I wouldn't disagree with some of your first paragraph, though it's much more than the Saudis and includes pakistan and other failed satellites states around the world...Come 9/11 Bin Laden was with the Taliban in Afghanistan, his old Russian fighting stomping ground....but it could have been elsewhere.

There are also foreign intelligence agencies or elements of them who were aware of this attack....it runs deep, though I'm definitely not one of those that believes the US government knew or planned a domestic attack.

On the response, you seem to be suggesting a 'turning the other cheek' option. I don't think that's realistic. However, I would agree that occupation of, and the attempted changing of cultures that are significantly different is just not realistic....indeed, it's utopian thinking that predictably wastes many lives before it realises the folly.

I'd agree with you that there is a kind of endless war aspect to what amounts to military retaliations....in fact I'd say it's much more than generational. However, not to respond when you are bloodied against people who laid waste to near 1800 people just isn't realistic....and of course many others died from the effects afterwards.

I'm of the view that the leaders of the Taliban needed to die along with Bin Laden....and this required invasion.....but as I said, there should never have been an attempt to stay....just the message that if you attack us again we will come back and remove all your leadership again.

You talk softly and you carry a big stick.....without the stick, no one cares what you say.

Edited by Stirlingsays (11 Aug 2021 4.25pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

I think they are essentially similar in views.....it's not as though the people who join these groups wildly differ in views, often recruitment is regional or the attitude of their particular mosque.

The main difference with the Taliban is that they are interested in national power first, while the other is revolutionary within the middle east and then further.

The Taliban and indeed militant Islam generally have little disagreement towards their enemies and why they fight.....their disagreements largely concerns localised issues. For example, no doubt once the Taliban take over they will resume localised conflicts between warlords......That's how Afghanistan has operated historically.

What matters to us is whether ISIS operates there again with backing.....which will decide as to whether we revisit with drones.

As for the Afghan army.....numbers matter little if you aren't prepared to fight and die.....that will largely depend upon how large the pay packet is.... Alexander proved, thousands of years ago at Gaugamela that will to fight can see a much smaller army defeat much larger ones.....and it's been repeated many times in history since.

Edited by Stirlingsays (11 Aug 2021 5.53pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

I certainly agree that I wouldn't say it was planned by the US. I'm all for a good conspiracy but some events are so heinous and stark it seems improbable that any malevolent grand plan could ever happen without someone eventually speaking out.

There's certainly no love for Taliban leaders or Bin Laden from any sane person, so from that perspective I do get the idea that if people know payback will come directly to their door, then they might think twice. Or will at least realise that they aren't untouchable.

This is a good article because there's no theories in it. Just facts.

[Link]

'The Russians have videos of me doing crazy f***ing sex!' Hunter Biden is seen in unearthed footage telling a prostitute that Russian drug dealers stole ANOTHER of his laptops for blackmail while he was close to overdosing in a Vegas hotel room - [Link]

The gift that keeps on giving. This bloke loses so many compromising laptops, that he loses the laptop on which he's talking about losing a laptop!

Proof that if you're close enough to power you can get away with anything.

Or you're OJ Simpson.

Hunter Biden's life reads like an illustrated acknowledgement of how a super elitist degenerate will be protected compared to how everybody else would.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)