US troops leaving Afghanistan was meant to mark the end of the war in Afghanistan. As it stands, however, it seems that the administration is going through any hoops possible that might keep the war going and the US deeply invested in it.
The latest sign of the Afghan War to come was envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and a delegation committing the US to $3.3 billion annually in direct funding to the Afghan military. This is just one aspect of all the US aid to Afghanistan still being negotiated.
The US spent decades designing an Afghan military that the country could never afford, and it was assumed the US would be on the hook for some subsidy. The sheer size of the funding, however, points to a US vision that they’re going to keep fighting a war, and doing it on the US dime.
This is a problem more than just for the $3.3 billion annually. US officials, both military and diplomatic, have insisted that they will be supporting the Afghan government in the long run, just in ways that won’t require keeping the US troops on the ground there.
Everything that is going to entail remains to be seen, but the Pentagon is envisioning $8.9 billion in “direct war costs” for Afghanistan in 2022. That’s direct war costs for a war that’s supposed to be over.
The Pentagon has called what’s going to happen an “over-the-horizon capability” involving forces positioned outside Afghanistan. Yet if this is a direct war cost, these forces are clearly going to be doing something direct in the war. The definitely-not-over war.
Another “ironclad” and “unwavering” waste of fuc*ing money. Notice we did keep it below $3.8 billion.
Sad to say but the USA needs a big AZZ kicking as a reality check to the DC Ghouls and the voters, as if voting even means any thing any more. 🙁
Sad to say but the USA needs a big AZZ kicking as a reality check to the DC Ghouls and the voters, as if voting even means any thing any more. 🙁
So high and mighty. Untouched by a general world war on our soil. Protected by great bodies of water. Reasonable friendlies to the North and to the South.
This is not what I signed up for as a citizen and taxpayer of the United States of America.
This is what I have to say about all Presidents, past, present and future; “DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!”
I know it is not original, taken from Planet of the Apes, but it is my feelings. I have kids, grandchildren, great-grandchildren who will have to deal with this FUBAR, long after I am gone.
That is how Vietnam wound down. Finally, Congress just refused to pay.
The CIA will stay, covertly. That was the US war in Laos, before and then after Vietnam.
The DoD will stay all around, like the Luftwaffe stayed in Belgium and France to bomb Britain in the Battle of Britain. That was the Battle itself, not the end of anything.
We’ve seen all this. Remember the US was said by Hillary to have won in Libya without every putting a boot on the ground (except deniable boots). Same again.
Got to keep the money rolling in. Don’t need the troops. None of them were getting a cut of this loot.