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Withdrawal happening vs how withdrawal is happening are two very different things. Trump's plan was to be out by Christmas, which generals delayed to May. This

• cm2187 5y ago
  That's details, it's not a few months earlier or later that would have made any difference. The point of the plan being prompt and full withdrawal within a year.
  • beerandt 5y ago
    Timely withdrawl before the Taliban started shelling the capital absolutely would have made a difference. But I'd settle for getting US citizens and diplomats (and afghans who've earned a visa) out before having our military cut and run in the middle of the night.
• Denvercoder9 5y ago
  Honestly, I don't see what difference it would've made. The past week has shown that the ANA is either utterly incapable of or uninterested in defending Afghanistan against the Taliban. Whether we'd left by Christmas or stayed another two years, the outcome would've been the same.
  • beerandt 5y ago
    It's not about the end result of the country, but a withdrawal being executed properly, getting civilians out before the diplomatic corps before the military. The reverse of what's happened. And all before the summer gave the Taliban time and mobility (as in no snow) to start gaining ground.
    • tablespoon 5y ago
      > And all before the summer gave the Taliban time and mobility (as in no snow) to start gaining ground. Yeah, I've read that the Taliban basically retreats during the winter, then returns for "fighting season." So it would have been much smarter to withdraw US troops during the winter. Withdraw them now ensured that the Taliban was in the best position possible to capitalize on it, which we are seeing now.