Afganistan - There was no answer? - Debate

[T89 Callan]

With all of the current debate about the war in Afganistan and whether we should be there or not a mate of mine started saying "oh it's pointless we should have never invaded etc etc etc", which got me thinking about the original decision to which I now believe there was no answer that would have been better than the current situation.

So lets go back to the aftermath of September 11th 2001, America has been attacked, they know who did it (Al Queada) and they know that the purpotraitors are residing in Afganistan. The Taliban leaders of Afganistan have refused to cooperate and essentially subscribe to the same anti-west ideals as Al Qaeada.

This then means we have a country or rogue state harbouring and training terrorists who are attacking the west.

We either:

1) Remove the Taliban by force and go after Al Queada (as we did)

or

2)We essentially do nothing while trying to negotiate with religious extremists who just carry on as they were but with the added knowledge that the can attack America and get away with it and the confidence that comes with it.

And the results:

1) We end-up were we are now Soliders dying but at least taking on Al Queada and the Taliban and attempting to stop them spreading and attacking us at home.

2) (My humble predictions) The Taliban and Al Queada use there new confidence and support to spread their propoganda of their 'victories' unchallenged into pakistan and other neighbouring countries as well as increasing there finance from crime like drugs and piracy becoming ever stronger better financed as they operate virtually unapposed. Terrorist attacks abroad increase and more civilians die.

Personally I can't see that any decsion that America could have made at the time would have ended-up with the situation being any better than it is now.

I'm not supporting the decision to invade or not but I just can't seem to see what the idealists see. There is no better alternative.....

....or is there?

ETA I know there is already an Afgan' thread running but this is more of a debate into the theoretical other side of the coin and the original decision.

Edited by T89 Callan on Thursday 20th August 01:04

[fadeaway]

I agree that we had to go in. but it should have been much better planned and *resourced* as a whole, especially early on.

We haven't shown most locals that things are better under a democratic system, and have generally just brought more fighting and killing to their communities. It's not really any wonder if they don't trust us!

[amsie]

I personally think a nuke would solve the situation.

[T89 Callan]

fadeaway said:

I agree that we had to go in. but it should have been much better planned and *resourced* as a whole, especially early on.

We haven't shown most locals that things are better under a democratic system, and have generally just brought more fighting and killing to their communities. It's not really any wonder if they don't trust us!

Yes I agree that it should have been better planned and resourced.

But my thoughts are that all the anti-war types who say it was a total mistake have not at all considered the alternative.

[BrassMan]

amsie said:

I personally think a nuke would solve the situation.

According to Wikipedia, it is 2.643 times the area of the UK (including Norther Ireland) at 249,984 sq mi (647,500 km²), Afghanistan is the world's 41st-largest country after Burma. On top of which, the place is monutainous.

The size of the job was seriosly underestimated/downplayed (probably the latter). Our style of government took centuries to come into being. Even knowing where we are going, it wil take at least a generation to get the idea of a loyal opposition imbedded in the populat imagination. If anything vaguely resembling a propper job is required, it will take at least 25 years.

[Fittster]

T89 Callan said:

September 11th 2001

There were events in the world before then.

[just me]

Had the focus been on Afghanistan from the start, and had the war been fought with more resources and better coordination, I can see the Taliban losing very quickly, and just disappearing until only very fringe elements were left in remote areas and the refugee camps in pakistan. It would have then become a radical fundamentalist problem with the odd terrorist incident here and there--nowhere near the number of suicide bombings they have been able to carry out.

The US and UK (largely the US) dropped the ball on this one.