Reply to: What's the end goal in Afghanstan?

[EC4N]

Tony and George had been reading the 'hadiths' which mention the army with black flags emerging from 'Khurasaan' and the end goal being to defeat them! Interesting to note it's happening!

Seriously can anyone provide a logical explanation for being in such an impoverished country?

[Zippy]

It's always a bloody game Zeity.
Ooh - let's make up some objectives. Yep, the silly sods will fall for that.

We are at war with other countries and Afghanistan just happens to be the battlefield. I just hope something good comes out of it for the poor bastards (esp the women) who live there.

[TimberWolf]

Shouldn't we know? Shouldn't someone ask, FFS?

Coz I sure as hell can't see it?

Pass

[EternalOptimist]

EO told me last time this subject was raised that they were "taking the fight to them"

I agree with you there Mr Minestrone. Like I said, I can see ten good reasons for us being there, and ten good reasons for us not being there.
To answer the OP , I have no idea what the end goal, or Ultimate objective is, thats assuming there ever was one

[Zippy]

Whatever happened to the 'War on Drugs'?

Still going on. Burn the drugs, stop the money, stop re-arming the Taliban. It won't work of course, as I'm sure some philanthropic near-neighbour will come up with the necessary dosh.
I don't believe it is a war against the Taliban - it's a war between competing powers in the region. We are back in the USSR.

[Clarky]

What's the end goal in Afghanstan?

2-1 in extra time.

HTH

[sasguru]

It's also (probably) being used as a honeypot to keep jihadiis in one place.

.

That's what I thought.
Problem is that there's an endless supply of Jihadis.

So basically no one really knows - not even the guys at the top.

[George Parr]

Whatever happened to the 'War on Drugs'?

[swamp]

The end goal in Afghanistan is to capture Osama bin Laden. Unfortunately he escaped in the first act (Rumsfeld part 1, chapter 1: 'Shock and Awe').

Right now OBL is probably in a different Stan, or he's hiding in a deep cave (or he's working for the CIA if you believe some nutters). Meanwhile we're still in Afghanistan on a hiding to nothing, and the only thing that's likely to see us leave is the break up of NATO.

[Moscow Mule]

What's the end goal in Afghanstan?

The aim has been stated as converting a place where terrorists were trained to a place where terrorists are not trained.

It's also (probably) being used as a honeypot to keep jihadiis in one place.

There is some doubt as to the efficacy of the UK approach to point one. There's a fair bit of doubt about the second one too IMO.

[Zippy]

the endgame in Afghanistan appears to be to extricate ourselves with minimal number of additional British casualties.

does that sound quite as sad to anyone else as it does to me?

Yes.

[DaveB]

Shouldn't we know? Shouldn't someone ask, FFS?

Coz I sure as hell can't see it?

In their minds the Taliban are "defeated" and civilian rule established with a credible Afgan government supported by effective military and police organisations. Foreign troops withdraw amid fanfares and trumpets of victory.

In reality, it's all just a little bit of history repeating itself.

[Menelaus]

the endgame in Afghanistan appears to be to extricate ourselves with minimal number of additional British casualties.

does that sound quite as sad to anyone else as it does to me?

[Zippy]

To bring back the Russians?

[Mich the Tester]

Is this another bloody football thread?