Update — Something Fishy In Afghanistan

Something isn’t right in Afghanistan.

The US pulled out suddenly, the Taliban advanced rapidly, massive caches of weapons and equipment left.  Reports of logistics contracts to the Afghan military being ended suddenly, reports of Afghan military surrendering without a fight after not having been paid, reports of the Taliban bribing the leadership of the Afghan military.  Add to that repeated reports that the Taliban will let women work and participate in the government.  Add to that the Soros opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal about there being a war with China.  Add to that the chaotic (i.e., failed) Afghan elections of 2014 and 2019.  Add to that the Trump administration trade war with China starting in 2018, followed by the Doha talks between the Taliban and the US culminating in an agreement in February, 2020.  Add to that the failure of the Afghan government to negotiate successfully with the Taliban in Qatar with those talks ending in September, 2020.  Add to that the presence of valuable minerals in Afghanistan.  Add to that the reality that US foreign policy is set years in advance and is seldom changed from administration to administration.  Add to that that the powerful private interests have always ruled in Liberal societies — indeed, the Enlightenment and Liberalism gave them the “leg up” over traditional societies, governments, and the Church (and all religions for that matter).