Thread by @GrayConnolly

As it is Montgomery's birthday in the UK and as we are all discussing the Afghan War, am reminded of Monty's dictum: "never reinforce failure". Also that Monty (wounded in WW1) would always visit his wounded in hospital after every battle & would then be inconsolable for days.

Both of Montgomery & MacArthur had superb WW1 records and both were the last Edwardians with a certain panache. Both stood out when visiting front lines so as to be seen, even at risk of sniping (almost killing Mac at times). Contrast with 2020's 'bureaucrats in uniform' is stark

I wrote this in 2017 on the Afghan War & really everything then as now is a symptom of a military culture that has degenerated since World War II (the last war we unambiguously won) and everything else since has been a non-Clausewitzian political exercise

https://twitter.com/GrayConnolly/status/1204656739167035392

TL:DR this is militarily insane

‘Endless War: Nothing Matters’

There is "no tactical, operational or strategic merit" in staying in Afghanistan & the fact that Biden in 2009 argued, rightly, to Obama for an Afghan withdrawal hopefully means the desire to end this most stupid of stupid & endless wars is bipartisan.

https://twitter.com/PDShinkman/status/1329109309486206985

Remember those who want to stay in Afghanistan - seemingly, literally, forever - think it wise to deploy an Allied expeditionary army in a 'kessel' at the junction of historic Russian, Iranian, Indian, Pakistani & now Chinese ambitions .... as yet another harsh Winter approaches.

Soviets had c200,000 troops in Afghanistan, employed enormous firepower & the Red Army troops had no meaningful ROE restrictions ... and still withdrew. Anyone who thinks placing an Allied expeditionary army in an Afghan 'kessel' - in between Iran, Russia & China - is insane