2016 Departure Date

[Bengal_Tiger]

Others can play the same rhetorical numbers game. May I remind you that only a few hunderd US troops defeated the entire Taliban army in 2001, during winter and when they had to be airdropped into Afghanistan. It took Pakistan years to recover their proxy forces.

- Taliban are never going to retake Afghanistan ever again.

This is not the 1990s, which was a different time in human existence pre-social media, mass internet and a much stronger Russia and China.

- The Taliban have lost support in the cities (the fact that they couldn't even hold on to Kunduz shows how weak they are) and many Afghans have turned against them. They also failed to stop the elections a while back, an important failure.

- Russia, China, Turkey, India, Central Asian states will not allow Afghanistan to fall to the Taliban. If you think Russia is prepared to take on militants in Syria then remember Afghanistan is practically on its door step.

[Insight]

Others can play the same rhetorical numbers game. May I remind you that only a few hunderd US troops defeated the entire Taliban army in 2001, during winter and when they had to be airdropped into Afghanistan. It took Pakistan years to recover their proxy forces.

Ok, 5,500 US troops will save the Kabul regime. Also, even when they reduce this number, 1000 US troops even 500 US troop can save Kabul regime.

whatever makes you happy