Quote:
Originally Posted by SunnySide
There was no finite game of war for us to win, declare victory, and return from. Our mission in that mountainous, tribal, quasi-nation-state that fostered terrorists was never to achieve a victory and head home. It was to maintain the minimum military presence necessary to ensure order and stop violent terrorists. It was not an “endless war” but an infinite game.
^^^ conclusion from the article you cited.
I can see the benefit of that but after the ANA folded and bribed away, learning that the 300k army we were paying for was actually 100k, the level of funds mismanagement, cost of all these contractors and "friendlies" .. plus the annual cost of just paying aid to afghanistan govt
Was it worth continuing the charade?
I say no.
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It certainly appears like we are paying an enormously higher price (Prestige, trust, lives and yes probably treasure too(which you were highlighting)) in leaving than we would have if we stayed. In other words it certainly looks like it was worth staying. Due to this surrender, we've already payed more in lives than we had in the last 18 months and frankly I'm sure other Americans have already been killed there that we don't know about yet and more will killed due to our surrender of Afghanistan to the Taliban.