International News Afghanistan

As someone that lived for over 12 years in Cyprus i think i can bring another perspective to the conversation.
During that time i had a lot of contact with the garrison at Dhekelia and also the local population.

Firstly, Cypriots can be divided into 2 categories, the first group are those that are born and raised on the island,
the second are returning Cypriots that grew up abroad, i believe there are currently more Cypriots living in London
and Manchester than on the island itself, this group are called "Charlies" by the first group and are looked at with a
lot of contempt.
To say that Cypriots don`t mind the Brits being there is plain wrong, while they are happy to take tourist money they
despise us, not all but i would say the majority. A personal experience of this was that i had a Cypriot girlfriend for a
few months and because i can speak French i was known as Frenchie by her family, this deflected from the fact that
i`m English and made us being together more acceptable.

British immigrants, servicemen/women and "Charlies" get along just fine and thats maybe where the confusion comes from.

As for the comparisons re Afghanistan its not the same thing at all, Cyprus has a strategic value that Afghanistan does
not have. There was a financial meltdown in Cyprus in 2012/13 and the Russians proposed renting military bases in
Cyprus for a cash injection, Cyprus is a member of the EU and that would have been a contradiciton in terms of the sanctions
that the EU imposes on Russia. So a non starter, but it does highlight the fact that Russia has been trying to increase its influence
in the region, Syria being a prime example.
 
There was a financial meltdown in Cyprus in 2012/13 and the Russians proposed renting military bases in
Cyprus for a cash injection, Cyprus is a member of the EU and that would have been a contradiciton in terms of the sanctions
that the EU imposes on Russia. So a non starter, but it does highlight the fact that Russia has been trying to increase its influence
in the region, Syria being a prime example.
Sounds like a right faff. Perhaps Russia would be better off interfering in the democratic operations of Cyprus while bankrolling a campaign to have it leave the EU. That way it could weaken its economy as well as its general position in the world, thus providing avenues of influence far, far beyond a military presence.

Can’t believe those idiots haven’t thought of it already.
 
Sounds like a right faff. Perhaps Russia would be better off interfering in the democratic operations of Cyprus while bankrolling a campaign to have it leave the EU. That way it could weaken its economy as well as its general position in the world, thus providing avenues of influence far, far beyond a military presence.

Can’t believe those idiots haven’t thought of it already.
A fair point, the way voters can be manipulated by sections of the press means anything is possible. One thing that shouldnt be
underestimated though is the emotional attachment Cyprus has for Greece, there is a lot of support for something called Enosis
which basically means the union of Cyprus to Greece, any move out of the EU and subsequent hand holding with Russia would end that.

I know this is very simplistic and doesnt prove a thing but its a fun fact and it does kind of point to what i`m trying to get at.

Taken from Wikipedia : Eurovision
The annual exchange of the maximum 12 points with Greece in the Semi Final and Final has become an amusingly predictable occurrence which is now often met with derision from the audience, but there have been exceptions. The last time Cyprus gave Greece fewer than 12 points was in 2015 (8 points). Since the advent of televoting in 1998, the two countries have consistently given each other the maximum 12 points until the 2015 Contest, where neither country gave their 12 to the other, but curiously both gave them to Italy.
 
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As it currently stands the Taliban are allowing folk to go to the airport if they have the right paperwork.
Various embassies are providing said paperwork, including ours.
And flights are landing in the UK as part of the ongoing process.

With the best will in the world you can`t just pick up tens of thousands of people in one go and magic them out of a country.

I will also bet that in a fortnight or in a month's time you will see the "I`ve been deserted by The Government in a Taliban hellhole" headline because some individuals seem to think it's a taxi service to be used when they feel like it.

Bonus points..............https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2021-08-23/marine-stuck-in-afghanistan-says-rescue-plane-for-his-team-not-coming

It`s not as simple as flying in your private charter to "save the animals" when there are thousands of people who need to be out of the country.
I would have thought a former soldier might understand that.
 
Taliban spokesman saying these explosion's are from within the airport and is US destroying equipment.
 
Expected re-emergence of the extremists/fundamentalist sorts.
Wonder if the Taliban will step in and call them out?
Meanwhile, silly sod is still more worried about getting his cats & dogs out. Fudgewit of the highest order.
 
Expected re-emergence of the extremists/fundamentalist sorts.
Wonder if the Taliban will step in and call them out?
Meanwhile, silly sod is still more worried about getting his cats & dogs out. Fudgewit of the highest order.

The Taliban and ISIL-K have been at war for a while. They really don't like each other at all. It comes to something when the Taliban is seen as the better of the 2 options!
 
The Taliban and ISIL-K have been at war for a while. They really don't like each other at all. It comes to something when the Taliban is seen as the better of the 2 options!
Add in Al Qaeda, who alongside the Taliban, was the reason the US went into Afghanistan post 9/11 and you have 3 pretty unpleasant groups that don't particularly like each other.
 
completely agree! What a world we live in when the Taliban are seen as moderates. Sobering for me was the recent announcement of the amount of equipment left behind (watch it if you get a chance). If we were concerned/struggled before against the Taliban and similar just wait until they mobilise with the equipment left behind.

Ive said it in the thread before and I’ll say it again, this will be a defining moment in global politics for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately there’s no going back! So shortsighted and so unnecessary in my opinion.

We’ll have to do the best we can over the next few days, attempt to limit casualties and hope that those that will be left behind don’t seek to retaliate against those that have betrayed them.
 
The Taliban and ISIL-K have been at war for a while. They really don't like each other at all. It comes to something when the Taliban is seen as the better of the 2 options!
Exactly what I was saying the other day, a Isis-K v Taliban "war" would probably be a good thing for the Taliban, it would see them getting lots of support from Afghans, they are the less of two evils.
 
UK have closed the booking in centre so if you haven`t got paperwork then you aren`t getting out.

If you have got paperwork then you just have to run the gauntlet at the airport gate with the risk of getting attacked by Isis-K.

They’d get support from other groups too, just like back in the old days when it was all anti Russia and not brown people.

Normal service in Afghanistan, when there are no invaders to fight then fight each other.
 
My concern, at least one, is how the US respond to this. Biden made a very chilling (in tone at least) statement in respect ot the events yesterday. I rather think that a military response might be in planning/progress
 
My concern, at least one, is how the US respond to this. Biden made a very chilling (in tone at least) statement in respect ot the events yesterday. I rather think that a military response might be in planning/progress

Probably planning to drop a drone into a cave somewhere to take a few heads off of the hydra....... it`ll get angry and retaliate - eat, sleep, repeat sadly.
 
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