The Russians could not get rid of the Taliban, I don't see how we could with all the restrictions of engagement forced on the coalition troops. It's like cancer; if you can't cut it all out, you know it'll be back.

What is sad is why so many soldiers lost lives and limbs for such t sh*thole!

The British tried top pacify the area in the 19th. Century without result.

Then came the Russians, the Nato.

Results.... NIL

Let me suggest something.

Lithium.

Yep the stuff in batteries.

It practically floating the country.

"

In 2007, six years after the United States sent troops to Afghanistan, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published a preliminary https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3063/fs2007-3063.pdf" rel="nofollow - assessment of the country’s mineral resources , excluding energy sources like oil and gas. In 2010, Afghanistan’s mineral wealth was estimated to be worth $1 trillion.

Among the country’s resources are lithium and rare earth elements (REEs), both critical for electric vehicle batteries and tech devices like smartphones. Iron ore and copper were estimated to be present in quantities that were large enough to make the country https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html" rel="nofollow - a major global producer of both .

Last year, The Diplomat published an article by Ahmad Shah Katawazai, a member of Afghanistan’s Academy of Sciences and a former diplomat at the Afghan embassy in Washington, D.C., that raised https://thediplomat.com/2020/02/afghanistans-mineral-resources-are-a-lost-opportunity-and-a-threat/" rel="nofollow - the estimated value of Afghanistan’s minerals to as much as $3 trillion."

So many nations have had attempts to govern / assist Afghanistan through history, it's now a long list.  Many see Afghanistan as a sort of "no-mans land" buffer zone between the surrounding states. and they all stir the pot from the edges.  Its a backward hermit state where tribal links are stronger than any other political force.  It will take some immense national upheaval to trigger a move in another direction.  Biden is right to get out, the US, NATO and other countries involvements (including New Zealand) didn't produce any long-lasting improvements other than give many of the Afghani's a false hope of a better future.

The Taliban will find the same , their last effort started falling apart, this time the cracks are already appearing in their rule and they only just got to Kabul.

Regarding the mineral deposits; I'm sure the Chinese government are clapping their hand's.

In the short term I agree you are correct, however the  idea “ The enemy of my enemy is my friend” won’t last long. The Chinese don’t tolerate Muslims at all well.  

It's a sad day for humanity.

The Afghanis had a lot of freedom a while back look at pics from places like Kabul from the '50's & 60's.

Its easy to talk "freedom" but when there's a "rod" & a rusty but sharp blade inches from your throat its very different.

That's why the Mujhadeen, The Taliban & the DAESH under whatever name rule so brutally.

It a nation steeped in terror internal & external.

https://www.demilked.com/1960s-afghanistan-bill-podlich/" rel="nofollow - https://www.demilked.com/1960s-afghanistan-bill-podlich/

I wouldn't worry about the Taliban they won't be running Afghanistan for long..the Caliphate under ISIS will be up and running again before too long bringing more terror attacks in western countries and untold misery to the Afghanis themselves

"There's nowt so queer as folk"

Old midlands saying.

"All world's queer 'cept me & thee, & thee's peculiar sometimes"!

"Where there's muck, there's brass"!

Now we'll see who amoung those groups can keep the infrastructure running.  Cities need a support base to get the food and utilities worked out.

We may see a repeat of the Khmer Rouge and the Killing Fields; but with the religious zealots rather than the Communist faction purging the educators and educated.  

Once again - so glad to have been born an American.

 I was going to rant my views on this whole awful story, but we must all be retarded to allow this history to constantly repeat it`s self.

 Afganis=stupid will be this planets undoing...... dah dah dahhhhhhhh

 JMOO

"the difference between genius and stupidity; is that genius has it's limits!"

There was something on the international news that made me smile tonight!

A brand new Taliban pick up truck loaded with fighters, flags  and weapons; driving on a dirt road; with a big white Taliban flag drapped over the front of the vehicle; covering all of the air vents for the vehicle!

I guarantee it'l have boiled up completely within a few miles of driving like that! 

You really can't fix stupid!

I was also thinking about all the vehicles that were given to the Afghan Forces and are now Taliban owned. I'm sure that all military vehicles would have GPS tracker's to help locate the crews if they got into a problem. So why not use those same trackers to lock in a few missiles and blow the bloody lot to pieces!

Just a thought!