Since I wrote my overview about the causes and implication of the Kabul disaster things have not improved in the least.
It is clear that the “Biden” administration has tried very hard to do some damage control, but that only made things even worse (just think of Biden’s talks to the nation). It is also clear that there is no way the US can evacuate all its citizens, nevermind former employees, before the Taliban deadline expires. Besides, the Taliban have already sealed off the airport and do not let any Afghan nationals enter anymore.
One sentence spoken by a Russian analyst about what Biden called the “American heroes” struck me as particularly well suited to the current chaos: “soldiers have to become heroes when their commanders make a major mistake“. This is almost always true, with some exceptions, of course.
Then there is the not so heroic “retaliation” promised by Biden. Apparently, so say local TV, a US attack drone did kill a local ISIS fighter already driving a car with explosives towards the airport. That strike, in downtown Kabul, also destroyed 2 homes and killed three families, 12 civilians including 7 kids (ages 2 to 10)! That will *not* help anything or convince anyone to take US threats seriously. Remember the Takfiri slogan “we love death more than you love life“? But the hatred will only increase following this latest atrocity.
By September 1st, in 2 days from now, the situation of the many tens of thousands of collaborators, employee, local aides, etc. and their families will become extremely dangerous unless some major power intervenes and puts pressure on the Taliban. Possible, but not very likely.
I need to mention one hypothesis: that the ISIS-K suicide bombers might have had accomplices inside the Taliban. If we consider Taliban as one unitary uniform movement, this hypothesis makes no sense. But if we see the Taliban as a loosely federated movement of different entities and tribes, then this makes a lot more sense. Keep in mind that five of the current Taliban “ministers” are former GITMO residents with all that implies…
As for the Taliban, they appear to be truly trying to first restore some order to Kabul. They are also trying hard to explain what they intend to do. It sure looks like the new Taliban are a notch up from the old one. That does not mean that I like them, or approve, just that this is what I am observing now.
For example, the Taliban have promised a general amnesty to all those who collaborated with the US, but that only means that orders to shoot are less likely to come from the top. But the local gun-toting Taliban foot-“soldiers” (I use this term very generously) will, as always, do whatever the hell they want, locally and away from cellphone cameras.
The Saker
Pepe’s latest on Afghanistan:
https://www.unz.com/pescobar/blowback-taliban-target-us-intels-shadow-
The article is already on the Saker site. Mod:
/blowback-taliban-target-us-intels-shadow-army/
Cheers from France
Biden is supposed to be a disaster. The bankers are shifting world leadership to China. A middle schooler could have planned the Afghanistan exit better than what they did, i.e. keep Bagram AFB, evacuate civilians, tear down military supplies and bases, leave. Quitting Bagram in the middle of the night without warning was self-sabotage. It was not an accident.
> A middle schooler could have planned the Afghanistan exit better than what they did,
Not. It was actually brilliant. You cannot do a handover of the cache of arms and rest to Taliban in a planned way. Here, as luck would have it, it’s all theirs. Brilliant, no?
Agree in full that the exit was actually a masterful performance. Showed to the whole world that the Exceptional and Indispensable garbage remains exceptional and indispensable garbage even in the moment of a monumental rout.
The defeat in Afghanistan 2021 is something that is going to grow into a much bigger catastrophe. It’s like the fatal years 1904 – 1914 in Imperial Russia governed by similarly incompetent and decadent reactionary offal. Will the dumbed down Western populace prove it has at least some genuine wits and spine, or will it keep to the ’wokeness’ and what comes with it?
I don’t think they were all incompetent decadent reactionary offal.
Someone had to tell Biden that the Afghan Army was capable of holding Bagram, for that was the critical mistake. So far, I know of nobody being fired or held accountable for that debacle. The entire process of retreat then withdrawal has gone 100% against the book–it’s essentially ass-backwards.
So what’s the real reason they used the civilian airport in Kabul and not Bagram airbase for their evacuation?
I read many justifications: they didn’t have the troop levels to “maintain” the base, or the 1h drive from Kabul is too “insecure” (its about an hour from Kabul)…
As you said, Bagram is about 1 hour or so drive north of downtown Kabul.
It is also the only real airport for Kabul.
So depending on where you forces/people actually are, both Kabul city and Bagram AFB as equally important, really. You know what the Russkies did?
They organized a checkpoint INSIDE their embassy in Kabul. The prospective evacuees had to enter the embassy (passing both Afghan and Russian protective check points). They were seated, fed, told to relax, filled the needed paperwork, then they were placed into escorted buses, brought directly to the Russian ASF transporters in Bagram, fed again (MRE), and seated. Everybody left.
There is a high probability that officers from a secret unit “Zaslon” (https://www.greydynamics.com/zaslon-russias-most-secretive-unit/ the article is stupid and the so-called “experts” clowns, but there are some nice photos and a few true facts there) were involved in the entire process.
Cheers
Yes,
The dilema is – is the bungling inevitable or intentional.
Somebody has to take the blame, and the whole event is three years in the making.
Since it is not “the yellow man”, it might as well be Sleepy Joe. His time is obviously up, and he served his purpose for decades in the Senate as one of leading warmongers with pronounced corruptibility. Combine that with a bufoon general with shield and mask (he is supposed to be a logistics guy) who probably went up the ladder due to race equality issues. And in combination with Camala you have a win-win combination. With the pompous Pompeo & Pence it would not have passed.
That is modern political administration 101. No one, anywhere, ever, is held accountable. That failure to enforce accountability is what will end the bureaucratic managment lead paradigm we are currently under.
They had to know the ANA was garbage. These colonial native armies fold the first second they’re off the leash. They show up for the paycheck and won’t fight unless they can’t absolutely avoid it. US service members did not trust them.
Isn’t one of the reason they refused to fight because the US allegedly refused to provide air cover? (Not sure if valid reason for not fighting…)
They’re mercenaries basically. They quit as soon as the odds get bad or the free meals end.
What kind of turd fights for an occupying army? Not your best and brightest.
Wrong!!!
The bankers are shifting world leadership to the UN, that bunch of unelected bureaucrats.
And I think that neither China nor Russia will approve of their countries being run by the same bureaucrats that have previously destroyed their countries for profit.
China has simply been used for profit, and the Chinese are well aware of that fact, and used it to their own advantage, after all they still haven’t forgotten Sassoon and the East India Company.
The bankers are cutting their losses by leaving Afghanistan.
China’s central bank is government owned, and that is why China is ringed with US military bases poised to strike when the time is ripe.
Yes totally unprofessional for a military, dare I say it, Amateurish.
One could also add failing to resupply and pay the Afghan defence forces for several months as well.
In Australia we hire heavy lift Erikson helicopters off the U.S. each year to assist in our summer bush fire season. At great expense I might add, with very little discount for being a loyal stooge. Yet the same U.S. lets it’s military leave trucks, tanks, weapons and helicopters laying around like discarded lolly wrappers.
Add several twin rotor helicopters that look like Chinooks under maintenance in a hanger at Kabul airport, to the growing list of equipment that’s sorely needed elsewhere.
@ Glen Batterham
You wrote,”𝘠𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘜.𝘚. 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘴, 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴, 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴…”
BINGO!
I was first reading various sources giving materiel left behind on the order of ~ $100 million+, then $3-6 billion, but now this shocker:
“US Senator Jim Bank revealed in a press conference that US weapons fell into the hands of the Taliban, estimated at $𝟴𝟱 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6_3MpMCjAM
A professional military does not abandon such an armory.
Especially after having several years to plan the exit.
In conjunction with stopping ANA salaries & resupply in the last 3 or so months ago, I submit this was neither amateurish nor unprofessional.
Hmmm.UK press reporting on readiness and yraining of northern alliance in Pansjahir valley….they will not surrender but wish to negotiate….claim are being set up supplied from Tajikistan…..bluff or some kind of reality who knows …..other rumours are taliban moving up to the valley ” to contain”….gonna be a bit of a testing situation perhaps. Reminds me of Kurds hanging on in northeast Syria?
MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. The resistance movement in Afghanistan’s northern province of Panjshir is ready for cooperation on anti-terrorism issues with other countries of the region but only when a principle agreement is reached with the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) about the country’s future, Fahim Dashtim, spokesman for the resistance movement, told TASS on Monday. “We will be ready to cooperate with regional countries bilaterally or multilaterally. That’s the question of them,” he said. According to Dashti, the resistance forces are not discussing anti-terrorism matters with the United States, European and regional countries and want them to push the Taliban to resolve the existing problems peacefully, through negotiations. “If that does not happen, if Taliban wants to establish their own government with their vision on Afghanistan, our demand will be not to recognize the Taliban, to put sanctions on them,” he said. “We are not making any deal with Taliban against IS (Islamic State, a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia – TASS). We are in negotiations with Taliban to establish a government, a system in Afghanistan that would be able to resolve all the existing problems including the presence of terrorist groups,” he said when asked about the resistance’s proposals to the Taliban on issues of combating terrorism. In his audio address to journalists earlier on Monday, Dashti criticized the security situation in Kabul in the recent days. He doubted the Taliban’s ability to control Afghanistan in the light of the recent terror attack near Kabul’s airport. Commenting on Sunday’s US air strikes in Kabul he slammed the absence of open agreements between the Taliban and the United States. “We didn’t discuss the future relationship with US during our negotiations with Taliban. That will be an issue to discuss later on. First of all we should reach some consensus o
US troops will inevitably go home – vertical, or horizontal. Their choice.
Wow, that’s deep.
Been locked down and watching Tarantino movies lately?
No, maroon, it is a quote from the Iranians taking on your ISIS buddies.
It’s ‘moron’, not ‘maroon’. Maroon is a kind of off purple color, whereas ‘moron’ is a stupid person. Very different words, assuming that was what you meant to say.
Uhm .. “What a maroon” is a Bugs Bunny quote.
The real problem here is that people want to insult one another, is what I see. I hope I’m wrong.
’Maroon’ is apt, at least in its past participle tense ’marooned’:
abandoned, deserted, forsaken, stranded
If one assumes — rightly or wrongly — that one is speaking to a Pindo mercenary in Afghanistan, it’s spot on, giggle
Dear Saker:
Congratulations for your analysis, I follow your articles and admire your work.
That been said, I saw yesterday an interview on RT (Russia Today) where two afghan women that survived de explosions say that most afghan killed and wounded civilians were not hurt by the bomb, but by US forces that started to shoot indiscriminately into the crowd for fear that there might be other possible attackers in the crowd. Do you know anything about the truth of this interview?
Lastly, I’m old enough to remember the fall of Saigon (In the news, ofcourse, I was a kid). And I recall all the roumors about the Vietcong, that was going to kill outright anyone that had the slightest contact with the southern government. Panic was rampant!… As it turned out, yes there were some reeducation camps and hardships, but all in all there was no genocide (unlike the Cambodia mess). The new masters of Vietnam wanted international recognition of their rule in the south. That kind of “cooled them down” a little.
I hope, In the case of Afghanistan, the pashtuns, the Tadjiks and all the peoples of that land can find a way to rebuild and make their country what it was in the 60’s. Only, this time, without any kings.
that most afghan killed and wounded civilians were not hurt by the bomb, but by US forces that started to shoot indiscriminately
Yes, I heard that one too. It seems that after the bomb exploded, there was a major firefight where everybody was shooting everybody else.
Yes, it is possible that happened, but I cannot blame the panicked soldiers (Afghan, US or other) for their reaction, there was mayhem everywhere and it must have taken the local commanders a long while before restoring even a semblance of semi-order.
FYI – Russian TV has shown several wounded civilians who all confirmed that the bomb went off near US soldiers and that most casualties where civilians shot by panicked US soldiers.
Seems to be true, what a shame…
FUKUS/Nato may have buggered out of Afghanistan but it will be a mistake to think that they won’t remained ‘engaged’ in the country. The remarkably quick droning of the ISIS-K ‘planner’ gives the game away — somebody was providing targeting info, and it wasn’t the Taliban because they would have taken out the vermin themselves.
Having listened to several interviews with the Taliban spokesmen and other Afghans, I get the impression that the Talibs are not really prepared to govern the country, and just like FUKUS/Nato, were surprised at the speed with which the Ghani regime capitulated. A result of that is the lack of a clear vision for the country two weeks after coming to power. One thing they’re trying to do is to not repeat war criminal George Bush’s viceroy Bremer’s blunder in Iraq — apart from granting the general amnesty, the Talibs are trying to get civil servants, including civilian police, to carry on with their jobs.
From day one I’d hoped RF/CSO would become more actively involved in the country — and the Talib leadership wise enough to accept the help, openly or not — to secure the country’s safety. I held the hope not for the sake of the Talibs but for the sake of the vast majority of Afghans. The CSO (and RF in particular) have demonstrated that they are the only ones who differentiate between the regime and the people. FUKUS/Nato criminals don’t; hence they have no compunction in killing civilians in the countries they’re ‘saving’ — from Vietnam onwards.
The Talib government is work in progress. This is not meant to disparage Afghan or rather, Pashtun, culture but they will continue the negotiations among the various shuras and with the likes of Karzai and Abdullah, and even Massoud up in Panjshir, until they come to an agreement. Or not. In the mean time, the security situation remains fragile and Afghans — the people — remain hostage to the machinations of their enemies in the AZEmpire.
Interesting George Galloway interview on RT with notorious warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s grandson, a lecturer at a uni in Kabul. Skip to 49:00
https://youtu.be/H-mgYlbZzoA
Out of curiosity: where do the drones lift off now?
Your guess is as good as mine Italian. Qatar, UAE, Pakistan, Diego Garcia? It may not even have been a drone. It could’ve been a plane.
From Pepe Escobar:
MUST WATCH
If true, this is a MAJOR BOMBSHELL.
This guy, Faisal, has a YT channel, Kabul Lovers, where he’s engaging in some first-class streetwise journalism, putting to shame virtually every TV network.
He’s talking to a military officer who examined the bodies of many of the bombing victims at Kabul Emergency Hospital.
He says most were not victims of the suicide bombing:
ALL VICTIMS WERE KILLED BY AMERICAN BULLETS, EXCEPT MAYBE 20 PEOPLE OUT OF 100.
It makes total sense. The soldiers freaked out – and started shooting anything that moved down in the sewer, American-style.
The full, original report, in Dari, is here – he talks to a lot of people, by the hospital:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhJB2By61bQ
https://vk.com/pepeasia?w=wall578617852_8944
More on this issue:
Questions With New Reports That US Forces Gunned Down Civilians After Kabul Blast
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2021/08/28/questions-after-new-reports-that-us-forces-gunned-down-civilians-after-kabul-blast/
I wish I could understand.
Love the alert faces of the boys.
@Anonymos: “It makes total sense. The soldiers freaked out – and started shooting anything that moved, U$ Army style.”
https://youtu.be/MyjeZ2S02Zg?t=7
As we used to say during the War: When the Germans fired the British ducked; when the British fired the Germans ducked; and when the Yanks fired everyone ducked.
Something just doesn’t add up here. Let us establish a rather simplified but helpful sequence of events leading up to the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul.
1) American chaotic withdrawal proceeds before the eyes of the world. Biden begins to look weak at home. Flag wavers, liberal interventionists, Henri Levi types, and, of course, neocons, are foaming at the mouth at this blatant loss of prestige.
2) The British and then the Americans warn of an impeding terrorist attack at the Kabul airport.
3) Days later, the prophesized attack takes place. Biden promises revenge.
4) The US strikes an ISIS convoy and seemingly prevents another attack.
The Saker himself is fond of using the following Latin expression: ‘cui bono’ which is what we should be asking ourselves at the present. Who indeed, would profit from these latest and bloody events?
Some of my observations based on the points I provided above.
If the British and the Americans had intelligence about an impending attack and even shared their knowledge publicly, it must follow they had sufficient info to act on time and prevent these attacks in the first place. Yet, as we know, they didn’t. What did they know after the attack that they didn’t know before? Doesn’t this seem a little bit too fantastical to be true?
As for who benefits from these attacks, I’d strongly point at the neocons. They seem to be extremely unhappy with Biden, who I personally expected to (and the neocons themselves most likely) go all out against Russia. Still, this did not happen. Will we now witness Biden being retired in disgrace and replaced with a much more dangerous neocon puppet who will work to restore ‘US leadership’ and rain fire and brimstone on American enemies? I would not rule this out. Even though Islamic radicalism in itself has it roots in Islamic history and theology, in its present form it is no doubt a monster begotten by British and US intelligence to do their bidding. We see Islamic terrorism being consistently used to destabilize US enemies and weaken resistance to the Empire. This cannot be a coincidence.
The US is officially out of Kabul and Afghanistan. They left at midnight as the 31st arrived in country. Not a second wasted, but thousands left behind.
Yes!
The Taliban are celebrating too. The war lasted 19 years, 10 months and 25 days:
https://www.rt.com/news/533489-us-withdrawal-complete-afghanistan/
Saker,
Re the British role in Afghanistan:
British parliament is considering a proposal to create a new regiment of Afghan commandos who could fight for them, just like the Gurkhas..
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/mps-british-army-tobias-ellwood-proposals-ministry-of-defence-b952912.html
It says those who attend Sandhurst could now join the British Army instead of the Afghan army.. lol..
@ Serbian Girl,
For the last 25 years I have been watching the British and the Turkish rebuild, reshape, and rearm thier military and Intel services, quite often from behind the scenes, but sometimes overtly.
Both the British and the Turkish have a global presence and can be found in many of the same places – with perhaps Syria being the best known (the cosy and rather public relationship between the MI6 and Turkish groups in the form of the “White-Helmets”).
When the Taliban took Kabul the British were the first to air-drop Spec-Ops (SAS) into Afghanistan to support the “Government” led resistance to the Taliban, and also flew in hundreds of Paratroopers and specialists to secure various buildings in and around Kabul airport.
The British were second only to Turkey for flying out of Kabul “unregistered” young men of fighting age under the guise of rescueing “Translators” and Emabassy support staff.
The US followed suite and actually flew hundreds (some say thousands) of thier “Translators” to various military bases, some within CONUS.
Many people noted, and there are even some comments on this site saying as much, that the British were deploying from kabul airport to sites around Kabul under guise of running “rescue operations”.
Then suddenly the British start talk of “ISIS” and terror threats. Hmmm.
Also, let us not forget that the British, from thier bases in both Cyprus and Gibralter, control much of what happens in the Med (as demonstrated by various acts of Piracy on behalf of the US and Israel via Gibralter and also air space domination for Israel off the coast of Lebanon and Syria via air defence systems and fighter jet squadrons based on Cyprus).
The British are also heavily involved in Ukraine, more so than the US it would seem, and a detailed analysis of just how much support the British give to Ukraine is well overdue as it is not properly recognised, much less understood.
The British are also causing trouble for Venezuela – and are actively expanding thier naval base close to Venezuela.
The British also recently deployed a carrier strike group supported by Astute Class nuclear attack subs and Trafalager class missle subs off the coast of Taiwan.
Basically, wherever there are flashpoints and conflicts – including Yemen, Sudan, and Iraq, in addition to Syria, Libya, Somalia, Ukraine, and of course Afghanistan, we will find the British – or the hand of the British through “Five Eyes” or some form of NATO led support.
The Afghan Commando issue is crazy – unless the British plan on using them like Turkey use thier “pet terroists” – which is as a fully supported but expendable (and politically acceptable) “Foreign Legion” strike force – to be deployed in any Muslim related conflict – or to form the nucleus of a new “Afghan Government Army” trained by the SAS and various contractors.
Whatever the British are up to they are being seriously underestimated by many analysts (as are the Turks).
@Crazy Times
SAS is a formidable force but I don’t think that they might be able to plant a completely new trained army to Afghanistan without the knowledge of the Russians or the Chinese who might alert the Taliban about that.
The media say the suicide bomber was an Afghani, i say no, just have a look at his face, that is not the face of an Afghani but of an Arab.
would you have a link to a photo by any chance?
thanks
I don’t know, but he doesn’t look Pashtun to me:
https://mobile.twitter.com/samsonnyimu2/status/1432487166588882956
Thank you!
Pure American hubris (DC), idiocy (bedroom advice from Jill Biden), dementia, affirmative action (Austin) and legacy hiring (Blinken) explain everything in Afghanistan.
People opining that the CIA or MI6 is implementing a 4D grand chessmaster strategy need to go and take a walk in the park.
“Keep in mind that five of the current Taliban “ministers” are former GITMO residents with all that implies…”
Suddenly, I’m having an eerie feelin’.
There is old rumour that no-one left GITMO before being turned into Manchurian candidate.
Suddenly, mindless droning of Taliban commanders looks less like counter-insurgency and more like paving the road through Taliban hierarchy for “our guys”.
Leaving weapons fits well with theory, the rest… not so much.
Please, prove me wrong.
proving a negation wrong is very hard to begin with.
but, here is my best: the folks at GITMO are not that sharp, had they had brains they would have realized that most of their “kindapees”(?) were innocent or low level riff raff.
I always prefer blaming human stupidity over a refined complex plan.
Mostly the former is true…
Cheer up: leftover Americans and other NATO types can make their way to the Russian Embassy and the Russians will fly them out.
Actually, I would not exclude that.
Look how the Russkies offered to evacuate ALL the Ukies, no questions asked (we both know then then came an order from Kiev and all the Ukies then “changed their minds”).
In fact, it would be very smart of the local Russians to aide some, but not all, US citizens.
I think we might well see that, and all sorts of other crazy shit happen in Kabul for the foreseeable future.
It would be fun top watch, if human lives, mostly innocent ones too, would not be lost….
“According to a Politico report, using leaked classified intelligence from the U.S. intel community, the Pentagon knew well in advance that a suicide bomber was coming to the Abbey Gate long before the explosion. According to the leak, the military knew where and when the attack was coming; and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned allies to avoid the area.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chief’s Chariman Mark Milley, and CentCom Commander General Kenneth McKenzie all knew in advance the Abbey Gate was going to be bombed on Thursday, yet they kept the gate open.”
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/08/30/pentagon-hit-by-intel-leak-showing-u-s-knew-in-advance-specifics-of-kabul-airport-attack-that-killed-13-u-s-military-members/
in all fairness to the US intel
they probably got 100 warnings, every day, all contradictory
to so say “the US knew” really is meaningless.
a much deeper investigation on who knew what and when is needed.
I have nothing good to say in behalf of the hopelessly politicized US intel “community”
but the info above is normal and to be expected.
the question is this: why did the local commanders not see that these reports were somehow different and why did nobody believe that this was actionable intel.
Finally, today the US did stop ONE bomber. In the same strike, they killed 13 people including 3 kids.
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
That is objectively the US posture now.
Let’s not be too quick to make fun of them, kuz now they are REALLY stuck in quicksands…
Politico lost me at “leaked classified intelligence”. If that is true, we would have one more Edward Snowden at the gates of Russian embassy. Half of us, on this blog, could write similar warning(s) days ago.
One can acuse almost everyone in Kabul for having motive to do bombing at the gate of airport. Starting with usual suspects like Al Qaida/ISIS – for whatever reason. US opium traffickers/UK warmongers – to enforce new intervention. Talibs – to hasten evacuation. Anti-Taliban factions – to undermine new goverment. Even personal vendetta – for watching traitors getting away.
In such atmosphere all you can hear are warnings from every wannabe spy.
Poor Lloyd, Mark and Kenneth had balls in 31.08 deadline squeeze, They couldn’t possibly delay evacuation because of some fake bomb threat. “Leak” surely comes from someone who wants their job.
As for large number of victims:
Definitely, it was not suicide vest only. Suicide vests kills 10 – 30, even in closed space. Not 100+. Either it was large bomb in luggage with generous amount of shrapnels, or US soldiers really opened fire at will. Likely, they expected to be double-tapped.
Still, something is fishy. Killing 13 full-body armoured soldiers, most of behind concrete barricade is way to much for a single suicide bomber.
One question. Do you think the leaders of the Taliban are going to argue with the Quran?
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/30/asia/fawad-andarabi-afghan-folk-singer-killed-intl/index.html
The Fudumentalist Muslims are in control.
Please do not involve the Quran unless a) you can quote it and b) you actually understood the quote, that is to say, not YOUR interpretation of the quote, but at least from an *authoritative* Muslim legal expert.
If not, you are just wasting everybody’s time.
This is what you are going to get.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stoning_of_Soraya_M.
Okay, that comment should not have passed moderation
Marcus – please read the moderation rules and stop.
Or you will get banned next.
The Saker
I could not find music explicitly prohibited in the quran. Also, that is a film is set in iran, not afghanistan
This is exactly why the Chinese should do a complete 180 right now. Back off of Taiwan, seize the Wahkan corridor now ( Chinese assault troops should be boarding aircraft now). The world is so off balance that the Chinese can seize the Wakhan now and claim National security. They will get away with it. The time is now Xi.
Personally, I would drop assault troops at the western end of the Wakhan and move Armour in from the east. The locals are no problem in that area. BLITZREG. The way that this piece of ground was originally established, dictates for a line of separation between the British empire and Russia. Since Russia and the British empire no longer boarder the Wahkan, no legitimate reason for the international law that established this Wahkan Corridor. China can take it and argue on the same basis that it was originally established on.
This is not how China operates. They influence countries by investing, building infrastructure, and establishing trade relationships…
So, China should go to the border of Afghanistan and Tajikistan and take some turf that has no strategic value. With an armor column, no less.
And what does this benefit them?
Taiwan is strategic. The Wahkan Corridor is a cul de sac sealed off from China. It’s a pasture land. No one has had any interest in it for a hundred years.
Please tell us why this should be considered more important than Taiwan.
Why, for this part of the world to ever have peace it must develope. If they can ever build a rail connection from China to Iran with a pipeline alongside. Maintain the rail and the pipeline let the people effected benefit, it will change the world. This has been the dream of empires from the beginning of recorded history. They all failed cause they ran over the people and not with the people. Greed love of money root of evil ends in failure. Stop telling these people how to live. In America we talk about self determination, let these peoples have that and they will succeed.
Sorry sir, I have passion for those we have abused.
China doesn’t need to take any turf to build rail, road, fiber or pipelines. They need security for their work and the workers.
The BRI scheme is local partnership. Nearly all nations that want to lift their people from poverty understand connectivity necessary for progress and development.
The four big neighboring countries are quite explicit with the Taliban that development cannot begin if war or terrorist activity is happening in country.
‘In America we talk about self determination’? thats actually funny!
“The decline of Empire is in progress and it’s decline would be very, very violent”
It’s over for America (the Empire of chaos) It’s over for the hegemon. If the Western European man cannot control the world and it’s resources, he would prefer destroy it…(facts)
The US after 20 YEARS couldn’t defeat the Taliban with AK 47 assault rifles but they want to confront Russia and China…
The quote is attributed to the rashidun commander khalid bin al-walid, who sent that message to the persians during rashidun caliphate-sassanid empire wars.
When the talibs came to power, they were young and did not understand governance and diplomacy well. 20 years have passed and some of their leadership might have learned the lessons (hopefully).
The US aerial strikes have been a major driving factor for the pashtuns to join the taliban, since many lost their family members in the NATO strikes. One of the taliban members who is in the limelight is a 26 yr old anas haqqani (from the infamous haqqani network). He was in gitmo for 5 years and lost his 4 brothers in the conflict. The taliban fighters would want to take revenge by targeting the local collaborators. There is a saying about the pashtuns in pakistan, ‘best of friends, worst of enemies’.
thank you!!! I never knew who first said that.
It is a very good slogan, at least in my opinion
thanks again!
It seems obvious why the US wants a Europe that is not nationalistic and not religious.
A nationalistic and religious Europe would be 27 Afghanistans, and throw the Americans out.
The Taliban movement is now, just like it was 20 years back, the one and only legitimate government of the Emirate State of Afghanistan.
I sincerely hope they will make it: they fought bravely and they deserve it.
I also hope they can find a true commander in order to continue the political and social reforms of their most brave and intelligent former leader: Mullah Omar.
No more Massud, no more Heckmatyar, no more Najibullah, no more fucking Karzai nor Ghani: it’s time for the Talibans to play their cards.
One US commander who was at the Baghram airfield base claimes today in reports being published (inter alia) in Scandinavia that all plains, most helicopters and many cars had been actively unabled during the weeks before evacuation. BUT: Is this true?
Which items left at Bagram airfield base north of Kabûl were in working order and which not? (Plains, helicopters, cannons, weapons, bombs and mortars.)
Also very interesting: Bagram had 1000 Yankee troops stationed there. The base just outside Kandahar more than 3000!
Just sawive presentation by Taliban spokesperson on what should be happening next their objectives etc Hope it happens without subservience to USA as Blinken says will assist only if it serves their interests.
Meanwhile things need sorting out re India Pakistan….via OSC perhaps but these two strong willed countries are not easy to get on with perhaps..
Eg via Sputnik
“Speaking about the question of India’s purported backing of the group(isis-k), Qureshi (Pakistan Foreign Minister)stated that he has been consistently warning the global community about the role of “spoilers” in the Afghan peace process. “Beware. We have been constantly warning the international community about the roles of spoilers within and beyond Afghanistan. The international objective is peace and stability. The international community has to discern between those who are standing on the side of peace and stability and has to differentiate between those who, for self-interest, are taking steps that won’t be helpful in promoting peace and stability”, said Qureshi. The Pakistani foreign minister added that he had been taking up the matter during his bilateral consultations with other governments. Qureshi also blamed India for perpetrating a terrorist attack at a dam project in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in July, which left nine Chinese engineers dead. He also said in June of this year that Islamabad has “irrefutable evidence” about India running nearly 66 terrorist training camps inside Afghanistan for Pakistan-focused violent jihadi groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). In November of last year, Qureshi claimed that Indian agencies were also targeting infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship initiative of the Beijing-backed One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. In February of this year, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan accused Delhi of using Daesh (ISIS)* to incite unrest within the country. “This is the unanimous opinion of our government and our security agencies that India is backing ISIS”, Khan stated at the time. Time and again, India has denied Pakistan’s allegations of backing terrorist groups against Islamabad. “India has been at the forefront of global efforts against terrorism in partnership with the international community, which is well aware of Pakistan’s credentials when it comes to terrorism…….”
Just reading over comments from US blogs, amazing how butt hole hurt they are now hat they have been kicked out of Afghanistan……it looks good on them.
Cheers, M
The degenerate US military abandoned what looks like at least sixteen dogs who served with the soldiers guarding the airport.
“Pentagon drops service dogs in Kabul”
August 31, 2021, 15: 25
Photo: REUTERS/Jerry Lampen
Text by Yevgenia Shestak
The American NGO American Humane, which defends animal rights, condemned the US authorities for not taking out service dogs during the evacuation from Afghanistan.
“I am shocked by the news that the US government is withdrawing from Kabul and leaving behind brave service dogs who worked for the US army, they are waiting for torture and death at the hands of our enemies, “RIA Novosti quoted the head of the organization Robin Ganzert.
The disgrace grows larger as more facts pour out of Afghanistan.
The disgraceful abandonment of the dogs indicates just how panicked the American commanders and servicemen were. It is of a piece with the airport guards shooting down Afghans after the suicide bombing.
On the other hand, here at home, we have American NCO’s bragging that they are ready to gun down any Americans who resist the government.
and Michael Byrd practically bragged about his cowardly murder of Ashli Babbit
As a parting farewell, the heroic American military murder a Kabul family, including several children, with another drone strike in supposed “retaliation” for the Kabul Airport bombing:
“Reports from Kabul paint a picture of horror at the site of the drone strike. Outraged neighbors of the slaughtered Ahmadi family told Al Jazeera of “human flesh stuck to the walls. Bones fallen into bushes. Walls stained with blood.” One neighbor said of one of the youngest children killed, “We only found his legs.”
The children killed in the attack included three two-year-olds and two three-year-olds.
The missile struck just as the children’s father returned from work and they ran out to his car to greet him.”
US pulls last of its troops from Afghanistan after chaotic evacuation
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/08/31/afgh-a31.html
God Bless America, and God Bless the baby-killing American military!