US general: Russia may be supplying Taliban fighters - Polidicks

[IMG]http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2017/3/23/87b7dba50cb14f008e002f8a7e17f059_18.jpg[/IMG] [QUOTE]The top US general in Europe said on Thursday he has seen growing Russian influence on the Afghan Taliban, and raised the possibility that Moscow was helping supply the fighters. Russia has been critical of the US over its handling of the war in Afghanistan - now in its 16th year - where the Soviet Union fought a bloody and disastrous war of its own in the 1980s. But Russian officials have denied they provide aid to the Taliban, which is contesting large swaths of territory and inflicting heavy casualties, and say their limited contacts are aimed at bringing the group to the negotiating table. "I've seen the influence of Russia of late - increased influence in terms of association and perhaps even supply to the Taliban," Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, who is also NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/03/general-russia-supplying-taliban-fighters-170323161613169.html[/url] [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Do not make editoralized titles" - Kiwi))[/highlight]

Wouldn't put it past them, it's what we (US+RUS) have done countless times before.

Now that would be the peak of irony. Russia invades Afghanistan, we supply the Mujaheddin, Russia withdraws. A decade and change later, we invade Afghanistan. Now, 28 years after they left, Russia supplies the modern successors of the Mujaheddin. It would be hilarious if it didn't involve people getting shot and blown up.

[QUOTE=Psychokitten;52004894] It would be hilarious if it didn't involve people getting shot and blown up.[/QUOTE] Honestly if the Trump-Russian connection is proven concrete, it would make his treason all the more severe.

that happens when either side can't decide if they supply only the good fighters or also the radicals... decades later, it will be too late for everyone ...

[QUOTE=FinalHunter;52004943]We should just airdrop in tens of thousands of guns and grenades and let them all go at it. Just supply everybody and see what happens lol[/QUOTE] hasn't that basically been our middle eastern strategy historically

So what? The Americans supplied the Taliban in the 80s aswell. Also they supplied so many fundamentalist groups to overthrow Assad in the syrian civil war, who knows how many of these weapons, vehicles and men ended up with ISIS.

[QUOTE=DMGaina;52005224]So what? The Americans supplied the Taliban in the 80s aswell. Also they supplied so many fundamentalist groups to overthrow Assad in the syrian civil war, who knows how many of these weapons, vehicles and men ended up with ISIS.[/QUOTE] there was no Taliban in 80s ... i think you mismatching it several predecessors ;)

[QUOTE=Dwarden;52005292]there was no Taliban in 80s ... i think you mismatching it several predecessors ;)[/QUOTE] Well, it was the Mujahideen but they more or less became the Taliban. Point is, americans have a long backstory of providing money, training, weapons to Jihadists and Fundamentalists.

very wrong, Mujahideen were actually those who actively fought against Russians and then Taliban whole time .. (it's more complicated as there were several local groups and lately the 'title' was claimed even by those foreign ones because of it's symbolic status) don't mismatch native Afghani anti-Russian fighters with the foreign fighters delivered by Pakistan ISI (which helped form Taliban actually later to work as 5th column to put Afghanistan into turmoil (Pakistan goal was to get rid of competing nation) decades later it backfired against Pakistan itself too

[QUOTE=DMGaina;52005224]So what? The Americans supplied the Taliban in the 80s aswell. Also they supplied so many fundamentalist groups to overthrow Assad in the syrian civil war, who knows how many of these weapons, vehicles and men ended up with ISIS.[/QUOTE] So if one government from the past did it it's okay for another government in the present to do it as well? Good to know.

[QUOTE=Dwarden;52005320]very wrong, Mujahideen were actually those who actively fought against Russians and then Taliban whole time .. (it's more complicated as there were several local groups and lately the 'title' was claimed even by those foreign ones because of it's symbolic status) don't mismatch native Afghani anti-Russian fighters with the foreign fighters delivered by Pakistan ISI (which helped form Taliban actually later to work as 5th column to put Afghanistan into turmoil (Pakistan goal was to get rid of competing nation) decades later it backfired against Pakistan itself too[/QUOTE] I had to read the Afghanistan conflict and man it was one of those Balkan "Who the fuck is who?" situation. Like, the socialists were divided among themselves into Moscow hardliners and slow reform guys. The Muslims had a ton of different leaders, some followed directives from Pakistan, others from Iran and some others were independent. And you had the tribes, like every tribe wasn't friends with all the others and in the middle you had some tribes that recognised the Afghan government and others that didn't. Truly 4D chess.

[QUOTE=DMGaina;52005306]Well, it was the Mujahideen but they more or less became the Taliban. Point is, americans have a long backstory of providing money, training, weapons to Jihadists and Fundamentalists.[/QUOTE] In hindsight it's almost like people in power are trying to keep a war going against people who are different. In reality it's probably not that though, at least I hope.