War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
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swewing
Who's side is Karzai on? Just when I think he's coming over to our side, he does a 180.
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replied to:  swewing
desmonde
Replied to:  Who's side is Karzai on? Just when I think he's...
Karzai is on Karzai's side. He is a corrupt, self-serving scum bag. General Petraeus recently called the Afghan government a "criminal syndicate". This seems like a pretty good description

Our politicians are corrupt, self-serving scum bags also, but at least they are not allied with drug kingpins, warlords and murderers.
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replied to:  desmonde
aseforlife
Replied to:  Karzai is on Karzai's side. He is a corrupt, self-serving...
It would be negligence for Karzai to NOT ally himself with drug kingpins and warlords. The government would be even more weak and irrelevant if it didn't have relationships with the people who have real influence in Afghan society.

The reality is that Afghanistan is still largely a tribal society. In that kind of system, it's the ruthless people that make it to the top.

Without dealing with the people at the top, they will never transform their society.
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replied to:  aseforlife
pHoeNixOP
Replied to:  It would be negligence for Karzai to NOT ally himself with...
Your statement goes exactly to the heart of the matter.
"Tribal society" is probably the best description available.
Afghanistan isnt a nation. it isnt a country. it has no
standing army, banking system, laws, or government.
It is the landmass lying roughly between Iran and Pakistan.
"The government of Hamid Karzai" says they are prepared to
sit down with the Taliban. To do what?
We dont need to talk to Karzai, Taliban, or The Opium Kings.
We burn opium fields, "murder" Karzai, Taliban, and the
Opium King. We take over the landmass. Its ours. No press
conferences, counterinsurgency, no "SCHOOLS TO TEACH NEANDERTHALS 21ST CENTURY SKILLS". NO WORKSHOPS ON DEMOCRACY. This is an extreme example of the paradigm that
should have been in place, long before the first US Ranger
hit the ground in Afghanistan. Loosely paraphrased the doctrine says "Our enemies are operating within your borders.
We are here to exterminate them and their sympathizers.
Dont get in our way"
The doctrine has had lots of supporters, Richard Nixon,
among them. In 1971, Salvadore Allende, a Communist,
came to power in Chile. His first action after inauguration
was to nationalize all the copper mines, most of them owned
by Endicutt and Anaconda Copper. Both are American owned
and operated. Mr. Nixon vowed not to allow another Communist
to operate in the hemisphere.
Nixon summoned his CIA Director, Richard Helms and gave him his marching orders-"Get rid of Allende." During the coup
that followed, Allende was assassinated and Pinochet took power. The coup was managed by the CIA and the Chilean operatives trained by Green Berets in the Canal Zone.
This worked in Chile 40 years ago. A variation could have worked in Afghanistan. But only if the Commander-in-Chief
now believed what Nixon believed. THERE'S AMERICA.....and
then theres everybody else.
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replied to:  pHoeNixOP
aseforlife
Replied to:  Your statement goes exactly to the heart of the matter. "Tribal...
I agree completely with your premise. It is an impossible task to rid Afghanistan of its entrenched, anti-modernization power centers (ie. warlords, drug syndicates) without a heavy-handed approach.

It may be impossible to do even that, though. When the Russians were bogged down in Afghanistan in the 80s, they used increasingly brutal tactics against their adversaries - and that didn't work out too well for them.
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