The whole world taken by surprise? What planet are these people living on?
Dominic Raab today defended being on holiday while Afghanistan plunged into chaos – saying the whole world was ‘taken by surprise’ – as the MoD confirmed a further 200 UK troops are to be sent to Kabul to assist with the evacuation effort.
I admit that I might not have my finger on the pulse as the foreign office has. I admit that I might not be briefed on the current situation by the relevant experts in the field, but, you know what? As soon as it was announced that US troops were withdrawing from Afghanistan, I saw this one coming. It was that blindingly obvious. But, what do I know? The whole world was apparently taken by surprise.
Its the assumption that the whole world thinks like they do.
Everyone thinks like me.
I didn’t see this coming.
Therefore nobody saw this coming.
The same as the people who comment thing like “We’re all scared of COVid”.
No we aren’t. No we don’t.
They think that the way they think is correct and anyone who disagrees thinks in the same way, but are fools, instead of thinking that maybe they think in a completely different way and have a different set of apriori suppositions and outlook. This doesn’t necessarily make them wrong.
Given that the allies have spent the last twenty year holding back the Taliban, it was obvious what would happen and that it would be quick.
Clearly I don’t think like they do. Just as well really.
I can’t help but imagine how the MSM and talking heads would be treating this debacle should it have been another Presidential bum on the chair of the Resolyte desk…
Well the deal to exit Afghanistan and hand it back to the Taliban was actually signed by Mike Pompeo in Washington during the last administration.
Of course.
I agree the almost dumbfounded reaction of the political class and the media to this is just astonishing, when you consider the events leading up to this, namely;
– Around 2014 Obama announced he was going to plan an orderly exit from Afghanistan
– In 2019, Donald Trump authorised a number of the Taliban leadership released from Guantanamo
– 2020 Mike Pompeo hosted the Taliban leadership in Washington and signed the deal to hand the country back to the Taliban in exchange for undertakings not to attack American forces before they left
None of this is any secret.
Those nine most terrifying words “We are from the government and we are here to help” now need the addition of “US” to qualify “government” for international use.
If I was in any 3rd World country and the US arrived to help I would endeavour to get myself and family out of there. Toot sweet.
They always leave the country, and worse, the locals that helped them in the shit. Unless you can get your hands on some of the lovely money they throw about, then leave.
As in the case of Hungary, even the hint that US help might be on its way would have me twitching.
This is not just a ‘this week’ issue, nor even a ‘two decade’ issue – for the last 200 years, Afghanistan has resisted all attempts by Western powers to ‘improve’ it. It doesn’t want improving, it wants to remain as a backward third-world shit-hole for the rest of time.
The lessons of history have been there staring them in the face all along, yet the power-crazed politicos of the West seem to think they know better.
The real guilty parties are not Biden, Trump, Johnson & Co for getting out, but rather Bush, Blair & Co for getting in there 20 years ago.
The Daily Mash is on it.
https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/the-sun-setting-last-night-and-five-other-things-dominic-raab-didnt-see-coming-20210817211220
So Raab didn’t see it coming, yet the last time we were fighting in Afghanistan was the 4th British/Afghan war by my counting. All of which demonstrates the futility of trying to uplift any 3rd world Middle Eastern shit hole. They like it that way (or at least it’s the preference of the local men with guns who are prepared to do the necessary killing).
All that is happening right now is a reversion-to-the-mean.
Should have talked to the Russians about using Afghanistan as a nuclear test ground. After their 1989 humiliation, I’d have thought the Russkies wouldn’t mind. Albeit only after they’ve finished giggling at that senile old fool currently masquerading as the US President.