What will happen if US/British/Nato forces lose in Afghanistan?

[sandandfoam]

I read today that

The British general set to take charge of UK and other Nato forces in southern Afghanistan warned today that time for tackling the Taliban was running out.Major General Nick Carter, who will take charge of 45,000 troops six weeks from now, said there was an opportunity to "make a difference" in the next year but added that forces needed to show "positive trends" as soon as possible.
"I absolutely acknowledge that time is not on our side ... we've got to show positive trends as quickly as we possibly can," Carter told the BBC

source Time running out to tackle Taliban in Afghanistan, British general warns | World news | guardian.co.uk
What'll happen if the Taliban win?

[Scarlett Wampus]

Originally Posted by stephenw

I read today that

source Time running out to tackle Taliban in Afghanistan, British general warns | World news | guardian.co.uk
What'll happen if the Taliban win?

I haven't a clue! I don't think the threat of terrorism would be any more or less though, perhaps less.

I'm mostly convinced we will lose. The objectives of the war are strategically fanciful and money is tight. Realistically we'd need a very large number of troops occupying the country for an indefinite amount of time. Its not going to happen. The Taliban will survive, dust themselves off and resume their dominance. I think the civilians believe that too so they won't support the occupying forces.

[Storm]

I'm not politically astute enough to answer the OP in detail, but I disagree with Scarlett Wampus. Should we fail in Afghanistan, I think the threat of terrorism will be increased, primarily due to resentment over the failed operations.

[Scarlett Wampus]

Originally Posted by Storm

I'm not politically astute enough to answer the OP in detail, but I disagree with Scarlett Wampus. Should we fail in Afghanistan, I think the threat of terrorism will be increased, primarily due to resentment over the failed operations.

lol, so you think resentment will be worse afterwards than it is now?

[Storm]

Originally Posted by Scarlett Wampus

lol, so you think resentment will be worse afterwards than it is now?

Yeppers. That's not to say it isn't bad now, of course. But it can ALWAYS get worse.

[YmirGF]

Originally Posted by Storm

Yeppers. That's not to say it isn't bad now, of course. But it can ALWAYS get worse.

Exactly. Tell that to anyone who has prayed for a new boss and then got a new boss... only to wish they had the old boss back.

[Seyorni]

Originally Posted by Storm

I'm not politically astute enough to answer the OP in detail, but I disagree with Scarlett Wampus. Should we fail in Afghanistan, I think the threat of terrorism will be increased, primarily due to resentment over the failed operations.

Resentment? Resentment by whom? The US Republican party is the only group I can think of offhand that might resent our disengagement, but you mention terrorism, so I suspect you're referring to some other group.

[Storm]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

Resentment? Resentment by whom? The US Republican party is the only group I can think of offhand that might resent our disengagement, but you mention terrorism, so I suspect you're referring to some other group.

The Afghani people. As I understand it, we're far from done rebuilding.

[Seyorni]

The Afghanis don't want us there. They don't want the "Taliban" either. They complain that every time we show up they're in danger. We're a conflict magnet.
They just want to be left alone to live their traditional feudal lives.

[Storm]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

The Afghanis don't want us there. They don't want the "Taliban" either. They complain that every time we show up they're in danger. We're a conflict magnet.
They just want to be left alone to live their traditional feudal lives.

I think it's a mistake to assume such unanimity.

Even if that's the case, there must be some who consider us the lesser evil, and would resent being abandoned. We're in now, we can't just bail because it's not a walk in the park.