I've been closely watching tv today and all that's unfolded at Karbul airport in Afghanistan regarding the two explosions. I've listened to many people give their opinions, including one army officer who spoke of the closeness between UK soldiers and the Afghans who translated, worked, slept, fought and ate alongside them as one team. They were all good mates and he cannot bear to think of them ever being abandoned to the mercy of the Taliban
It's made me realise what an ungrateful wretch I am not to have counted my blessings, before now, that I was born in a country where we can feel safe from terror. We live our cosseted lives totally unaware of how blessed we are compared to many in this troubled world.
Join with me in wishing the world a safe place for every human on this earth and send good vibes to those many people who are under threat of brutality and even death.
Count your blessings please everyone.
Jean x
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jeanjeannie50
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I am with you on this........ the situation for many many people there is intolerable and being a woman there will be a life sentence - as the treatment many will receive will be so cruel.
I feel a bit obsessed with watching what's happening there at the moment. I don't normally watch anything upsetting on TV, but this is fact not the fiction I usually avoid. It's truly heart breaking. Yes women will have to cover themselves totally when out, or if other men visit their house. It's the deaths that have brought me down and the desperate people hoping to leave the country to escape being brutally murdered. We're so lucky to live where we are.
Just come late to this post. I recommend the book My Forbidden Face by Latifa . Although published in 2002 I've just taken it off my bookshelf for a reread.
We can only hope that life in Afghanistan won't be so brutal this time around. What hope is there for one of the worst governed and corrupt countries on earth.
Thanks for the tip, I will look out for that book in my library.
There are some sad countries in this world. I once read a piece in a magazine about women in an isolated village in the Congo, who had been raped so brutally by soldiers, that they had to sit on pots because they were bleeding so much.
I try to avoid miserable tv reports these days, but sometimes I feel it's a mark of disrespect to ignore the suffering of other people.
We are so fortunate to have been born in this country.
So agree Jean. It’s a desperate situation for those caught up in the chaos & I count my blessings.
I try not to watch but stay informed- difficult balance - I just can’t watch the coverage as I react so badly it makes me physically ill. I was fascinated by Afghanistan as a child and always wanted to travel there. No longer😢
I certainly reacted badly yesterday, my heart was heavy and I could have just sat and cried as the awfulness of the day unfolded. Fiction I can just ignore and not watch, but when a real tragedy is occurring I can't shut my eyes to people's suffering.
Anyway a brighter day today hopefully (haven't watched the news this morning, but will).
The world is a scary place right now and I'm glad that I am not young with children. What sort of future do the next generation have. After the second World War we were told that the persecution of one race should never be allowed to happen again and yet here we are. Come on NATO there must be something that we can do.
If there is any intelligent life beyond earth looking down on the human race I bet they are saying what a bunch of unintelligent idiots they are.? They are drifting in space all alone on a beautiful little planet with everything they need but yet they are destroying their only home and cannot even get on with each other.! I’m sure we will eventually kill ourselves out as a species and then the animals will rule again if there’s anything left.????? It’s a terrible shame.
The Roman Empire lasted longer than we will perhaps. The USA is in such chaos I and many others feel there is no longer a chance to turn things around. God help us all and the world.
Yes I and so many I talk to feel the same way. People here are arming themselves. Our government is going looney. People are attacking other people on the streets in broad daylight for no reason ? I always loved to talk to people when I run errands. Now I'm careful who I speak to. One wrong word to someone and they may attack you. Such a feeling of doom among people I've never seen before. Take care and be safe.
Hi Becks, I too wonder what life will be like for our grandchildren and fear for their future. I dread it being one amongst angry people who will kill to prove their outlook on life is the best.
Jean, your last sentence has been the way things have always been. It's just now there is much more hate. More greed. More corruption. Man will be his own demise.
But let's all also remember our soldiers who gave their lives or are permanently damaged physically and/or mentally from serving. So many believed that they could make a difference. I do believe they made the world a safer place for all of us. But they would have had to stay til the end of time. I don't think there are really any winners of war. Look how we had to end WWII. Nuclear bombs dropped on innocent people. It could happen again. Yes man will be his own demise.
Yes agree it is a very scary place Afghanistan with its different tribal religion loyalties I doubt they will ever have peace, for all their prayers and interpretation of religion, Islam, Shias Hazara, Sufis' we have seen revolution or coup to overthrow their President back in 1978., and many wars before.
My father who was in Afghanistan/Pakistan in the 1940’s said exactly that. A land of tribal theifdoms, religion is just a cover and another excuse to war. US were arrogant to believe thy could make a lasting difference by going there and naive to believe they could then pull out after only 20 years.
My heart goes out to all those who are now suffering.
Nobody reads the history books. They should have started with the 1842 retreat from Kabul and massacre of Lord Elphinstone 's army. The US does not understand other cultures at all and their hubris is enormous. I feel so sorry for the Afghan women. My husband says the Americans should have armed the women so they can follow the example of the brave Kurdish women soldiers fighting for their freedom!
It is absolutely heartbreaking and now all those deaths from the explosions. It’s unimaginable. We, as individuals, are totally helpless which doesn’t sit well. Did you see that lovely family in a hotel room here in the UK, the happiness on his face was wonderful and his wife, who is a doctor, and his children, - so lovely to see that; but then you think of all those like him and his family who are now stuck. What can we do?! As you say, we are so lucky.
It is a terrible situation and should make people realise, for all the moaning that goes on about our country, we could live somewhere far worse. And if I see or hear one more remark about "we dont want them here" I will scream. These are not the same as the illegal immigrants who come here for economic reasons. These are genuinely fleeing from persecution because they risked their own and their families lives to help out the British and US Forces and they were promised that they would be looked after for doing so. Look at the mess that humans are making of the planet we live on so what chance is there if everyone living in peace.
I Could not agree more ducky. These people who helped us have risked everything and I think the ones who haven’t been able to flee must be thinking we have deserted them.? It’s a horrible situation and it really hurts.!!
I completely agree Jeanie. We are all so lucky to be safe and in this country. I have always been very much aware of that and do count it as one of my major blessings. You are right the situation out there is heartbreaking. We should never have gone into Afghanistan in the first place. It was such a huge mistake. Neither Bush nor Blair could have had any idea of its history when they did so on a wave of emotion post 9/11. I have seen a letter written by Churchill warning that we should never again invade Afghanistan. Those poor people. Total misery and panic. The repercussions do not bear thinking about. I too have been crying about it.
I thank him for his service. Many like him are feeling very let down right now. I read the help hotline for service men here in the USA has become overwhelmed since the withdrawal. They are feeling they served for nothing. I think in many ways they are right. 😔😪
I'm in the USA. Biden and his administration really messed up withdrawing from Afghanistan. He had months to start getting our people out before the troop withdrawal. If anyone should be impeached its him. He's incompetent. Everything this administration has done is because of their hatred for Trump. Please do not think otherwise. Those of you who do not live here have no idea. No more than we in the USA know what it's like to live in your country. People here are sick of what's been happening here in the USA. With the illegals coming in, who knows how many terrorists are among them. There's no way to vet them all. They are coming in infected with the virus. And being flown to all parts of this country. Now Afghans will be brought here. I'm not cold hearted. I feel so bad for these people. They have been living in hell. But the fact is that there will be terrorists hiding among them. I no longer feel safe in my own country. Any country taking in illegals should be leery. All I or anyone else can do is try to live our lives as best we can. But we are all aware that another 9-11 could be on the horizon. We have politicians telling us to stay home and mask up. Don't have big get togethers. Yet they do everything they tell us not to do. What are they getting the rest of us are not. My gut tells me there is something fishy going on with this pandemic and our administration. Many people I talk to say the same thing. I never thought I'd be this afraid living in the USA. We have been very lucky to have had our freedoms for so long. To not have lived like those in countries like Afghanistan. But the saying goes-Good things never last. My father used to say-Hell is here on earth. As I watch everything unfold here and around the world those two sayings have never rang more true. Live the best you can and tell those close to you how much you love them. The devils in the world are lurking around the corner. 😞
My dear friend has a grandson who tried to commit suicide a few nights ago. A sweet young man in his early 20's. We think it's related to what's going on here. He's a good kid from a good close family. A hard worker. There have been others who have committed suicide because they are tired of dealing with this pandemic and see no hope for the future. But we aren't hearing about all these poor souls. The world is a different place. Hug your loved ones somehow. 🙏🙏😔
So sorry to hear about your friends grandson. I think there's a lot more pressure on young people today, than we ever had. A lot more bullying too.
Re: terrorism, it's worldwide and I must admit I'm glad I live out in the sticks away from the main cities here in the UK. Fortunately my life is good and I love everything about it, my home, the small town where I live, my lifestyle and our beautiful scenery. I give thanks for being so blessed.
Thank you so much for your caring about my friend's grandson. I agree with you that there is much pressure on young people and bullying has gotten so much worse. And not just the young people but adults.
Yes you are blessed. But if and when terrorism becomes worse, big city, small towns, it won't matter where you live. Funny some people here thought because they lived in a small town the pandemic would not affect them. Reality proved otherwise. I really hope that you will stay safe and well. None of us know what the future holds. Did you see the little Afghan girl skipping on the tarmac behind her parents. I'm not sure what country they had landed in. Sweden? I don't remember. I just see that innocent little girl who now has to adjust to a whole different life. A child who never hurt anyone else. I can't stand to think our administration screwed up so badly. So much of this would not be happening if we had competent politicians in office. I blame them all. They care about no one but themselves. My only hope is that someday they will have to answer.
That little girl now has the chance to grow up in a country where women are not oppressed. She has a much better chance of a fulfilling life than if she had remained in Afghanistan.
So true. I can't imagine the horror women go through in those countries. Little girls.... So horrible. Something here and I'm sure in other countries. There have been instances in the USA (families who have immigrated here from the countries where it's allowed to abuse and kill women) where the men in those families thought they could do the same here. They got caught either abusing a female family member or in a couple instances, killed a female family member. Those men are now in prison. They found out that we have laws against their horrible behaviors. Sickening what they do.
I really hope your peaceful life continues Jean. Unfortunately here in France we have also had some terrorist attacks in small out of the way places that you would never think would be at risk. I remember one in a supermarket just outside Carcassonne and thinking at the time "that could have been our local supermarket. Its not just Paris or Nice" . Already it has been on the news that two Afghans on the no fly list had infiltrated themselves among the refugees. There will have to be increased vigilance. What with the pandemic terrorism has gone on the back burner. But I fear the Taliban victory will lead to an upsurge. I really hope they can get all the women the Taliban are hunting because of their activism for women's rights out in time.
I'm afraid they won't get out in time. Now ISIS is rearing it's ugly head. If Biden had followed the protocols Trump had in place, I don't think this would be happening. Trump may have been bad about sticking his foot in his mouth sometimes but the past administration had things controlled as well as it could be. At least getting people out would not be AFTER troop withdrawal. They would have been out before. It just sickens me to see how fast this country has gone down. We have become sitting ducks. And as I said in another post, not only are terrorists coming in with the illegals, they will be hiding amongst the Afghan refugees. Trump I'm afraid was right. Not all the people coming across our borders are good people. It's a scary fact. Do take care and be safe.
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