Are We Right to Withdraw from Afghanistan?

It’s official, we’re pulling out of Afghanistan. This week, I talk with Havok Journal owner and camo net rolling expert Charlie Faint and the Havok Journal writer formerly known as Log Cinco about whether that is the right move. We scrutinize it from the counter-terrorism angle, the nation-building angle, the geo-political angle, and, most importantly for the guy glaring at me from his refrigerator box, the methamphetamine angle. Talk about Afghanistan withdrawl! I joke because the Afghanistan is too serious an issue to discuss without blowing off some steam. All three of us have done time in AFG and we discuss why the country and its future matters and I feel confident in saying that we will be back there militarily in some form within four years. Why? Well, I guess you’ll have to take a listen.

Show Alibis

It is true that Cris is our first pseudonymed guest. It is not true that he had to record this from the bottom of a well. But he did have to wear a mask and use a voice distorter which, almost by definition, doesn’t help the audio quality. That said, he is shockingly succinct, witty and articulate for this being his first known podcast. It’s appalling and we hope his cognitive abilities degrade substantially before he gets invited back.

I kept saying President Obama surged troops in Afghanistan in 2009, when it was actually 2011. Bear in mind, I was a History major. That means I should be better with remembering dates. But it also means I’m not great with numbers.

At one point Cris had to step away and charge his phone. Or so the Germans would have us believe.

Yes, I really said that we needed to do an episode featuring Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam vets discussing “pulling out.” Phrasing.

Show Notes

Women in miniskirts in Kabul

Ghost Wars by Steve Coll

Directorate S by Steve Coll

President Biden’s comments on Afghanistan withdrawl

Democratic Peace Theory

President Obama’s comments on the Afghanistan surge

British counterinsurgency in Malaysia

Afghanistan by Thomas Barfield

PRT concept