Taliban Make Good on Pledge to Strike Afghan Election Campaign

Unless and until the United States defangs the debased to the core Pakistani military machine and their materiel and men, no peace can be expected in that region of the world, in particular in Afghanistan.

What kind of lunacy does it take to stage scheduled outdoor campaign events--unless Americans or other Western allies perform rigorous security checks in a controlled area-- when this is the likely outcome? How does anyone in their right mind attend such an event unless he's in a bombproof suit? I do NOT get it.

Failure of American and NATO forces to eliminate these barbarians will prove nightmare for Muslim World, as this would corroborate stance of extremists that even Ragtag fighters can defeat Alliance of powerful western world with their power of faith; most modern weaponry, technology cannot overcome faithfuls. There is dire need not to let this obsession prevail. Muslim countries are infested such so-called scholars who will trap youth for ulterior motives. All this mess which was started with so-called Afghan Jehad, and host myths about Afghanistan like graveyard of empires, must be rolled back by Western powers who once nurtured it.

Can anyone explain why are there so many young suicide bombers in the Muslim world, especially in countries like Afghanistan? Why would a young man, especially a teenager, sacrifice himself on the command of a far older person? He has a whole life ahead of him. This lunacy is beyond belief.

America, sadly, has become swallowed in the perpetual tumult that is Afghanistan. We laughed as the Russians scuttled out of there. The Brits couldn’t handle it. Yes they harbored Osama bin Laden for a short time when the Taliban ruled. The Taliban are strict Islamic rulers when in power, but no worse than the Saudis. I say we have given it a decent shot, but the Taliban don’t seem to be going away, so let us admit failure there and go.

I believe that it is obvious to anyone who has spent time in Afghanistan and/or anyone who closely follows what is going on in that country that the Taliban have very little popular support. And for those Americans who would deny this fact, I ask would a group that has or desires support from the people show such callous and cruel disregard for innocent civilians? The Taliban's power and influence is based on fear and intimidation, and the Afghan people will suffer dearly from their brutal repression should they ever regain power. And a hasty U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan will likely facilitate a Taliban takeover, thus greatly increasing the bloodshed from its current levels.

As anyone who is well read fin the foreign policy, actions, reactions, etc. knows, Afghanistan is far too volatile a place for anyone to live, much less for America to get involved even more than we have been. At 18 years and counting, this is the longest "war" America has ever been involved with *"officially". We need to leave this country yesterday. Seriously at the very least, asap. *Note: According to documents released under the FOI Act (Freedom Of Information), the United States of America was "invoved" with the Vietnamese people (who were fighting amongst themselves) many years before this was known publicly. Back then, the region was better known as **"Indochina". The French thought they could "own" Vietnam. They were very wrong; just like America was very wrong. The Vietnamese people have been fighting other countries for a millineum, and no country has (ultimately) beat them, or (if preferred) "won a war" against them. They are a very resilient people. They have 2 things which are they known for everywhere. (1) They fight guerrilla-style warfare the best, and (2) They have earned the respect of everyone who has ever fought them. France, America, and many other much larger and more powerful countries, going hundreds of years back in history know this. When America began the war against Vietnam, many of our generals combat experience was from "open field warfare" from WWII. This is the opposite type of war we should have been fighting, which we learned far too late.

We have become involved in a civil war under the rationale of our national security and then depleted funds better spent here for health, education and infrastructure. In the face of no winning or honorable or favorable, how can spiritual leaders help with the women and children there. And how can we heal when we prolong the conflict because of own dearth of humility as a nation in general and within our leadership in particular.

Foreign military entanglements have turned out to be such rousing successes

It is beyond comprehension that anyone thinks negotiations with the Taliban will ever lead to a successful conclusion to this unending conflict. And the consequences of their return to any kind of power will be a disaster for the Afghan people, particularly the women. Words fail.

Here we go or here we've been? The Taliban, after Trump pulled the plug on negotiations, said be ready and they are as good as their word, at least this time. Trump made (at least) two huge mistakes, 1) excluding the Afghans and then wishing them to join and 2) inserting himself and choosing a wholly inappropriate venue for the conclusion. What resulted was a fiasco after he announced (unnecessarily) that it had all fallen to ruin. That last part is key: for him it is all about the show and the attention; robbed of the big event he still needed the attention so he went with the "I'll show them" twitter rant. The death of an American soldier, however tragic, was not in and of itself a reason to derail peace negotiations to, after all, end a war where more soldiers will be killed. Trump's foolish and egotistical "Camp David" moment will now result in a river of blood. MAGA!