I generally support getting the hell out of the Middle East, but there's consequences for every move that are never thought through.
The abrupt withdrawl from Syria and betrayal of the Kurds was heinous. particularly considering the immediate move to deploy troops to Saudi Arabia to basically act as mercenaries for a dictator.
I was one of those military advisors in Saigon at the time of the formal cease fire in the Vietnam war. Basically, among other things, it called for the withdrawal of US and Allied forces and for North Vietnam forces to cease military operations in South Vietnam. Interestingly, it had a pretty steep timeline for US withdrawal, but not much of a timeline for North Vietnam.
On the very 1st morning of the cease fire, Tan Son Nhut, the military complex near Saigon, was awoken with a rocket attack.
Later that morning at breakfast, one of my South Vietnamese associated said it best: "Great fucking cease treaty your Henry Kissinger signed for us."
Unfortunately, among other things, war presents political opportunities. Opportunities for politicians to rush us into it, and political opportunities for pulling us out of it. War is one of those things where two wrongs don't make it right. The very idea that the US is coming to an agreement with the Taliban and not an unconditional surrender on their part suggests that the US may have lost the war. We're leaving, they are staying, and they still haven't surrendered their will to do us harm.
[quote] And look at Vietnam today. They don’t seem to be a threat to America[/quote]
Well, but they were a threat to the millions slaughtered in SE Asia after the US changed its mind.
As I recall JFK's and LBJ's speeches, we went there to help prevent the helpless from being slaughtered. And when we left they were slaughtered. A few other million ran for their lives and escaped. Add to that the 50+ thousand US who lost their lives, and another 100+ thousands seriously injured. A pretty hearty price and the Communist still won.
@Heartlander I’m sure the bad guys will usually outlast the good guys. Their leaders don’t give a shit about people’s lives. I’m beginning to think our leaders care either.
Many attribute WW2 to the mess created by the way WW1 ended; and often enough, the replacement dictator for the toppled dictators can be even worse than the previous bad guy.
The brunt of the undesirable consequences of US withdrawals from the Middle-east will unfortunately be experienced by those who put their faith and hope in the US's efforts to help them.
@SimplyTracie Are you serious ? and then what let the taleban go bak to torturing women and children and harbour terrorists ? has dumbfuck any idea what happens when a country just leaves because he wants to show what a great deal maker he his ?
