So now Trump is negotiating with the Taliban. No, not the Afghan government, the Taliban.

[Amused]

Thi is just bullshit, and stupid. Trump thinks he can negotiate with terrorists to get rid of other terrorists.

The inability of Trump to learn from the mistakes of history are simply stunning.

Not to mention, this is an insult to every US soldier who fought to end the Taliban's grip.

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/03/6352...an-government-wasn-t-in-the-room-crocker-says


U.S.-Taliban Talks: Afghan Government Wasn't In The Room, Crocker Says

The U.S. has reportedly met with Taliban officials to discuss the possibility of peace talks to end the war in Afghanistan. Rachel Martin talks to former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Thi is just bullshit, and stupid. Trump thinks he can negotiate with terrorists to get rid of other terrorists.

The inability of Trump to learn from the mistakes of history are simply stunning.

Not to mention, this is an insult to every US soldier who fought to end the Taliban's grip.

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/03/6352...an-government-wasn-t-in-the-room-crocker-says


U.S.-Taliban Talks: Afghan Government Wasn't In The Room, Crocker Says

The U.S. has reportedly met with Taliban officials to discuss the possibility of peace talks to end the war in Afghanistan. Rachel Martin talks to former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker.

Was hearing about this on NPR this morning. They were interviewing a former Afghanistan ambassador who seemed fairly disturbed by the notion that the Afghan govt wasn't involved in these talks. It's a pretty major victory to the Taliban, basically negotiating for the abandonment of Afghanistan, and turning over control to the Taliban... even if not officially, that's the notion that's transmitted through this action. (Just realized after typing this, that's literally what this NPR article/audio is referencing, probably the same interview I heard).

I'll couch this by saying that I don't know how involved Trump was on this, it wasn't covered in that interview iirc. The DoD might just be sick of the desert for all I know.

 

[SMOGZINN]

The inability of Trump to learn from the mistakes of history are simply stunning

Trump can't learn from the mistakes of history because he does not know them. This is what happens when being educated is considered a negative.

 

[deathBOB]

This is how the Afghan war was always going to end.

 

[Ajay]

Trump can't learn from the mistakes of history because he does not know them. This is what happens when being educated is considered a negative.

And he refuses to learn. Sad. When will the nightmare end?

 

[K1052]

This is how the Afghan war was always going to end.

Probably accurate regardless of the administration it happens under. I have no doubt that Trump will execute it incompetently though.

 

[IronWing]

America has a long, glorious history of negotiating with terrorists. <shrug>

As far as negotiating with terrorists to get rid of other terrorists, that is how we swept through Afghanistan in the first place. We teamed up with the Northern Alliance warlords to take down the Taliban and it worked great. Then we were shocked, shocked to discover that the warlords we allied with were actually warlords and not nice people, at all.

 

[UNCjigga]

I'm sure Donnie will get some great advice from Russia on how to exit Afghanistan with heads held high, and leaving behind a lasting peace...

 

[mikeymikec]

I can only hope that Trump fancies himself an expert 'negotiator' like Korben Dallas without the prerequisite experience involved to pull it off.

 

[Thump553]

We have been secretly negotiating with the Taliban in the past-to no positive result. Back then the talks were in Qatar.-a country where our major base in the Mid-East is located. You may recall Donnie labeling Qatar a supporter of terrorism after his trip to Saudi Arabia. This time around though the talks were facilitated by Saudi Arabia so all's fine then.

Too bad His Donaldship has made it one of his missions to gut the State Department-a job like this should be done by the pros rather than a lame duck retired general. Overall I won't fault Trump for at least apparently making a positive effort-a rare instance indeed.

 

[senseamp]

So did he negotiate us peace in our lifetime?

 

[sandorski]

He's the best leader and negotiator in History. Everything is fine guys...

 

[BonzaiDuck]

He's the best leader and negotiator in History. Everything is fine guys...

Is "Great Again" a code expression for "Lower than crocodile piss in a sinkhole?"

I still rely on the Webster's 3rd New International and Oxford English dictionaries. Apparently the language has changed. It must be "New-speak." It sure ain't "News-speak." I've got to learn the new stuff . . .

 

[sandorski]

Is "Great Again" a code expression for "Lower than crocodile piss in a sinkhole?"

I still rely on the Webster's 3rd New International and Oxford English dictionaries. Apparently the language has changed. It must be "New-speak." It sure ain't "News-speak." I've got to learn the new stuff . . .

Great Again is accomplished, Keep America Great(KAG) is the next era under the Historic leadership of the great Trump!

He's like, smart. Trust him. ;colbert;

 

[pauldun170]

I'm ok with this.

 

[DrunkenSano]

I'm fine with it if it gets us out of that fucking shitstorm of an area. Pull our people out completely, withdraw all funds from that area. Put all that money being spent on a useless war to our country. Our people, our infrastructure.

 

[Mai72]

Thi is just bullshit, and stupid. Trump thinks he can negotiate with terrorists to get rid of other terrorists.

The inability of Trump to learn from the mistakes of history are simply stunning.

Not to mention, this is an insult to every US soldier who fought to end the Taliban's grip.

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/03/6352...an-government-wasn-t-in-the-room-crocker-says


U.S.-Taliban Talks: Afghan Government Wasn't In The Room, Crocker Says

The U.S. has reportedly met with Taliban officials to discuss the possibility of peace talks to end the war in Afghanistan. Rachel Martin talks to former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker.

He does it ALL! OMG!! MAGA!!

 

[shortylickens]

I'm fine with it if it gets us out of that fucking shitstorm of an area. Pull our people out completely, withdraw all funds from that area. Put all that money being spent on a useless war to our country. Our people, our infrastructure.

Donald isnt smart or motivated enough to get us out of either war. But hypothetically if he can do it I'll forgive all the other bullshit up to this point.

Pretty sure being at war for 17 years is neither brave nor practical. We need to move forward.

 

[Starbuck1975]

“The only way to end this conflict and to achieve a full drawdown of foreign forces from Afghanistan is through a lasting political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban.” - President Obama

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday that U.S. talks with the Afghan Taliban were “not a pleasant business, but a necessary one,” and said that the direct contacts had been made possible by President Obama’s aggressive military strategy against the insurgents.

https://www.cnn.com/2011/10/27/world/asia/us-afghanistan-pakistan/index.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...23/AGjpo9hH_story.html?utm_term=.a525c887849e

The only difference is that Trump thinks he can one up Obama by negotiating directly with the Taliban because he still believes he brought North Korea and Iran to heel.

Even the NYT suggested this back in March: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/25/opinion/afghanistan-taliban.html

 

[trenchfoot]

Well, knowing Trump and his sick preferences, he's going to somehow get Putin involved so Russia can recoup some of the honor and respect that they lost from getting their busted shot up and bruised asses handed to them by the Afghans a few decades back.

 

[UberNeuman]

Oh, yeah! Onto Nobel Prize Two - take that, libtardos....

/s - if it wasn't painfully clear.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

“The only way to end this conflict and to achieve a full drawdown of foreign forces from Afghanistan is through a lasting political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban.” - President Obama

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday that U.S. talks with the Afghan Taliban were “not a pleasant business, but a necessary one,” and said that the direct contacts had been made possible by President Obama’s aggressive military strategy against the insurgents.

https://www.cnn.com/2011/10/27/world/asia/us-afghanistan-pakistan/index.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...23/AGjpo9hH_story.html?utm_term=.a525c887849e

The only difference is that Trump thinks he can one up Obama by negotiating directly with the Taliban because he still believes he brought North Korea and Iran to heel.

Even the NYT suggested this back in March: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/25/opinion/afghanistan-taliban.html

What amazes me is what I hear from fence-sitters who chose more wisely to vote for Clinton:

"Well -- isn't he making progress with the North Koreans? Aren't the tariffs working to better the economy?"

I thought to save my energy: "Let's wait and see. But a snake-oil salesman cures nothing. His base abjures anyone with expertise or experience. Wait and see, buddy . . . "

 

[ivwshane]

I won't hold my breath but I don't have any issue with this. Only someone who is completely full of himself would take such a risk, so why not.

My expectation is that this will go about as good (bad) as pretty much every negotiation trump has been apart of. It will result in a photo opp.

 

[urvile]

The Taliban have always been open for negotiation and if history is any judge once NATO and the US pulls out. The Taliban will end up running the country eventually again anyway. Might as well establish diplomatic ties with the Afghani leadership the world will be dealing with down the road. The US installed government has no power outside of Kabul. Same as it ever was.

At least in 2011 the US got Usama ...in Pakistan.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I'm fine with it if it gets us out of that fucking shitstorm of an area. Pull our people out completely, withdraw all funds from that area. Put all that money being spent on a useless war to our country. Our people, our infrastructure.

But what is the answer to pulling out? More Islamic extremists taking over? I wouldn't exactly call it a win-win.

Personally I would vote in favor of pulling out but having an army of drones to continue to drop bombs on smart targets.