The fall of Kabul: an iteration of the United States’ role in Saigon?

LONGWORTH: KABUL, 2021 OR…

THAT’S THE COMPARISON WE’VE SEEN FOR DAYS, TRENDING ON TWITTER.

BOTH SCENES OF DESPERATE EVACUATION WITH OTHER SIMILARITIES.

BUT IS HISTORY TRULY REPEATING ITSELF? HOW DO THE FINAL DAYS OF WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND VIETNAM COMPARE?

LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT.

AS THE US AIRLIFTED AMERICANS AND PROTECTED AFGHANS OUT OF THE EMBASSY

OVER THE WEEKEND, THE TROOPS’ PURPOSE WAS

THE SAME AS IT WAS IN 1975:

TO SAVE AMERICANS FROM THE CLUTCHES OF INSURGENTS…

THIS TIME, IN KABUL, IT’S THE TALIBAN,

WHO’VE OFFICIALLY TAKEN THE AFGHAN PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.

IN SAIGON, IT WAS THE NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY.

IN BOTH CASES, THE U-S PULLED THEIR TROOPS, ESSENTIALLY OPENING THE DOOR FOR THOSE INSURGENTS TO TAKE POWER.

THE SURPRISING ELEMENT EACH TIME WAS THE SPEED WITH WHICH THE NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY

AND THE TALIBAN EACH CAPTURED CITIES.

QUICKLY RESULTING IN THIS CHAOTIC RUSH TO GET OUT.

THOUSANDS CROWDING THE AIRPORT IN KABUL, CLAMORING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE.

NOT UNLIKE THE SENSE OF DESPERATION IN VIETNAM.

ANOTHER SIMILARITY: THE US NEGOTIATED PEACE TREATIES WITH ITS ADVERSARIES ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE WITHDRAWING ENTIRELY.

SO THESE ARE THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE US’S FINAL DAYS IN AFGHANISTAN AND VIETNAM.

GOT IT STRAIGHT?

LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS AND DON’T FORGET TO HIT THE STRAIGHT ARROW BIAS METER.