SuziQ
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The Fall Of Kabul To The Taliban
- Thread starter MajorHoople
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I suppose I question whether foreign governments are to blame for all Afghanis who are stuck in the country, or whether some Afghanis were relaxed about leaving the country. They knew the Taliban was marching, murdering, invading, commandeering and controlling the country before the Taliban arrived in Kabul. Some former Afghani translators were offered free plane tickets and free luxury hotels, paid for by the Canadian Government. Some remained in Kabul for 2-3 months living the Taliban-free high-life after they were cleared to land in Canada with their families.
Even if there were no direct flights, there must have been flight routings that they could have taken to Canada. They have immigration documents. The only thing stopping them a month ago was perhaps forking-over the cost of airfare. Why sit in a nice hotel for a couple of months waiting to be spoon-fed more freebies? Why didn't they take the initiative and get out while they could? They're not helpless. They managed to be fluent in two languages for military purposes.
People make choices. Although I don't like how Biden is dealing with this situation, he made a good point. If the people of Afghanistan are unwilling to fight for their country, why should foreigners die in their fight? Trained Afghan troops and societal structure were in place after 20 years, yet when Afghanis were asked to stand on their own two feet, they handed their weapons to the Taliban and walked away.
Granted, it's a very old civilization. Twenty years is but a blink of an eye in the big picture. It was absurd to think that such a well established ancient culture could be re-written by force in one generation.
Even if there were no direct flights, there must have been flight routings that they could have taken to Canada. They have immigration documents. The only thing stopping them a month ago was perhaps forking-over the cost of airfare. Why sit in a nice hotel for a couple of months waiting to be spoon-fed more freebies? Why didn't they take the initiative and get out while they could? They're not helpless. They managed to be fluent in two languages for military purposes.
People make choices. Although I don't like how Biden is dealing with this situation, he made a good point. If the people of Afghanistan are unwilling to fight for their country, why should foreigners die in their fight? Trained Afghan troops and societal structure were in place after 20 years, yet when Afghanis were asked to stand on their own two feet, they handed their weapons to the Taliban and walked away.
Granted, it's a very old civilization. Twenty years is but a blink of an eye in the big picture. It was absurd to think that such a well established ancient culture could be re-written by force in one generation.
SuziQ
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sds71
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The skies above Kabul have been abuzz over the past week with massive cargo planes flying out equipment amid the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Some are flying out of Bagram Air Base, a monster American stronghold once home to 40,000 military personnel and civilian contractors at the peak of the war here. Today, there are 3,300 U.S. troops in the entire country, who, like their NATO colleagues, are all scheduled to leave by the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Yet contractors who make up America’s largest force in Afghanistan are beefing up their presence just in time to plug the vacuum that will be left behind...
But as some Americans leave, others are also arriving at Bagram, which senior Afghan military officials have confirmed will be the remaining hub for contractors. In April, 70 American security and defense firms started advertising more than 100 new security and intelligence positions, some with year contracts that go beyond September 11, 2021…
U.S. Is Leaving Afghanistan? Tell That to the Contractors.
Yet contractors who make up America’s largest force in Afghanistan are beefing up their presence just in time to plug the vacuum that will be left behind...
But as some Americans leave, others are also arriving at Bagram, which senior Afghan military officials have confirmed will be the remaining hub for contractors. In April, 70 American security and defense firms started advertising more than 100 new security and intelligence positions, some with year contracts that go beyond September 11, 2021…
U.S. Is Leaving Afghanistan? Tell That to the Contractors.
The Taliban and ISIS are pushing to see how far they can go, and what they can get away with, before they are stopped. They will not stop on their own.
As it looks, no one is going to stand in their way. Biden has separated himself from G7. Biden has the military might, the EU is next door to the problem. Canada is the little sister of the USA - tagging along, always happy to help. No one should suggest that other countries have not pulled their weight, or not "ponied up" regarding Afghanistan. Everyone has done their part. The G7 is democratic countries pursuing global peace and prosperity.
Biden was missing at the Afghanistan crisis meeting today. Biden is standing down, not attending the G7 meeting. The Taliban told Biden to get out by Aug 31, and he said "okay." Biden wants to stand alone rather than as part of the G7 team.
Canada said they would remain in Afghanistan after August 31. This statement was later revised by the Prime Minister's Office stipulating that this would only happen if the USA remained after Aug 31.
There's a photo of a military plane flying out of Kabul using anti-missile flares at a fairly low elevation. The below photo was two days ago - bit late for the Pentagon to announce that flares are needed for evacuations.
"French Air Force A400M is seen dispensing flares as it departs from Kabul on August 22, 2021.
"Evacuation planes landing in Kabul to rescue US citizens and Afghans are taking no chances — they’re making nose-dive combat landings and deploying decoy flares to ward off potential missile attacks.
One French Air Force A400M taking off from the beleaguered airport launched a half-dozen flares moments after takeoff, footage from ITV Turkey posted by CBS News shows.
The flares are designed to draw heat-seeking missiles away from the aircraft."
One French Air Force A400M taking off from the beleaguered airport launched a half-dozen flares moments after takeoff, footage from ITV Turkey posted by CBS News shows.
The flares are designed to draw heat-seeking missiles away from the aircraft."
August 22, 2021
Evacuation planes using combat landings, decoy flares at Kabul airport
16 August 2021
Chaos in Kabul as Westerners, Afghans attempt to flee Taliban rout
KALI
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I do not believe that ANY World leader during a crisis would make a Statement to its Citizens, followed by turning their back and walking away. Not once, not twice, not three times, but now four times.
I honestly don't think that in the history of mankind, a leader has ever done this before?
I could be wrong... but, I'm pretty smart. My guess is that NEVER in the history of mankind has any leader ever, turned his back to crisis questions by his followers.
I honestly don't think that in the history of mankind, a leader has ever done this before?
I could be wrong... but, I'm pretty smart. My guess is that NEVER in the history of mankind has any leader ever, turned his back to crisis questions by his followers.
That is what the world is seeing as well. The president of the USA appears to be a man who cannot have a conversation. He can read the teleprompter to the end where it tells him to exit the room immediately, but the world needs to see that he can think on his feet. It is too great a responsibility at this time for the USA to have a puppet at the helm. If he is merely a puppet, who might be holding the puppet? If not Joe, who is calling the shots, skipping global crisis meetings, letting the Taliban call the shots, being too woke to understand the situation?
JustReading01
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It was private Canadian donors who managed the funds to fly he and his family from one city to another city within Afghanistan - that is the flight portion of the story.
Then, in Kabul they were given a spot in one of three hotels that are safe houses with dozens of other ex-employees of Canada.
They have all been waiting everyday in hope for a month, for news of a flight to let them leave the country. They did not have tickets paid for to leave Afghanistan, only to leave their smaller city and group them with other ones who need to leave.
Canadian military should be the ones helping here. Good news is that the Canadian forces are authorized now to leave the airport to retrieve Afghanis.
It's one thing to stumble during the withdrawal of the peace keeping mission in Afghanistan, it's something altogether different to withdraw peace keepers first, and then do nothing as the country is over-run by the enemy that has been fought for two decades.
Of course the Taliban is calling the shots. The G7 had a crisis meeting about Afghanistan and the USA leadership did not bother to show up. The USA presumes to be speaking for democracy, but for some odd reason views this as a solo teleprompter reading without consulting global democracy, or dialogue.
Something does not seem well with the USA for a few years already. What is happening today with the USA globally seems disastrous. There's China, Russia and the USA. The USA is asleep. What will we see next?
Up to 100 Afghan evacuees flown out of war-torn Kabul are on terror watch lists, US official warns | Daily Mail Online
As many as 100 Afghan evacuees flown out of war-torn Kabul are on intelligence agency watch lists, a United States government official warned on Tuesday as it was revealed one passenger flown out to Qatar has potential ties to ISIS.
The Afghans, potential candidates for Special Immigration Visas (SIV), were flagged as possible matches to intelligence agency watch lists by the Defense Department's Automated Biometric Identification System, an official with the U.S. government told Defense One.
The Afghan who has potential ties to ISIS was detected by security screeners at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after they were evacuated from Kabul Airport, another official told the outlet. There have been 6,000 Afghans taken to the air base.
'Intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals are conducting screening and security vetting for all SIV applicants and other vulnerable Afghans before they are allowed into the United States,' a State Department spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
'We are surging resources to evaluate each case and process these as efficiently as possible to protect homeland security.'
The State Department declined to confirm to DailyMail.com whether any immigrants have been flagged for having ties to ISIS, and it is unclear if they were processed before or after leaving Kabul.
As many as 100 Afghan evacuees flown out of war-torn Kabul are on intelligence agency watch lists, a United States government official warned on Tuesday as it was revealed one passenger flown out to Qatar has potential ties to ISIS.
The Afghans, potential candidates for Special Immigration Visas (SIV), were flagged as possible matches to intelligence agency watch lists by the Defense Department's Automated Biometric Identification System, an official with the U.S. government told Defense One.
The Afghan who has potential ties to ISIS was detected by security screeners at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after they were evacuated from Kabul Airport, another official told the outlet. There have been 6,000 Afghans taken to the air base.
'Intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals are conducting screening and security vetting for all SIV applicants and other vulnerable Afghans before they are allowed into the United States,' a State Department spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
'We are surging resources to evaluate each case and process these as efficiently as possible to protect homeland security.'
The State Department declined to confirm to DailyMail.com whether any immigrants have been flagged for having ties to ISIS, and it is unclear if they were processed before or after leaving Kabul.
Exactly. In June, an Afghan translator and his entire family (which sometimes includes disabled mothers and teenage sisters) were provided Canadian citizenship, plane tickets, flight bookings, and luxury hotels in Kabul for 2-3 months (Jun - Aug, 2021). They had safe passage to Canada and citizenship for family in June. They had plane tickets from Kandahar to Kabul in June, but didn't arrive until late July. In August, educated international military translators were lounging around luxury hotels waiting for someone else to do what?
The Kabul airport was not grounded in June or July, and only became a safety risk in the last two weeks. Today, people are storming the airport, claiming that they will be killed if they are not given special privilege. Some of these same people had special privilege in June, yet they had done little to leave the country until the Taliban invaded Kabul in mid-August. Why didn't they leave sooner? What were they waiting for? They had citizenship papers for another country for the entire family, but what - they couldn't afford airfare? Why did they sit in the luxury hotels for a month rather than flee? Did they appear important sitting in a hotel paid by Canadians. waiting for a Canadian to pay for the airplane too?
As you point out, "they did not have tickets paid for to leave Afghanistan." Who did they expect would pay for their tickets? Someone else? Canadian taxpayers? Were they not paid properly as translators? Did they not receive a decent enough income to pay for a plane ticket? Did they decide that it was better to do nothing until Canadians paid their way while the Taliban marched to Kabul?
I don't understand. Are these educated military translators, or people who cannot think for themselves?
Canadian military should help people who will at least help themselves, but no, they should not risk their lives for people who act helpless for no good reason. Afghanistan citizens should be willing to help themselves. If they don't care, why should anyone else?
Translators?
Ex-Royal Marine Pen Farthing WILL be able to airlift staff and 200 animals from Kabul | Daily Mail Online
A former Royal Marine who claims the Defence Secretary blocked a charter flight to get 200 animals and 69 people working at his Kabul animal shelter out of Afghanistan has been given fresh hope after Ben Wallace gave the green light for the evacuation.
Paul 'Pen' Farthing, the founder of Nowzad, said Boris Johnson had approved a flight he had crowdfunded to evacuate cats and dogs as well as his staff - but that Mr Wallace had blocked the evacuation by refusing to sign air signs needed for it to land at Kabul airport.
Yesterday the Defence Secretary insisted that the major problem with evacuations from the Afghan capital has been getting British nationals past Taliban checkpoints surrounding Hamid Karzai International Airport after Kabul fell to the jihadists earlier this month.
But a Sky News video of a Vauxhall hatchback entering a military cargo jet prompted a counter-blast from animal rights activists including the comedian Ricky Gervais and actor Peter Egan, who accused the Ministry of Defence of caring more about a car than 'sentient animals'.
Mr Wallace has now announced in a series of tweets that if Mr Farthing arrived at the airport with his staff and animals, officials would allow them to leave on the chartered aircraft.
Britain is working 'full speed' to rescue 4,000 Britons and Afghan allies still stuck in Kabul over the next 36 hours after Joe Biden sparked fury by swatting away demands from Boris Johnson and other G7 leaders to extend the August 31 withdrawal deadline.
'Now that Pen Farthing's staff have been cleared to come forward under LOTR I have authorised MOD to facilitate their processing alongside all other eligible personnel at (Kabul airport). At that stage, if he arrives with his animals we will seek a slot for his plane,' Mr Wallace tweeted.
'If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF flight. I have been consistent all along, ensuring those most at risk are processed first and that the limiting factor has been flow THROUGH to airside NOT airplane capacity.'
A former Royal Marine who claims the Defence Secretary blocked a charter flight to get 200 animals and 69 people working at his Kabul animal shelter out of Afghanistan has been given fresh hope after Ben Wallace gave the green light for the evacuation.
Paul 'Pen' Farthing, the founder of Nowzad, said Boris Johnson had approved a flight he had crowdfunded to evacuate cats and dogs as well as his staff - but that Mr Wallace had blocked the evacuation by refusing to sign air signs needed for it to land at Kabul airport.
Yesterday the Defence Secretary insisted that the major problem with evacuations from the Afghan capital has been getting British nationals past Taliban checkpoints surrounding Hamid Karzai International Airport after Kabul fell to the jihadists earlier this month.
But a Sky News video of a Vauxhall hatchback entering a military cargo jet prompted a counter-blast from animal rights activists including the comedian Ricky Gervais and actor Peter Egan, who accused the Ministry of Defence of caring more about a car than 'sentient animals'.
Mr Wallace has now announced in a series of tweets that if Mr Farthing arrived at the airport with his staff and animals, officials would allow them to leave on the chartered aircraft.
Britain is working 'full speed' to rescue 4,000 Britons and Afghan allies still stuck in Kabul over the next 36 hours after Joe Biden sparked fury by swatting away demands from Boris Johnson and other G7 leaders to extend the August 31 withdrawal deadline.
'Now that Pen Farthing's staff have been cleared to come forward under LOTR I have authorised MOD to facilitate their processing alongside all other eligible personnel at (Kabul airport). At that stage, if he arrives with his animals we will seek a slot for his plane,' Mr Wallace tweeted.
'If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF flight. I have been consistent all along, ensuring those most at risk are processed first and that the limiting factor has been flow THROUGH to airside NOT airplane capacity.'
Taliban vow to tackle CLIMATE CHANGE amid civilian executions and eradication of women's freedoms | Daily Mail Online
The Taliban has vowed to tackle climate change and global security as part of the terror group's attempt to rebrand itself and modernise despite reports of civilian executions and the erosion of women's rights under the new Afghan regime.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a member of the Taliban's Cultural Commission, says the Islamists want to play a role on the global stage.
He told Newsweek: 'We hope not only to be recognised by regional countries but the entire world at large as the legitimate representative government of the people of Afghanistan who have gained their right of self-determination from a foreign occupation with the backing and support of an entire nation after a prolonged struggle and immense sacrifices despite all odds being stacked against our people.
'We believe the world has a unique opportunity of rapprochement and coming together to tackle the challenges not only facing us but the entire humanity.
'These challenges ranging from world security and climate change need the collective efforts of all, and cannot be achieved if we exclude or ignore an entire people who have been devastated by imposed wars for the past four decades.'
The Taliban has vowed to tackle climate change and global security as part of the terror group's attempt to rebrand itself and modernise despite reports of civilian executions and the erosion of women's rights under the new Afghan regime.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a member of the Taliban's Cultural Commission, says the Islamists want to play a role on the global stage.
He told Newsweek: 'We hope not only to be recognised by regional countries but the entire world at large as the legitimate representative government of the people of Afghanistan who have gained their right of self-determination from a foreign occupation with the backing and support of an entire nation after a prolonged struggle and immense sacrifices despite all odds being stacked against our people.
'We believe the world has a unique opportunity of rapprochement and coming together to tackle the challenges not only facing us but the entire humanity.
'These challenges ranging from world security and climate change need the collective efforts of all, and cannot be achieved if we exclude or ignore an entire people who have been devastated by imposed wars for the past four decades.'
Afghanistan evacuation: Man beaten bloody by Taliban as airlift nears its end | Daily Mail Online
Bloodied and beaten by the Taliban - this was the fate of one man claiming to be an Australian citizen as he tried to reach Kabul airport today with just hours to go before mercy flights out of Afghanistan stop.
The man, whose identity is unknown, was attacked after the Taliban vowed to stop people reaching the airport in blatant defiance of Joe Biden's demand that evacuation flights be allowed to continue unimpeded - with the American President unwilling or unable to do anything about it.
Video shows the man at what appears to be a Taliban checkpoint with blood running down his face and dripping on to his pink polo shirt, saying in accented English: 'They hit me... I am an Australian citizen.'
He then talks about trying to reach the airport, though his words are partially obscured by the sound of Taliban guards cocking and firing an AK47 rifle over his head - before the footage cuts out.
But even those who are lucky enough to make it past the Taliban must still navigate a huge crowd of evacuees surrounding the airport, where hope is fast turning to panic and anger as the final planes depart.
Lord David Richards, former chief of UK defence staff, said he is 'pretty certain' that British flights will have to stop on Friday to allow enough time for 1,000 troops to fully withdraw by August 31, the date Joe Biden committed to yesterday under threats from the Taliban.
France says it is 'very probable' that its flights will stop tomorrow, while Poland announced today that it has already stopped flights due to the 'security situation' at the airport.
Fears are now growing that civilians could rush the runway and trigger a deadly stampede in a repeat of the horror scenes from last week, or else opportunistic terror groups such as ISIS could attack packed crowds - fears that will only grow as troop numbers dwindle.
Bloodied and beaten by the Taliban - this was the fate of one man claiming to be an Australian citizen as he tried to reach Kabul airport today with just hours to go before mercy flights out of Afghanistan stop.
The man, whose identity is unknown, was attacked after the Taliban vowed to stop people reaching the airport in blatant defiance of Joe Biden's demand that evacuation flights be allowed to continue unimpeded - with the American President unwilling or unable to do anything about it.
Video shows the man at what appears to be a Taliban checkpoint with blood running down his face and dripping on to his pink polo shirt, saying in accented English: 'They hit me... I am an Australian citizen.'
He then talks about trying to reach the airport, though his words are partially obscured by the sound of Taliban guards cocking and firing an AK47 rifle over his head - before the footage cuts out.
But even those who are lucky enough to make it past the Taliban must still navigate a huge crowd of evacuees surrounding the airport, where hope is fast turning to panic and anger as the final planes depart.
Lord David Richards, former chief of UK defence staff, said he is 'pretty certain' that British flights will have to stop on Friday to allow enough time for 1,000 troops to fully withdraw by August 31, the date Joe Biden committed to yesterday under threats from the Taliban.
France says it is 'very probable' that its flights will stop tomorrow, while Poland announced today that it has already stopped flights due to the 'security situation' at the airport.
Fears are now growing that civilians could rush the runway and trigger a deadly stampede in a repeat of the horror scenes from last week, or else opportunistic terror groups such as ISIS could attack packed crowds - fears that will only grow as troop numbers dwindle.
GatorFL
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They're woke now? Climate change?
shotgun09
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They're woke now? Climate change?
Ahhh...Newsweek....promoting the 'taliban are good now' look.
ringbearer
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They're woke now? Climate change?
I wonder how they'd feel about receiving an empassioned directive about climate change from a 17 year old girl
'Very high risk' of terror attack against UK troops amid Afghanistan evacuation
The UK has reportedly been warned of 'very high risk of a terrorist attack' against the Afghanistan evacuation.
Sources say the group of most concern is an Islamic State affiliate called Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K.
Ministers have raised concern about the security threat to troops involved in the evacuation effort.
The newly established rulers of Afghanistan have demanded that the US keep to the previously agreed withdrawal date.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said no evacuations from Afghanistan will be permitted after that deadline
The UK has reportedly been warned of 'very high risk of a terrorist attack' against the Afghanistan evacuation.
Sources say the group of most concern is an Islamic State affiliate called Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K.
Ministers have raised concern about the security threat to troops involved in the evacuation effort.
The newly established rulers of Afghanistan have demanded that the US keep to the previously agreed withdrawal date.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said no evacuations from Afghanistan will be permitted after that deadline
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