Why do we put up with Karzai?

[Malacite]

97 Percent of Afghan GDP is International Military Spending | StatSpotting!

“The World Bank found that a whopping 97 percent of the gross domestic product in Afghanistan is linked to spending by the international military and donor community.

Man, really? REALLY?! Never mind the freaking Taliban & Al Queda, this Country has apparently no economy to speak of. And yet the U.S. continues to put up with Karzai's bullshit.

So why are we (NATO) still supporting this shit hole Country? The only conceivable reason I can think of is something Jessie Ventura said on Piers Morgan a while back, that there's an estimated $3 trillion worth of Lithium buried there (along with the world's largest natural gold deposits). But that's still just as wrong & stupid as the current "excuses" for being there.


tl;dr the place is going to implode regardless, may as well cut our losses with having gotten Bin Laden in Pakistan and gtfo.


/rant

[DakAttack]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

I remember when the whole war began, and I was offended when people said we were only there because of the oil. Now, I'm thinking fuck yea let's get that oil and get out of that shit hole region.

Now, as wrong as it is to hit it and quit it, we could do a lot for those countries just by setting up the operations necessary to get the oil and minerals. What we have to contend with are the b-holes that think we're the devil and blah, blah, blah, holy war. Iraqistan could be like Saudi Arabia, wiping their butts with Maseratis every time they fart, but nooo, there's no virgins in that afterlife.

[Taskmage]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

The short answer is that we're afraid that if we don't meddle and engineer the developing world, something will emerge that isn't compatible with the American vision of our global future—a league of democratic nations with the United States on top of the heap—and we have the delusion that we're actually capable of forcing our destiny. We're basically like Cronos swallowing up every new power in its infancy for fear that one will grow up to steal the throne. We support these corrupt and/or incompetent governments because as long as we're propping up these puppet states, we can prevent new power structures from emerging in their territories that might challenge our worldview.

[Malacite]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

Time to take off the beer goggles

[NightShayde]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

I think there's also some degree of "he's gotta be better than the alternative." Plus, we basically forced them to be a democracy. It wouldn't look very good for us to (publicly) say "Elect the person you want to represent you ... except for that guy... and ooh - not that one...nope, not that one either."

I'm glad that at least some girls can go to school there now, and that the Taliban is not completely in power. Pretty sure, though, that the place will never be upgraded from "shit hole" to "mud hole" or anything better. Of course, everything will go back downhill withaquickness when the US pulls out.

[Feba]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

from what I've read in the paper, with the UN separating the listings for Al Qaeda and the Taliban and negotiations starting with the Taliban, we are preparing to get out.

[Malacite]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

Obama is going to make a big announcement on Prime Time Wed. night. Hopefully he'll lean more towards Biden's method (aka the right method) of Black Op-ing the hell out of these places. Counter-terrorism works, boots on the ground don't.


What is it going to take to get it through the thick skulls of people that the presence of a Christian Army (largely anyway - not all obviously but a lot and good luck convincing the Arabs otherwise) pisses them off immensely. Plus it just doesn't work - You can't send in a regimented army to fight an unorganized group of guerrilla fighters who have no uniform to speak of or any real rules of engagement.

Never mind the costs - Afghanistan is costing U.S. Taxpayers $2 Billion a week. And for what?

Thank goodness Canada is finally pulling out (well, our combat forces are anyway)

[cidbahamut]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

We should have left Afghanistan years ago. I'm not convinced their infrastructure can really support the political system the US is trying to impose. We're trying to fit a square peg through a round hole.

[Malacite]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

^ what infrastructure lol?


Actually, it used to be a part of Pakistan until the British (I think, might have been the U.N. pretty sure was the Brits) split them up into 2 separate places.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

^ what infrastructure lol?

Exactly.

[Feba]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

That's one of the problems with democracy-- people have to expect shit out of their government. People in Afghanistan don't, and if they did, there's simply nothing there for that government to back it up with.

[Firewind]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

^ what infrastructure lol?


Actually, it used to be a part of Pakistan until the British (I think, might have been the U.N. pretty sure was the Brits) split them up into 2 separate places.

Actually Pakistan used to be a part of India. It was a majority muslum area that to put it simply, wanted to exist as it's own state.

Wiki's article about it is actually pretty good for a starting point (they have been getting better with accurate History article in recent years): Partition of India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Malacite]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

Actually Pakistan used to be a part of India. It was a majority muslum area that to put it simply, wanted to exist as it's own state.

Yes I know, and splitting it was one of Ghandi's ideas IIRC. My point was that after that it was then split again. One's as bad as the other though IMO. My personal feeling is for us to just gtfo entirely and let India handle it, just to piss off the Pakis.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

I'd like to see our international policy shuffle a few steps in the direction of isolationism personally. We meddle in other countries affairs far more than is sensible or polite.

[Malacite]

Re: Why do we put up with Karzai?

Isolationism isn't good for anyone. But you guys really do need to get your priorities straightened out that's for damn sure.