[Pollster1]

I’m not sure why we would object. As long as Russia is not spreading communism, and as long as they oppose terrorism, I’m okay with them in Syria, Afghanistan, and anywhere else.

At best, the neoconservatives and the newly anti-Russian liberals confuse me. The left has loved Russia for a century, and in the past few months they suddenly decided that Russia is bad? Real conservatives opposed Russia for as long as it was trying to spread communism, but what reason do we have for opposing the Russians now? Really though, I’m not confused. This is about power for those who stir up “Russia” news, not about the best interests of the United States.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Dear Patrick Smith of the Financial TImes, from your mouth to God's ear, in Jesus Name we pray!

Afghanistan? Take it, and "so long, and thanks for all the fish!"

[baltimorepoet]

Should have just dropped a hundred cobalt bombs on Afghanistan in 2001 and been done with it. Permanently.

[Morpheus2009]

They can have Afghanistan, IMO

[Krosan]

Small correction. 2,216 might be the US deaths, but total NATO deaths is 3,529.

[nathanbedford]

There’s a larger reason Tillerson must discuss Afghanistan in Moscow next month. Russia and China are both laying the groundwork for a unified Eurasia to match the Atlantic alliance. It’s early days, but this is the biggest challenge to Washington’s global leadership now on the horizon

This is a vitally important, if a firm axis is cemented between Russia and China it will pick up as a proxy the axis running from Iran to Syria. If such a Russia/China axis were to be consummated, Germany is likely to peel off from NATO and align itself with the new axis or consent to some sort of neutral posture.

The consequences for America and the Western world could be tragic. If America is geographically isolated, it will soon be isolated in trade and it will clearly be intimidated by adversaries who control not just trade but possess intercontinental ICBMs capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The danger is not that America will be invaded by troops wading ashore, the danger is that the left in America will join the left in Germany and simply surrender.

I wrote a vanity along these lines.

[Wonder Warthog]

“Russia” has never been in Afghanistan. The SOVIET UNION was our opponent in Afghanistan, and, thanks to Ronald Reagan, no longer exists. The US and RUSSIA should be allies in Afghanistan, not opponents.

[chuckee]

Russia wanting Afghanistan is like wishing for a box of cancer under the tree on Christmas Day.

[silverleaf]

The Russians have been invited into Afghanistan to fill a U.S. vacuum in both military and diplomatic solutions
With Trump it may be too little too late to reverse the ruinous obama policies

” the enemy of my enemy” makes for strange alliances
ISIS is the enemy of both Russia and the Taliban and if the govt of Afghanistan can quietly get the Russians to get the Taliban to cooperate in killing IS foreigners so much the better
We should welcome watching the snakes hunt down and kill the scorpions
At least for now
Eventually the Taliban will turn on the Russians again

[Delta 21]

Why not just buddy up with them for a while and kill a whole bunch of muslems? It worked against the Nazis in WW II.

[Mister Da]

The US needs to get completely out of Afghanistan. There is nothing or no one there worth the effort. The country will never be democratized, not even civilized, by ANYONE.

Let the Russians have it. If they are foolish enough to try to tame Afghanistan, let them waste their lives & assets, again.

Furthermore, the US needs to drop the concept of limited war. We’ve tried it numerous times & essentially lost each time, in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, & Iraq.