Kabul bombing

[MPMalloy]

13 dead, 18 wounded.  Over 200 dead & wounded civs.

I can't describe how I feel.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I can't even begin to describe how pissed off I am right now.

[Mr. E. Monkey]

...yup.



Who could have seen this coming?

[majorhavoc]

What an absolute clusters*ck. A messy exit was probably inevitable but it didn't need to be like this.

Our biggest mistake was giving up Bagram. That should have been the very last place we withdrew from.

[Raptor]

What an absolute clusters*ck. A messy exit was probably inevitable but it didn't need to be like this.

Our biggest mistake was giving up Bagram. That should have been the very last place we withdrew from.

I think you are being generous in your assessment of the skill level exhibited by senior level management.
This and future such attacks should surprise no one but apparently it did and likely will in the future. 

Kinda reminds me of the Shah of Iran's fall in 1979.

[woodsghost]

Ideally, we will stay more towards "how does this affect our preps?" I know we need to be human beings and express ourselves.

Personally, I expect more terror attacks on the US and I expect some of those attacks to be infrastructure attacks. Probably less of a "cyber attack" and more of a "blowing stuff up." We will see.

One possibility I heard about is that Afganistan will start to be a thorn in the side of China. Time will tell.

Another issue is a shakeup of global alliances. NATO and the US may not be very relevant in the near future. We will see.

Taiwan may be invaded soon. If that happens, the US and even the world supply of computer chips may be reduced or restricted. At least in the near and maybe medium terms. That would have severe economic impacts.

The dollar looks weak to me. We will see. I would be surprised if it remains the Reserve Currency. But I've been surprised in the past.

But I think the bombing is hastening a snowball which events in Afganistan started rolling. But we will see.

[Raptor]

At this point in time I doubt the Afgans will annoy the PRC. I do see the PRC exploiting the siuation and trying to gain influence there.

That said I think it is very cleart based reports of previously deported extreamists returning to the west that terror attacks have a higher probability of occurring.

As for the PRC invading Taiwan, that would make the current chip shortage so much worse it is not funny.

[MPMalloy]

Per NPR:  US drone strike on ISIS-K.

[Raptor]

Predictable response...typical of those used against Bin Laden pre 9/11.

[Mr. E. Monkey]

Predictable response...typical of those used against Bin Laden pre 9/11.

What is it they say?  History doesn't actually repeat itself, but it often rhymes?