Opinion of Afghanistan?

[All Along The Watchtower]

Beautiful geography, very rich and diverse in terms of history and culture. The “graveyard of empires” is such a tired cliche. I remember one author (can’t remember their name unfortunately) call it “the crossroads of empires.” I like that.

Also, why is overt racism just casually being dropped in this thread?

[All Along The Watchtower]

IMO the most offensive criticisms of the withdrawal came from Donald Trump and his administration’s officials.

Not to defend the way the withdrawal was carried out, or the disgusting and politically craven refusal of the Biden administration to take more refugees or lift sanctions. Nor should we defend the general “we’re washing our hands of all this” moral bankruptcy (and frankly racist essentialism—“this country won’t fight for itself, it’s a barbaric tribal mess, these people aren’t worth it” attitudes) of the US and its allies re: Afghanistan over the past year. But Trump and his flunkies are the absolute last people who have any credibility on this matter—they were the ones who dumped their sh-tty “deal” with the Taliban on Biden!

[All Along The Watchtower]

why is overt racism just casually being dropped in this thread?