Friday, August 13, 2021

The War In Afghanistan Has Cost U.S. Taxpayers Approximately $2.261 Trillion

Zero Hedge: 20 Years Of War In Afghanistan Has Cost US Taxpayers Over $2.2 Trillion 

Just a reminder that as the D.C. think tank pundit class of chicken-hawk keyboard warriors and armchair interventionistas who helped get the US into this unnecessary 'forever war' in the first place writhe in frustration and pain while beholding from afar the American Empire in rapid retreat in Afghanistan, the US has wasted literally trillions over years propping up a government that now appears to barely be putting up a fight. 

"From its start in 2001 through April 2021, the war in Afghanistan has cost U.S. taxpayers approximately $2.261 trillion, according to estimates earlier this year from the Costs of War Project at Brown University," Fox News reviews of the disturbingly high figures. All that as the US public now sits back and witnesses US-trained Afghan forces retreat "without a bullet being fired"...  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Zero Hedge is angry.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

There Is No Afghanistan

I agree some with Mr. Greenfield.

We could not smash the Taliban and leave. Colin Powell casts a long and deleterious shadow.

Anonymous said...

Who cares what Zerohedge thinks?

The Bad
- They publish articles by a Russian Front group called the Strategic Culture Foundation (SCF).
- They subject readers to Simon Black, International Man of Mystery, who has been sued once and appears to have more glib talk than brains.

The Whatever
- The founder of Zerohedge is the son of a East Bloc spy. La de da, the Cold War is over or was. I have literal card carrying communists in my extended family and they are pretty well grounded in reality and good sense.

The good.

The educated people on debt. Maybe Zerohedge are propagandist. Sometimes to be good at your job as propagandist all you have to do is tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. In which case it says more about the critters of the Swamp than ZH.

So a Bulgarian is angry and ? Is he equally angry at China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, ...?

What was done in Japan and Germany was the blueprint. It was a bad blueprint to follow. The Islamic world is different for one. For another, what really happed in Germany after t1945 is not properly understood. Yet another is the Taliban or their allies never had a Zero Hour.

Given that ZH publishes SCF just how sincere is their anger?

Anonymous said...

So, the fucknard globalists in charge (and still in charge, BTW), from Baby Bush till now, have presented US taxpayers with a $2T bill for Afghanistan. And WTF did we get for our money? We're watching that transpire right now. Pretty simple math. Keep voting these dick likkers into power, and keep getting what you've already gotten.

Anonymous said...

^ Yes, and that's not counting Iraq, Syria, Libya, and so forth. All the while we've been kissing China's ass as they keep sticking it to us. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

Zero Sledge said...

MSM is bad bad bad. at least we know who they are. who the fuck is zero hedge? what nation is behind him? why is he anonymous when he says nothing that is classified?

Anonymous said...

Zero Sledge is Fred trying to be cute.

If Fred had read through the comments he'd know that the founder of Zero Hedge is Bulgarian.

We know, who owns Zero Hedge. It is Daniel Ivandjiiski. Pro-Russian bias is not always bad. France and Britain did not give a shit about anyone in the Balkans other than Greece. Romania and Bulgaria are free due to Russia. Romania has a more complicated live hate relationship due to WW2 and the land stolen for it. Bulgaria's relationship is more straight forward.

I wonder if 8:19 could find Bulgaria on a map. I do not wonder at all about, if 8:19 knows Bulgarian history from 1856 to 1914.

The MSM is bad. The legacy media functions as a Democrat Party house organ.

If you have read the comments section of Zero Hedge you can read the derision on which Simon Black is held. Simon (not his real name) is from Singapore, had a business dispute in Hong Kong and is considered a liar by many readers. Simon was taken out for a year and then brought back. Maybe Zero Hedge needed to fill space. Whatever the reason it ruins the Zero Hedge brand.

Figuring out, who Tyler Durden was, 10 years ago was hard. Figuring out, who he is, in the last 3 to 5 years has been easy. So why were you asking? Because words are hard?

Maybe you should look up who Tyler Durden is in America?

You are a Köln school type of guy I am a Austrian school type of guy. So you are going to9 call me a nut and I am going to call you stupid. You are never going to get any more knowledgeable.

fred said...

Don’t tell me what I have long known moron
All your bs is of little consquence
Now ho play with yourself and buzz off

Stalker Jr said...

Zero Hedge, a financial blog that rose to popularity in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, was permanently suspended from Twitter for what the platform deemed as spreading misinformation over the Wuhan coronavirus.
The site has been described as "far-right" and "pro-Trump" after it was first established as a strong voice offering counter-culture takes in finance and politics.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The financial blog Zero Hedge was permanently suspended from Twitter on Friday after it published an article identifying a Chinese scientist it claimed created the deadly Wuhan coronavirus.

A report from Buzzfeed News first captured on the controversy, which labeled Zero Hedge a "far-right" and "pro-Trump" news site, reflecting the long way the site has come since it began posting insider financial knowledge and humor in around the 2008 financial collapse.

Since its rise to popularity among Wall Street insiders, Zero Hedge has since become best known for its sensationalist headlines and gruff take on the world's news.

Anonymous said...

Being suspended from Twitter is a badge of honor.
Being in goods standing with Twitter is a badge of shame.

"The financial blog Zero Hedge was permanently suspended from Twitter on Friday after it published an article identifying a Chinese scientist it claimed created the deadly Wuhan coronavirus."

The lab leak theory was denigrated by the MSM and other booger eaters. Now, they are flip flopping.

"In new documentary, WHO scientist says Chinese officials pressured investigation to drop lab-leak hypothesis." - Washington Compost

So scientist Peter Ben Embarek said he was pressured. He would know as he was there. Maybe Leftist Looney Tunes which catchup to the truth 2 centuries from now, which would be fast work for them.

So Peter Ben Embarek speaks the truth and ...

Twitter lies and looks like shit.

And Stalker Jr. gobbles up the shit and gives Twitter a generous tip for the meal.

1) The Wuhan Lab changed the virus. FACT
2) The virus got out of the lab. FACT.

The only thing unknown is, if it were purposeful.

Meanwhile brain dead Leftist goons are concerned about how they can hand this around Trump's neck.

That is if they are indeed Leftist goons and not Chinese agents.

Anonymous said...

"who the fuck is zero hedge? what nation is behind him? why is he anonymous when he says nothing that is classified?" - Zero Sledge

"Don’t tell me what I have long known moron" - Fred

Anonymous said...

Poster is, we learn from comments here, very pro Russia, for his job perhaps

Zero Hedge is also very pro Russia...but that is ok

Anonymous said...

I lie your style 12:57. You lie like mother fucker, but you wrapped your lie around a kernel of truth. So you know the basics. Did you learn the technique from your boss after bent you over a bannister and gently stroked you?

Where is it written on golden tablets that Zero Hedge or any other news aggregator or website has to be pro-America, anti-Russian or some such thing?

Usually, when you ask a troll such as yourself to compare 20 articles on s site like Zero Hedge against 20 articles form an MSM source, you get to such a granular level that it is impossible for a worthless fuck like you to do your hand waving, over generalizing BS attempt at logic and persuasion.

Back to your pictures and going blind little dude.

B.Poster said...

Anon (12:57PM),

I suspect your post was directed at me even though I had not before now commented on this thread. Actually you know quite well what my job it and it has nothing to do with Russia. You have chosen to misrepresent me again. I have made it quite clear as to who I am. While it is your right and understandable, you have chosen to hide behind "Anonymous" while slandering others.

As my time is limited, I had not planned to post on this thread. Nevertheless all in all the article isn't to terribly bad. The authors do go off the rails when they falsely accuse American of being an "empire." Also, after Vietnam the US grew stronger. The authors appear to lament this development. I get the distinct impression that they do not like America very much.

The authors do correctly point out that vast sums of money and resources were wasted. After all, as I point out elsewhere here, what we are seeing now was inevitable based upon the initial mission parameters and the fatally flawed ally. This was obvious by the end of 2002. We should have withdrawn then and saved the lives, money, and treasure.

They seem to cry fake tears for the fact that no one is going to be held to account. If someone should be held to account, it should be for not getting us out sooner. The fault for what we are seeing now lies squarely at the feet of the Afghans and their government. While I have little love for Biden, he is 100% correct when he points out that he bears no responsibility for this as prior to now he was never in a position to "pull the plug" on the fatally flawed mission.

There is no mention of former President Trump in the article. While time will tell, it is my considered opinion that he will be made the scapegoat for this. Since he's been banished from social media, has little to no support among the mainstream media, is largely banished to the internet backwater, and his only contact with supporters now consists of emails and texts that contain desperate pleas for money it's going to be problematic for him at best to withstand that onslaught so fairly or not in the minds of the leadership class the culprit will held to account and they can continue doing what they are doing that caused the problems in the first place unabated!!

Finally, the article makes no mention of the 9/11 attacks as context for this all unfolded. Without that included in the analysis it is at best incomplete and perhaps disingenuous. As stated, I get the distinct impression that the people behind this article really do not like America very much. Perhaps I am misreading it. After all people of good conscience can and will have differing opinions on how a challenge needs to be handled. I would add that instead of being angry perhaps we should be glad to finally be relieved of the Afghan burden. If there is still anyone in the country who was supportive towards us, reasonable efforts obviously should be and hopefully are being made to get them out.

Anonymous said...

Oh it's Lapides or that thing up north. Lapides still hasn't provided a DD-214(which he promised to do).

Anonymous said...

I believe Lapides. He was drafted. He went to Korea. He was not a trigger puller. Maybe he heard a bullet go by. He was in some danger. Mostly he was a clerk. Unless he bs'd all that to the Rutgers Project. When people BS about being a vet, they usually do not say they were more or less non-combat.

Him being smart or knowledgeable about the world or economics, I do not believe that he is.

Anonymous said...

let us read your experiences in a war zone, comrade.
You have not even served, and yet you belittle others who have? worm

Anonymous said...

sensitive Ouch! I called you vet, but not a combat vet. You did not disagree, but still are angry as fuck. 90% of the military is support. I called you support and you did not refute it. Are you ashamed of having been support? Most soldiers are support. I have never disparaged your service.

I do hold you in lower esteem for getting you buddy in trouble off duty. Dirtying him up.

B.Poster said...

Anon (5:49PM)?

I think you may be referring to me. I haven't belittled anyone whose served. In fact, I have the utmost respect for them which would be obvious from my posts had you taken the time and effort to actually read them.

From taking the time and effort to get to know those who have served in combat zones much is learned. Unfortunately my eyesight is poor so I was unable to do this. One thing you do learn from such discussions, is US (un)intelligence needs to be treated with extreme skepticism. I also have a very personal experience here.

Had those planning our withdrawal from Afghanistan bothered to engage in a cursory discussion with those who had served pm the ground in combat roles as either a contractor or in the military, the current situation would have been easily anticipated.

Anonymous said...

Where's the DD-214 you promised? I bet that ex student knows about it.

Anonymous said...

Lapides was probably a telephone clerk.

B.Poster said...

Former government official under the Obama Administration Michele Flournoy hopes we will learn the following lessons from Afghanistan. 1.) Future military missions must be limited and clearly defined in scope. 2.) Future attempts to transform societies and spread "democracy" will be directed by a greater degree of humility.

Point 2 is especially of importance. The fault of the current situation is entirely at the hands of the Afghan people and their government in all material ways. To admit this would mean to admit that the concept of nation building and democratizing is fundamentally flawed. If we had withdrawn today, back in late 2002 when I first realized the situation was doomed, or 50 years from now the end result would've been the same. Obviously ideologically driven members of the US leadership class are going to be loathe to recognize this hence, in the coming days, weeks, and months the primary focus will be on execution and blaming former president Trump. If only we would have executed better they will say!! They are likely to get a fix by further sticking it to the one they hate former president Trump.

I actually get the distinct feeling the US media is enjoying all of this.

Anonymous said...

IDC what type of clerk he was so long as he did it well or average. It did take some guts to get shipped out. I do take issue with his brainless policy support.

Anonymous said...

Telephone switch board, he was an eaves-dropper or a light weight buddy fucker. To do this he needed a run of the mill clearance issued through the ASA (Army Security Agency or Assholes sign anything). He's rode this all his life.