One thing is clear about Biden's Afghanistan policy

[dlk]

He’s shut down the taxpayer-funded, grifter’s cash spigot. Whatever your thoughts on Afghanistan, it’s been quite a cash cow for military contractors.

[Under The Radar]

1. Yep $20 billion a year boost to the Afghan GDP too.

Afghan GDP in 1999 was $2 billion…. Talk about a recession on the horizon

[dlk]

4. It will be a difficult transition for the country

I wonder of the Taliban has thought this through. Biden has frozen the country’s funds in US banks.

[2naSalit]

2. that's what I've been saying too...

They are going to scream bloody murder, as we see all over the news, and spew disinformation to keep us bickering about it which is one of their best weapons. All those dirty politicians, maybe that's why very few are speaking up. So many have been complicit for their entire careers. It is a reckoning of sorts, the other thing that will generate as much gnashing of teeth will be when we stop using fossil fuels to any great amount. Fasten yer seat belts, folks, and hang on.

[dlk]

5. Putin's goal is to create chaos

Our hysterical media has done it’s part to assist in the project

[2naSalit]

9. They most certainly have.

[XanaDUer2]

3. I support Biden fully

things are starting off roughly, in A-gan, but he's working on fixing it and communicating what's going on.

[brooklynite]

6. So you're saying the military budget will be reduced?

Any actual evidence of that change?

[Mr.Bill]

8. Probably not, but there are better

less corrupt things to spend it on.

[dlk]

10. I'm thinking the military contractors have lost their cash cow in Afghanistan

That doesn’t mean the military budget will miraculously become smaller, at least not for the foreseeable future.

[dsc]

13. One can hope

but I imagine that Manchin and Sinema who scream about the deficit when we want to spend money on education or health care will conveniently forget about the deficit when we discuss defense spending.

[dlk]

7. Biden has the courage to do what's right, even it it's unpopular

He’s the leader we need at this chaotic time. I wonder if his son Beau, when he was alive, talked to his dad about what it was really like fighting these wars in the Middle East, and how that may have colored Joe’s views.

[totodeinhere]

11. And now a lot of the military hardware that we spent billions on is in the hands of the Taliban.

And just you wait. I bet they will bring the Chinese in to show them how to operate it.

[leftstreet]

12. Defense contractors are probably gleeful

Tons and tons of new equipment to sell the military

[roamer65]

14. Not if it's a burnt pile of rubble.

Once all the Americans are out, we need to start bombing it all.

[Caliman73]

15. I don't think anything was left behind that is worth bombing.

Anything that could compromise our military posture was removed as a priority. Anything left behind was old and obsolete. First generation Humvees, propeller driven ground attack aircraft, Old Blackhawks from the 80's, etc... Nothing that Russia and China don't already know about and haven't already reverse engineered.

[totodeinhere]

16. The main source of military equipment seized by the Taliban is equipment we gave the now

defunct Afghan government that their army abandoned as their army melted away.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taliban-parade-new-weapons-seized-afghan-military-u-s-withdraws-n1273081

[EX500rider]

17. Luckily most of it will not be maintained and break sooner or later.

And they will lack the skills & parts & $ to fix it.

[totodeinhere]

18. Like I said, it would not surprise me if they bring in the Chinese to help them maintain

the equipment.

[totodeinhere]

19. There is this from an article posted today.

A report last month by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) indicates that the U.S.-backed Afghan military possessed more than 150 aircraft.

Where Are Taliban Officials Getting The Money To Run Afghanistan?
They include four C-130 transport aircraft, 23 Brazilian-made A-29 "Super Tucano" turboprop ground-attack aircraft, 45 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and 50 smaller MD-530 choppers. In addition, Afghan forces were given more than 30 military versions of Cessna single-engine fixed-wing aircraft.

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/21/1029449432/taliban-afghanistan-us-weapons-captured

[EX500rider]

20. If less likely to keep those flying...or to have any skilled pilots in their ranks.

They may be able to keep the Cessna's going for a little while.

[totodeinhere]

21. The Chinese are waiting in the wings to come in an run and maintain that equipment

for them. That is my opinion although I have no proof. We shall see.