The Afghanistan and Pakistan Thread

I had a buddy who might still be in the 160th. I say might because I had to guess and he would never really allude to it. I always appreciated that.
 
Eh, wipe out their agricultural base and the resulting famine and civil war will slowly consume them. Add in factors like malnourishment, locusts, Kung Flu, flooding, a billion hungry Chinese neighbors, and things are likely to devolve.

Seriously, Asia is about to get a hell of a depopulation surge. As long as we don't lift a finger to help Pakistan or supply them with scientific and ag tech they are well and truly fucked.
 
racing_kitty said:
I will walk the suitcase nuke into the fucking hallowed caves of their goat orgy parliament my damned self. Then blow it with a cell phone as I’m sipping Angel’s Envy on Air Force 2. #NeverTrustARedhead #WhatPizzaCutter #FreeKitty2020
Click to expand...

I met her at a bar during SHOT Show...what I experienced changed me, so believe me, she will do it.
 
Was waiting for a legit news service to run with this. WSJ is legit as you get...

I know not everyone has the subscription, so text is within the Spoiler Tag.

Russian Spy Unit Paid Taliban to Attack Americans, U.S. Intelligence Says

WASHINGTON—A Russian spy unit paid members of Afghanistan’s Taliban movement to conduct lethal attacks on U.S. troops in that country, according to a classified American intelligence assessment, people familiar with the report said.

The assessment of the role played by Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, in fostering attacks on American soldiers, comes as President Trump is pushing the Pentagon to withdraw a significant portion of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and as U.S. diplomats try to forge a peace accord involving the Taliban and the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

The intelligence assessment regarding Russia’s actions in Afghanistan was delivered to the White House earlier this spring, and until recently had been known only to a handful of officials, a person familiar with it said. Its contents were reported earlier Friday by the New York Times.
It couldn’t be determined whether Russian bounties paid to Taliban fighters resulted in any American combat deaths in Afghanistan.
WASHINGTON—A Russian spy unit paid members of Afghanistan’s Taliban movement to conduct lethal attacks on U.S. troops in that country, according to a classified American intelligence assessment, people familiar with the report said.

The assessment of the role played by Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, in fostering attacks on American soldiers, comes as President Trump is pushing the Pentagon to withdraw a significant portion of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and as U.S. diplomats try to forge a peace accord involving the Taliban and the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

The intelligence assessment regarding Russia’s actions in Afghanistan was delivered to the White House earlier this spring, and until recently had been known only to a handful of officials, a person familiar with it said. Its contents were reported earlier Friday by the New York Times.
It couldn’t be determined whether Russian bounties paid to Taliban fighters resulted in any American combat deaths in Afghanistan.

The White House, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon declined to comment. Russia’s Embassy in Washington didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
At issue is a secretive unit of the GRU that, according to Western officials, has conducted sometimes clandestine lethal operations against Moscow’s adversaries. The same unit, they said, was responsible for the poisoning in the U.K. of Sergei Skripal, a former GRU officer who defected to Britain, and his daughter. Russia has denied involvement.
Revelation of Russia’s alleged actions against U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan prompted criticism of Mr. Trump by Democratic lawmakers.
“If true, this is outrageous conduct by Russia,” Rep. Ted Lieu (D., Calif.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a Twitter message. Mr. Trump, he wrote, “is putting U.S. troops’ lives at risk by doing nothing.”

The Trump administration is expected to withdraw nearly all its forces from Afghanistan by this fall, with a peace agreement between the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan hanging in the balance. Those peace talks have stalled but U.S. officials remain hopeful that talks will be revived.
Mr. Trump has signaled he would like to pull all American forces from Afghanistan, ending U.S. involvement in a conflict that is now in its 18th year, regardless of a peace settlement. Military officials are pushing to keep between 1,500 and 5,000 forces there to ensure the U.S. has the ability to collect intelligence and help the Afghan government to maintain security and stability.

High-level discussions between the Pentagon and the White House on the issue are in limbo for now, U.S. officials said.
For years, Moscow kept its distance from the Taliban and other armed Islamist groups in Afghanistan following the Soviet Union’s 1980s defeat at the hands of U.S.-armed rebels known as mujahedeen. But in recent years, U.S. officials said they have seen increasing numbers of small arms provided by Russia in the hands of Taliban fighters. Russia has denied sending such weaponry.
Thomas Joscelyn, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank who focuses on Afghanistan, said he wasn’t surprised by the assessment that Russia is paying the Taliban to attack U.S. troops.

“Moscow’s willingness to embrace the Taliban openly and publicly dates back several years,” he said, noting that Taliban envoys have traveled to Moscow in recent years.
 
This is going to come across as crass and I dont mean it to be. However I don't see the issue when we've been doing it for years, no decades, I'm just surprised it took this long for a country to get outed for it.


ETA: "Issue" is a poor word choice, the potential of combat related deaths from this is terrible and I don't wish to downplay that. But I'm just not surprised that Russia would be doing that when we've been playing the enemy of my enemy game for just as long.
 
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What in the actual Fuck?!?!

With the recent unclaimed attacks on a hospital maternity ward a few weeks ago and a few on journalists and human rights workers I've been wondering who else could be at it? Neither the Taliban, IS, AQ or anyone else is claiming responsibility for these. Even the Taliban said there are many enemies of the "peace process". NDS (Afghans) claimed to have arrested a joint Haqqani/IS cell responsible for the hospital attack, but I'm not buying that one. IS always claims responsibility.

*NDS not NSC*
 
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I guess I don't understand what people think the President is supposed to do here, go to war with Russia over this?

Proxy battles is how powerful nations fight each other short of war. It demonstrates capability and intent, and signals displeasure, without (usually) risking a fullscale war.

If the Russians wanted to hurt us in Afghanistan, they could simply introduce MANPADS to Afghanistan. You know, like we did when Russia was occupying the country instead of us.

I'm not happy about this, but I'm not the slightest bit surprised. I'll also add I'm FAR more concerned about Iran's involvement in Iraq, and Pakistan's continuous, large scale, and highly effective national-level support of the Haqanni Network than I am on this single, uncorroborated leak that even the Taliban are denying...
 
BlackSmokeRisinG said:
What in the actual Fuck?!?!

With the recent unclaimed attacks on a hospital maternity ward a few weeks ago and a few on journalists and human rights workers I've been wondering who else could be at it? Neither the Taliban, IS, AQ or anyone else is claiming responsibility for these. Even the Taliban said there are many enemies of the "peace process". NSC (Afghans) claimed to have arrested a joint Haqqani/IS cell responsible for the hospital attack, but I'm not buying that one. IS always claims responsibility.
Click to expand...

Joint, between IS and HQN? Interesting. I thought they were ideologically incompatible. Guess I have some reading to do.

edited to add:

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/a...e-haqqani-network-arrested-over-kabul-attacks
 
Marauder06 said:
I guess I don't understand what people think the President is supposed to do here, go to war with Russia over this?

Proxy battles is how powerful nations fight each other short of war. It demonstrates capability and intent, and signals displeasure, without (usually) risking a fullscale war.

If the Russians wanted to hurt us in Afghanistan, they could simply introduce MANPADS to Afghanistan. You know, like we did when Russia was occupying the country instead of us.

I'm not happy about this, but I'm not the slightest bit surprised. I'll also add I'm FAR more concerned about Iran's involvement in Iraq, and Pakistan's continuous, large scale, and highly effective national-level support of the Haqanni Network than I am on this single, uncorroborated leak that even the Taliban are denying...
Click to expand...

As the host country Trump could have withdrawn the G7 invitation. Yes, proxy battles have been a thing since...forever, but even those have consequences. Coming on the heels of the impeachment/ collusion fisaco Trump could have just withdrawn the G7 invite, distanced himself from Russia a bit, and scored a PR win or two.

Trump can do no right in the eyes of many right now and I understand that, but he doesn't always have to give them softballs like this. Plus it sends a bad message to our folks that Russia's trying to kill them, but it is business as usual in DC.
 
Ooh-Rah said:
Was waiting for a legit news service to run with this. WSJ is legit as you get...

I know not everyone has the subscription, so text is within the Spoiler Tag.

Russian Spy Unit Paid Taliban to Attack Americans, U.S. Intelligence Says

WASHINGTON—A Russian spy unit paid members of Afghanistan’s Taliban movement to conduct lethal attacks on U.S. troops in that country, according to a classified American intelligence assessment, people familiar with the report said.

The assessment of the role played by Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, in fostering attacks on American soldiers, comes as President Trump is pushing the Pentagon to withdraw a significant portion of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and as U.S. diplomats try to forge a peace accord involving the Taliban and the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

The intelligence assessment regarding Russia’s actions in Afghanistan was delivered to the White House earlier this spring, and until recently had been known only to a handful of officials, a person familiar with it said. Its contents were reported earlier Friday by the New York Times.
It couldn’t be determined whether Russian bounties paid to Taliban fighters resulted in any American combat deaths in Afghanistan.
WASHINGTON—A Russian spy unit paid members of Afghanistan’s Taliban movement to conduct lethal attacks on U.S. troops in that country, according to a classified American intelligence assessment, people familiar with the report said.

The assessment of the role played by Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, in fostering attacks on American soldiers, comes as President Trump is pushing the Pentagon to withdraw a significant portion of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and as U.S. diplomats try to forge a peace accord involving the Taliban and the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

The intelligence assessment regarding Russia’s actions in Afghanistan was delivered to the White House earlier this spring, and until recently had been known only to a handful of officials, a person familiar with it said. Its contents were reported earlier Friday by the New York Times.
It couldn’t be determined whether Russian bounties paid to Taliban fighters resulted in any American combat deaths in Afghanistan.

The White House, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon declined to comment. Russia’s Embassy in Washington didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
At issue is a secretive unit of the GRU that, according to Western officials, has conducted sometimes clandestine lethal operations against Moscow’s adversaries. The same unit, they said, was responsible for the poisoning in the U.K. of Sergei Skripal, a former GRU officer who defected to Britain, and his daughter. Russia has denied involvement.
Revelation of Russia’s alleged actions against U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan prompted criticism of Mr. Trump by Democratic lawmakers.
“If true, this is outrageous conduct by Russia,” Rep. Ted Lieu (D., Calif.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a Twitter message. Mr. Trump, he wrote, “is putting U.S. troops’ lives at risk by doing nothing.”

The Trump administration is expected to withdraw nearly all its forces from Afghanistan by this fall, with a peace agreement between the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan hanging in the balance. Those peace talks have stalled but U.S. officials remain hopeful that talks will be revived.
Mr. Trump has signaled he would like to pull all American forces from Afghanistan, ending U.S. involvement in a conflict that is now in its 18th year, regardless of a peace settlement. Military officials are pushing to keep between 1,500 and 5,000 forces there to ensure the U.S. has the ability to collect intelligence and help the Afghan government to maintain security and stability.

High-level discussions between the Pentagon and the White House on the issue are in limbo for now, U.S. officials said.
For years, Moscow kept its distance from the Taliban and other armed Islamist groups in Afghanistan following the Soviet Union’s 1980s defeat at the hands of U.S.-armed rebels known as mujahedeen. But in recent years, U.S. officials said they have seen increasing numbers of small arms provided by Russia in the hands of Taliban fighters. Russia has denied sending such weaponry.
Thomas Joscelyn, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank who focuses on Afghanistan, said he wasn’t surprised by the assessment that Russia is paying the Taliban to attack U.S. troops.

“Moscow’s willingness to embrace the Taliban openly and publicly dates back several years,” he said, noting that Taliban envoys have traveled to Moscow in recent years.
Click to expand...
More on this....

Spies and commandos warned months ago of Russian bounties on U.S. troops

WASHINGTON – U.S. intelligence officers and Special Operations forces in Afghanistan alerted their superiors as early as January to a suspected Russian plot to pay bounties to the Taliban to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan, according to officials briefed on the matter.

The crucial information that led the spies and commandos to focus on the bounties included the recovery of a large amount of American cash from a raid on a Taliban outpost that prompted suspicions. Interrogations of captured militants and criminals played a central role in making the intelligence community confident in its assessment that the Russians had offered and paid bounties in 2019, another official has said.

Armed with this information, military and intelligence officials have been reviewing U.S. and other coalition combat casualties since early last year to determine whether any were victims of the plot. Four Americans were killed in combat in early 2020, but the Taliban fighters have not attacked U.S. positions since a February agreement to end the long-running war in Afghanistan.
 

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