on Linux support.Comment
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Re: Re: A Strategic withdrawal...
Yeah well here it is... They avoided casualties, but at least they would have taken out most or all of their equipment...Originally posted by Thue
Hopefully not - that would be extremely bad form, and a propaganda disaster greater than leaving them alone. In short, the most moronic thing to do short of dropping a nuke on kabul.
William Reeve should know as he was filing a report when the impact smashed into the wall of his office next to al-Jazeera. No wall - No William Reeve, 'nuff said!The Kabul office of Qatar-based al-Jazeera television took a direct hit from a US bomb overnight. The building was destroyed, but the staff had already left building.
William Reeve says a US bomb landed earlier on a house about 100 metres from the BBC office where he was broadcasting. The blast smashed all the office windows
The picture attached is a still from the camera recording the moment of impact that I saw - there was a sickening thud which buckled the wall of his office and sent him flying!
Of course this is all anti-US propaganda and it will be interesting to see how many of our American friends see these victims of 'friendly fire' broadcast on their national networks...
Last edited by MOBIUS; November 13, 2001, 07:43.Comment
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