Thread by @ZarlashtH

Afghan people are being gaslighted at a time when their lives, livelihood, and future are at stake. Below are some of the arguments that are being wheeled out to justify this gross act of disregard for Afghan lives:

(We couldn’t stay forever) The US has been in Germany and S Korea for decades. The US kept a tiny force in Afghanistan that mostly provided air and strategic support to Afghan forces. Peacebuilding requires time. They chose to leave and bring back the Taliban.

(The Afghans forces didn’t fight) At least 60,000 Afghan forces have been killed since 2002. The vast majority of fighting against the Taliban was done by the Afghan army.

The US had structured the army so that it was entirely dependent on air and logistical support from the US army and contractors. Leaving in the middle of night without telling their Afghan counterparts the US collapsed the army and their morale.

(Afghans want Taliban to rule) IF THAT’S TRUE THEN WHY ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ARE FLEEING PLACES WHERE THEY RULE? WHY ARE THEY CLINGING TO THE WHEEL OF A PLANE?

(The Afghan state was corrupt) corruption is common in young democracies (plus it’s common everywhere) and NOT a reason for regime- change from a democracy to extremist autocracy.

There were thousands of young Afghans working in the government to build better institutions and to strengthen the state. For people who say this I ask: do you really believe that a narco-extremist group will do better on the fucking transparency index?

(Democracy didn’t work) At every election, Afghans stood for elections and went out to vote. The representation included women, minorities, and young people. Democracy was a fragile, young but burgeoning, and important part of Afghanistan – now destroyed overnight.

We did not want the US to stay forever but we also didn’t the state to collapse, and the country handed over to the Taliban. Now that’s done. Get people out. EVACUATIONS NOW!

(The Taliban have changed) anyone bothering to look for 5 min at what the Taliban have done just this year would see that this is a truly insidious narrative. Taliban are an extremist misogynistic group that control people through force and fear.

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