As we plod through the second year of "14 days to flatten the curve", I see that the relativity of time raises it's head once again. "It will be three months before the Taliban can occupy Kabul" turned out to be closer to three days. 1975 is a bit before my time, but the pictures from Saigon and the pictures from Kabul bear a striking resemblance to each other. Almost as though there is nothing new under the sun (I think I read that someplace).
The whole situation reminds me of a quote Mark Steyn attributes to Bernard Lewis sometime around the year 2010 or so: "The danger here is that America risks being seen as harmless as an enemy, and treacherous as a friend." Well, I think America has gotten the "treacherous as a friend" part down pat, and has been that way for years.
This is why Christians should never put faith in governments, which are composed of sinners after all. Ours has been more interested in flying rainbow flags and keeping the military woke than it has been in planning how to exit a battlefield. Living your life as if God isn't watching is all fun and games until you find out He was watching. Woe to you if God should find you not only harmless as an enemy, but treacherous as a friend too.
I think it started at 12-18 months for how long it'd take the Taliban to get to Kabul. Watched a short clip where someone said we left over 80,000 people in Afghanistan who had helped the US to the whims of the terrorist organization they fought against, and that plans had been proposed for years on what to do, but no one wanted the optics of people rushing out of the country. Which they are doing now.
ReplyDeleteYes, this has been building for some time. The recent history of the United States has been very bad toward our allies, while also presenting ourselves as a paper tiger to our enemies. My guess--and it's just a guess--is that this will embolden China to take over Taiwan. What's Biden going to do to oppose them? He projects weakness.
ReplyDeleteI recently saw a quote from someone (I don't remember who). The basic gist was, "We get to watch the fall of Rome again, this time with WIFI." There could be some truth in that.
Well, guess that'll answer one of those questions I've also had. Did the people at the end of an era/nation/etc know it at the time. It always seems like problems can be recovered from, until they can't be.
DeleteAlso, I should point out for anyone who wants to comment on here. Comments are automatically moderated after three days, and since I'm still recovering from surgery on my feet there's a good chance if you comment after three days your comment will never appear. It's not because anyone hates you or because of censorship or anything like that. It's just a matter of time management.
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