August 15, 2021--Alexander the Great

Twenty years ago, if we wanted to know the likely outcome of going to war with the Taliban in Afghanistan, rather than listening to the likes of Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, we should have asked the Russians how to proceed after they had recently lost their war there.

Better (Rona's thought) we should have spoken with Alexander the Great, who, in 330 BC had also been defeated in what is now Afghanistan and needed to retreat.

The Great one would have said--Don't get involved there. It is a bottomless pit, a quagmire, and the local warriors will simply wait you out. As soon as you flag they will move in and quickly take over everything.

Sound familiar? 

It should be as we see the Taliban moving quickly to resume control of the country. It has taken the just weeks. As I write the Taliban are pressing in on the capital, Kabul. When they complete that maneuver, in a matter of just days, the Taliban will control the entire country. 

Executions are already underway, girls are already being forbidden to go to school. 

The U.S. is left with nothing but humiliation, including pleading with the Taliban to "spare" our embassy in the capital.

After spending nearly $2.0 trillion on military operations, with 2,312 American combat deaths and 21,000 wounded, we are left with beseeching the Taliban, our enemy, to protect us.

Alexander would have had something to say about that too--big powers lose when they ask their enemies to help them save face, when the asking itself is a form of capitulation and defeat.

This should be understood as a part of a pattern that we have seen since our defeat in Vietnam.

Will we ever learn?