Nolongerjustalurker
Chatty Member
The videos of people falling from the US planes make me feel sick. And what a parallel with the images of people falling from the WTC.
- Notice
fluffyglitterbug
VIP Member
I can't believe some of the footage I have seen today. It's absolutely heartbreaking. On a selfish note, it has really made me take stock and appreciate how fortunate I am to have been born in a country where we have so much freedom.
I can't imagine the fear and desperation these people are feeling nor how quickly the Taliban have taken over!
I can't imagine the fear and desperation these people are feeling nor how quickly the Taliban have taken over!
The ANA were never really trained, saw this on twitter and do nt know if genuine but heard similar stories so adds up!-
I deployed on HERRICK VI in a role which involved training the Afghan National Army.
I knew almost instantly that the UK - and the US - were not serious about investing in the Afghan Army when I walked into the Camp. All we had done was simply take our respective Armies Basic Training Packages and delivered them, lesson for lesson - in the Pashtun language.
Day One and I walked past an earnest British CSgt giving a Brecon standard lesson on how to build a basha in a woodblock to some ANA Recruits - “Make sure you find 4 equally spaced trees, lads” before coming round a corner to find an equally hard charging US SNCO delivering a Basic Hygine lesson, demonstrating with misplaced enthusiasm how to correctly floss teeth.
The fact there was a lack of trees - and indeed a lack of teeth - in the area seemed irrelevant, as long as we could honestly report that they had all recieved NATO standard training.
The ANA - a mixture of grizzled mountain men, older Mujahideen fighters and raw recruits, spent their months looking at us like we were cnuts.
And rightly so.
I deployed on HERRICK VI in a role which involved training the Afghan National Army.
I knew almost instantly that the UK - and the US - were not serious about investing in the Afghan Army when I walked into the Camp. All we had done was simply take our respective Armies Basic Training Packages and delivered them, lesson for lesson - in the Pashtun language.
Day One and I walked past an earnest British CSgt giving a Brecon standard lesson on how to build a basha in a woodblock to some ANA Recruits - “Make sure you find 4 equally spaced trees, lads” before coming round a corner to find an equally hard charging US SNCO delivering a Basic Hygine lesson, demonstrating with misplaced enthusiasm how to correctly floss teeth.
The fact there was a lack of trees - and indeed a lack of teeth - in the area seemed irrelevant, as long as we could honestly report that they had all recieved NATO standard training.
The ANA - a mixture of grizzled mountain men, older Mujahideen fighters and raw recruits, spent their months looking at us like we were cnuts.
And rightly so.
crossroads
Member
I have seen many videos like this - there are no women, no children, it's (mostly young) men. I don't know if the streets are no longer safe enough for women and children to travel to the airport, nevermind be in that crowd, or if the video gives the wrong impression
This article from The Guardian reads like something from The Handmaid's Tale.
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User name taken
VIP Member
Jacinda Ardern is pleading to the Taliban for womens and girls rights to continue work and education. She's coming from a lovely place but how deluded to think the Taliban are going to give a flying one about womens rights
Venuslurker
VIP Member
This thing about adults choosing to have children keeps coming up, it's so dehumanising, they didn't know the taliban we're going to take over again, having children is a basic human desire, what about people here that have children despite the looming climate change crisis?
But clearly you think animals are more important than Afghan humans so I don't know why I'm bothering tbh.
But clearly you think animals are more important than Afghan humans so I don't know why I'm bothering tbh.
Notgonnalie
VIP Member
my heart can’t take this, how anyone can say these people don’t deserve our help is beyond me. These innocent babies, women and men all need saving 
Excuse me?
Just because someone holds a different view to your own, DOES NOT make them uneducated.
For your information I hold a degree, therefore are not 'uneducated' as you wrongly suggest. However, I believe people are entitled to hold an opinion that differs, without being labeled as something they aren't.
Notgonnalie
VIP Member
What a ridiculous statement.
Many other countries around the world are taking in refugees, even poorer countries are taking and helping refugees. The U.K. has a very small percent in the grand scheme of things.
A few criminals happen to be refugees doesn’t mean all refugees happen to be criminals. I could name you anecdotal crimes that British people have also committed, doesn’t mean all British people should be shunned. It’s impossible to do a background check on people fleeing a war zone in a crisis. Do you think the taliban are going to provide the paperwork?
this isn’t about picking to “help our own” over them, it’s possible to support both they have different needs. Whether we help refugees or not won’t strengthen our ability to help others. Homeless people are given a wealth of support, I know this because I’ve volunteered to help them for months out on the front line, have you? Many of them don’t want a home. They are content to live on the streets where they feel safe believe it or not. It’s very complex. Many of them suffer drug addiction and don’t want help to get off the drugs they sadly aren’t ready or prepared for medical intervention which is a must in these circumstances if cannot be forced it must come from the person with the addiction to commit to it to make meaningful change.
All lives matter until they’re a refugee, ey!
Many other countries around the world are taking in refugees, even poorer countries are taking and helping refugees. The U.K. has a very small percent in the grand scheme of things.
A few criminals happen to be refugees doesn’t mean all refugees happen to be criminals. I could name you anecdotal crimes that British people have also committed, doesn’t mean all British people should be shunned. It’s impossible to do a background check on people fleeing a war zone in a crisis. Do you think the taliban are going to provide the paperwork?
this isn’t about picking to “help our own” over them, it’s possible to support both they have different needs. Whether we help refugees or not won’t strengthen our ability to help others. Homeless people are given a wealth of support, I know this because I’ve volunteered to help them for months out on the front line, have you? Many of them don’t want a home. They are content to live on the streets where they feel safe believe it or not. It’s very complex. Many of them suffer drug addiction and don’t want help to get off the drugs they sadly aren’t ready or prepared for medical intervention which is a must in these circumstances if cannot be forced it must come from the person with the addiction to commit to it to make meaningful change.
All lives matter until they’re a refugee, ey!
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But you throwing around the use of 'uneducated' comes across as derogatory to those that may not share your point of view.
I feel that religion is a major source of world conflict.
My personal opinion, end of.
The people stating that the Afghan army gave up at the first sign of trouble sound ignorant. The US were providing air support for Afghanistan, that is gone. They provided the country with helicopters however withdrew the thousands of contractors whose job it was to maintain them. Some towns they withdrew troops from overnight without even informing the Afghan commander - imagine the blow to the morale that would strike for the locals.
Biden has a lot to answer for. He didn't leave the Afghan army to fight for their own country, he completely abandoned them. No one expected him to follow through so completely on what Trump wanted.
Biden has a lot to answer for. He didn't leave the Afghan army to fight for their own country, he completely abandoned them. No one expected him to follow through so completely on what Trump wanted.
the_moonins
VIP Member
The Taliban are animals.
I hope we (and other countries) get as many civilians out of there as quickly as possible. I’m not a politician, nor do I have any military knowledge whatsoever… but the Taliban needs to be wiped off the face of the earth in my opinion.
To think they will stop at Afghanistan, in my mind, is just not likely. Neighbouring countries have nuclear weapons which worries me.
It’s a terrible situation.
I hope we (and other countries) get as many civilians out of there as quickly as possible. I’m not a politician, nor do I have any military knowledge whatsoever… but the Taliban needs to be wiped off the face of the earth in my opinion.
To think they will stop at Afghanistan, in my mind, is just not likely. Neighbouring countries have nuclear weapons which worries me.
It’s a terrible situation.
hereforthememe
Chatty Member
And people keep forgetting it was the Labour party that sent us there in the first place
The ex services MP (forget his name) made quite a good point just on lbc re pen and the animals. He said the problem has never been about space in aircraft but it's about the public resources needed to get to the point of boarding the plane. Mod resources have been used to get them there at the cost of not helping the interpreters and their families who are now sitting ducks. An interpreter said "why is the life of my 5 year old son worth less than a dog?"
Twitter mobs and blue tickers can be so problematic.
Twitter mobs and blue tickers can be so problematic.
Taliban's know the world is watching them right now. They're going to keep a low profile until the intense media coverage and chaos has died down a bit. There's no way they would let these women protest under normal circumstances. They're just putting a front now until they've 100% secured their new status and foreign involvement chaos has diminished, then they'll put their true plans into motion.These women are so brave!
Video shows a group of Afghan women protesting for their rights in Kabul as armed men stand nearby
The demonstration included a small group of Afghan women protesting for their rights days after the Taliban assumed power in Kabul.www.businessinsider.com
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thegirlscout
VIP Member
In all the videos I see men trying to escape but I am wondering about the women and children? Where are they?
Underthetabletop
VIP Member
Oh come on, are you really saying that people in Afghanistan and other areas shouldn’t have had children in a time of peace just incase the taliban came back??? What about in say Ireland, the troubles are brewing again? What about in Australia, they could have wildfires and flooding and need be evacuated again? We all love New Zealand, they have earthquakes. You can’t say that this is people’s own fault for having kids. And what stage do you say it’s ok to have them again?
And let’s be honest, the western world went there, we imposed western democracy on them, what they had wasn’t great but they are not a nation suited for what we have. And now we are technically saying that actually after we told them life was safe and no bad guys would ever get them again, it’s thier fault for building lives
Notgonnalie
VIP Member
Yea so not every single person then. Many countries are rightly welcoming refugees. You should consider how you would like to be treated if you ever found yourself in a situation so extreme beyond your control, but your privilege probably means it is unlikely to happen to you.That is fine, however according to UNHCR statistics, at the end of 2020 there were:
132,349 refugees
77,245 pending asylum cases
4662 stateless persons
= 214,256 people at the end of 2020.
In the UK, The numbers continue to increase on a daily basis.
If the one million people illegally here were removed, then there would be more resources to help those genuinely in need.
