The Politics Thread

[Vee]

Most of the Beltway never admitted they got rolled on Iraq, nor have most admitted fault re: Trump. They're all rewinding back to 2001 warhawk mode over this, it's pretty amazing to see them behaving like they did in the days when Rumsfeld, Cheney, et al were the supposed sworn authorities on the Middle East and not global punchlines for deceit and shame.

This'll blow over in about a week IMO. It's one of those unique media things, like New York journos obsessed with the local races or Beltway folks trying to make Rubio or Pawlenty happen, that never quite resonate in the real world because it is about them and their deep relationships with their sources inside Defense. They think they can make this happen, but the polling isn't going to go with them and that's just going to infuriate them more. So from now on you'll see backhanded, grudging references in media to "Biden's failure in Afghanistan" for the next four years which we'll all call out and they'll do nothing about even though their audience doesn't care, because the first rule of Beltway journalism is Listen to the Generals when they talk off the record.

I think the refugee situation is important to get onto in any way possible at this point, but as for media takes on Afghanistan this is pretty much where I tune them out for the next week or so. They'll sulk as they realize the public still doesn't care and the above will become the new status quo.

Please register in order to view this content

 

[Vee]

 

This is a very strong, candid speech and the media will hate it. But the public will be good with it.

[marceline]

Yep. The people who disagree with Biden on withdrawal are livid because they know this speech is going to land.

[Vee]

I get the impression there was a lot of used car salesmanship re: the Afghan army from both our people and theirs, but mostly ours trying to shine on the White House and the press over the long years. Which again goes to how the Beltway press are so easily led and coaxed by their social relationships with the brass.

 

[Vee]

 

[janea4old]

Same.

[Vee]

 

[DramatistDreamer]

The last reports of Ashraf Ghani were of his alleged fleeing from Afghanistan (possibly to Uzbekistan) with a load of money. What's wrong with Afghanistan is more than just its military.

[amybrickwallace]

Any way you look at it, the real losers here are the Afghan women and girls. I actually first heard of their plight pre-9/11 on the Tonight Show from Mavis Leno (Jay's wife). To think the hope they've had and the progress they've earned was just a mirage...my heart is absolutely breaking for them.

Please register in order to view this content

 

[DramatistDreamer]

Other than the Taliban and their supporters, I really don't think you can call anyone a "winner" in this. Even as some people were seeing some measure of autonomy during the occupation, there was still a whole lot of suffering in the midst of it.

[Vee]

 

[amybrickwallace]

Now that's rich.

Please register in order to view this content

[DRW50]

I already said this in the media thread, but Politico is putting out push polls saying only 49% now support the pullout, so that will just further exacerbate the media propaganda. A lot of this is about people who will not accept the truth - yes, the evacuations should have been done better, but if this were Trump, who would have had Afghans mowed down in the street and spat on their graves, we would have been told it was fine, because he would have given a bombastic speech. It's the same reason some of these same ghouls love to go on about Jimmy Carter, who also tried to tell the truth. 

The right wing and their media sycophants just make things worse and worse, and more and more twisted and demoralizing. It's a struggle to not just completely give in to nihilism when I see so many hacks out there with their glycerin tears about refugees when they know that the GOP will never let 99% of those refugees in and they know that many of the politicians they would sell their children for, like DeSantis, Trump, Hawley, etc. have and will continue to keep refugees out. 

The pieces of [!@#$%^&*] who weep and wail about how America has lost its standing are at least more honest. They care about not getting to feel special. They care about getting less party invitations, and side eyes at the parties they are still invited to. They are too rich and out of touch to realize that any standing America ever had in the world - whatever that even was - was destroyed when Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld, and W (another piece of [!@#$%^&*] that the media now lionizes), with a great  assist from the same media flacks now wringing their hands, lied their way into "liberating" Iraq and spewed bile at the countries smart enough to not join them. 

No wonder so many people have left this country behind and will never look back. And I don't even want to imagine what is coming. 

[Wendy]

Politico, the right-wing shill? Shocker.

[DRW50]

They are very influential in the media, unfortunately, so this is the type of thing that is used beyond a right wing base.