After 12 years of trying to kill them, of stating that they do not negotiate with terrorists, the US on the day it handed over the running of the country to the Afghan government has now announced that it will open direct negotiations with the Taliban.
12 years.
Countless dead.
and that is not an exaggeration - there is no exact figure for those that died, mainly because the invading forces did not consider it to be good for PR to count the numbers killed.
The invasion took place in the pretext of the 9/11 terrorist attacks where around 3,000 people died.
The resulting chaos has resulted in atleast 30,000 deaths in Pakistan - a country that wasnt even invaded. Some counts suggest between 158,000 to 202,000 have been killed as a result of the invasion of Afghanistan.
The numbers from Afghanistan will be vast and the news will generally ignore these people from their counts.
One thing to remmeber though, even though the invading forces are pulling out, it does not mean an end to the chaos and distruction they have sowed - the seeds planted will grow into weeds which if not carefully pruned will continue the death and carnage.
Comments
i have no idea how, what, when Americans got involve in Afghanistan, i've put on my list of do to things to study Afghan History.
ive got a blurred picture so far and big holes in my timeline.
any links?
i should probably start with Russia vs Afghanistan.
what ive got so far is Russia vs Afghanistan. Afghans (talibans) manage to protect their country, now they got they country the Taliban split up, the name "Taliban" becomes the bad guys.
now this is just guesswork, but i expect American came to the rescue,war, blood, destruction, deaths later and now they deem someone (a puppet probably) worthy of taking over so they're "pulling out"
i'd rather read a book about this, so if anyone know anything then do let me know
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
The Americans got involved with Afganstan when it was invaded by the Soviet Union. USSR was trying to convert everyone to communism and the Americans helped the anti-communist Mujahideen to overthrow USSR, obviously as it was in their best interest to not let USSR take over another country. Some of the members of the mujahideen later made up the Taliban
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Later on there were some terrorist attacks (9/11) that was probably done by Osama Bin ladin and his cronies. The Americans asked the Taliban to hand him over. The Taliban said they cannot hand guests over, but if America sent them all the evidence, they would try him The Americans refused.
The American defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wanted to blow something up in retaliation. He preferred to attack Iraq (which they did anyway), but someone pointed out to him there was no link between Iraq and 9/11 (but he tried to fake evidence suggesting so anyway).
So the Americans invaded Afghanistan, to get Osama Bin Laden. After they got in there, they thought "hmm... what should we do? lets invade Iraq instead!" and then tried to forget about Afghanistan.
The stuff in Afghanistan continued, and as with an invading force, there was resistance. Chaos spread many were killed, the chaos spilled over the porous border with Pakistan and there was more death and destruction.
Pakistan was "paid off" to be compliant. Well, not paid off - it was threatened that if it wasnt it would also be blown to smithereens. Then it was also offered "aid", which was then strung around its neck to prove that Pakistan was an insolent child for not being grateful when in reality eg $8billion was given in aid after damage and costs to pakistan in the region of $80 billion. and that is without the deaths, lawlessness, internal displacement of people etc.
Then the invaders got bored and needed to leave. someone pulled out a calendar and probably while blindfolded, put his finger on any random date. That date weas 2014. It was decided that the invaders were to leave Afghanistan by 2014.
Which is what is happening now. Commant and control of Afghan Security has been given back to the Afghan government this apst week.
But there was the issue that the Taliban were still around, waiting for this date so that they could once again rule. So after 12 eyars of trying to exterminate them, instead now they talk and the Afghan Government who thought it would be the bigwig in Afghanistan is now kicking off because they might have to share the country.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
(Without knowing much, but from hearing things): Afghanistan was in a better situation before it was invaded all those years back.
It's been a war zone for ages though (I don't know much either).
Actually I bought this book called "My forbidden face", it's about a woman whose life changed after the Taliban came into power. I haven't started reading it though.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
It was chaos before the Taliban. They came and restored some law and order, but were also over bearing.
Then the removal and the return of chaos and corruption.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Hmm, from the blurb and reviews of this book it seems to say that life was decent before they came and then they were too strict which ruined the woman's life...I'm guessing...well she probably got out of it and that's why/how she's writing about it.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi