USA Troops to leave Afghanistan by 11 September (2 Suicide bomber outside airport)

[Alf]

"Bye-den"



1428041195607973891

[Ninastar]

You do realise this is happening because of him?

Teeeeechnically it’s whoever decided to end the war on ‘terrorism’. Whoever that is

[Beso]

I cant stop thinking about that poor mans legs flapping about in the plane landing system video I just seen.

Its especially hard to forget when the american secretary of defence lloyd j Austin the third is saying america has a moral obligation to help those who helped us..

I suggest seating, or at least a safe standing area, for you passengers should be your first obligation.

[Beso]

Teeeeechnically it’s whoever decided to end the war on ‘terrorism’. Whoever that is

Probably the Afghanistan government mouthing off again.

[arista]

Joe Biden bears a grave responsibility for the chaos in Afghanistan

The President’s handling of this sorry affair raises serious questions about his
ability to lead America and the free world


Joe Biden’s attempts to deflect blame away from the White House for the
Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan are utterly lacking in conviction.
While the US President insists that he stands “squarely” by his unilateral
decision to withdraw American forces, the country’s rapid descent into chaos
since the fall of Kabul at the weekend suggests it has been nothing short of a
disaster, both for the future of the Afghan people and for America’s world
standing.

The President attempted to shift the blame onto his predecessor Donald
Trump, who negotiated the original deal with the Taliban, the Doha
Agreement, in February last year, and which laid the groundwork for
America’s military withdrawal. Mr Biden has also criticised the Afghan people
themselves for not heeding his call, made last week, to unite and “fight for
themselves”.

Mr Trump’s Taliban deal was far from perfect, as it was negotiated without
involving Afghanistan’s democratically-elected government. Nevertheless, the
basis of the agreement was that the completion of America’s military
withdrawal was contingent on the Taliban reaching a peace deal with Afghan
President Ashraf Ghani.

This vital requirement became obsolete the moment Mr Biden announced
that America was ending its 20-year-long involvement in Afghanistan in time
for next month’s anniversary of the September 11 attacks, which prompted
Washington’s military intervention in the first place.

With Afghanistan’s principal ally withdrawing its support at such a critical
juncture, it is perhaps hardly surprising that the country’s beleaguered
security forces lost the will to fight, and Mr Biden’s casual dismissal of their
efforts makes the American leader appear callous and uncaring.

Indeed, the President’s handling of this sorry affair raises serious questions
about his competence both as the leader of the free world and as America’s
commander-in-chief. Mr Biden assumed power in January promising to bring
political stability to Washington after the turbulence of the Trump era. Yet his
bungling of America’s exit from Afghanistan has resulted in the US suffering
arguably the greatest blow to its global prestige since Vietnam in the 1970s.
Mr Biden looks increasingly like a weak and isolated president, one whose
political fortunes may have suffered irreparable damage.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/08/17/joe-biden-bears-grave-responsibility-chaos-afghanistan/



Bang On Right LT.

[user104658]

War is very, very profitable to war-mongers. Not to mention it reduces the population, which is something we know the deep state wants.

This is incorrect, wars keep nations in perpetual poverty and poverty increases the birth rate - it does not decrease it. Wealthy countries who don't see conflict on their doorsteps (such as Western Europe, the US, Australiasia) have stagnating or even declining populations.

If they wanted to reduce the population they'd keep the world fat, happy, entertained and on birth control.

[edit to clarify] The second part (about population control) is incorrect, I should clarify. The part about there being people out there profiting massively from war is spot on. And probably the main reason for the perpetual conflict in the middle east.

[Ninastar]

I don’t remember who but I remember someone saying something about there not being terrorism in different parts of the world… I’m not being obnoxious or ignorant but I wanna know what you mean by that.

I remember there being a few terrorist attacks in recent years… Like Pulse and Ariana and then the lorry thing in Nice

I’m concerned about more of these happening with all this chaos.

I wonder if there terror threat has been raised.

There’s already a good number of isis/other extremists all through out Europe and the Us… it’s scary to think how many more there will be over the next coming years

It genuinely terrifies me

[arista]

[Afghanistan: Ousted president
Ashraf Ghani says claims he took £123m in cash
with him as he fled country are 'lies']

https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-ousted-president-ashraf-ghani-in-uae-on-humanitarian-grounds-12384596

[arista]

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[arista]

1428099890173956104

[arista]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9GsVeCXsAQxh8K?format=jpg&name=900x900

[arista]

From NewsnightHD BBC2
the 9 billion reserves in the Afghan Bank
has been removed.

The Taliban need money to be sent on
from other nations to keep the Economy going.
But at this time, no nation
apart from Pakistan will help.

[arista]

Last Night Rushed in at 7PM BBC1HD
Not announced

A special Afghanistan Question Time.

Mehdi Hasan in the USA on Screen had a good go at Rory Stewart.

[arista]

China is going to pay the Taliban
so they can Mine the Lithium in Afghanistan
worth a Fortune, no less.

[Oliver_W]

1428099890173956104
Then why withdraw until proper systems are in place?

Senile old tosser, he's already a worse president than Trump was...



Mehdi Hasan in the USA on Screen had a good go at Rory Stewart.
Why? What's wrong with my bae Rory?!

China is going to pay the Taliban
so they can Mine the Lithium in Afghanistan
worth a Fortune, no less.
**** China tbh. The world would be a better place if they went back to being overly insular.

[arista]

"Why? What's wrong with my babe Rory?"


His Views nothing like Wiser Mehdi Hasan (MSNBC)


1428064525379538944

[arista]

"**** China tbh. The world would be a better place if they went back to being overly insular. "

No, Oliver
Lithium is worth so much more.
Its in your Mobile Phone - for example.

They are clever to
get hold of Afghanistan Lithium mines

And The Taliban need Cash.

[arista]

1428071508228722691

[arista]

Not a Kabul
yesterday in Jalalabad
the Public got the National Flag
and marched down the street
(not a good idea)

3 were killed
as the Taliban fired there machine guns.

[Cherie]

Flicking through the new channels, difficult to look at Kay Burley putting on a fake sad face, so thought I would try BBC, what a mistake, fuming at Nick Knowles saying we will have to wait and see if the Taliban have changed when I have just witnessed women handing their babies over a fence to a stranger they are so terrified, I think they know better than Nick? (Who was on to plug his decluttering programme and claiming he was changing lives )

[bots]

the taliban are religious fanatics, part of a cult that have re-interpreted sharia law to fit their own twisted agenda. We know things will be exactly as they were 20 years ago, the only reason they are saying differently at the moment is because they want the western cash

[arista]

the taliban are religious fanatics, part of a cult that have re-interpreted sharia law to fit their own twisted agenda. We know things will be exactly as they were 20 years ago, the only reason they are saying differently at the moment is because they want the western cash



Yes All the Money is Frozen.


Except from Pakistan or China.

[arista]

Flicking through the new channels, difficult to look at Kay Burley putting on a fake sad face, so thought I would try BBC, what a mistake, fuming at Nick Knowles saying we will have to wait and see if the Taliban have changed when I have just witnessed women handing their babies over a fence to a stranger they are so terrified, I think they know better than Nick? (Who was on to plug his decluttering programme and claiming he was changing lives )


Yes Nick has new series on Ch5HD
tonight


BBC Dumped him


And That Video also on SkyNewsHD

[Zizu]

China is going to pay the Taliban
so they can Mine the Lithium in Afghanistan
worth a Fortune, no less.


Lithium is used for ....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[user104658]

Lithium is used for ....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

The reason it's so valuable is because of lithium-ion batteries, and at the moment specifically, because it's needed for the high capacity rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles. You could think of it as "the new Oil", I suppose. But also used in consumer electronics (smartphones, laptops, etc... basically anything with a rechargeable battery).

[The Slim Reaper]

**** China tbh. The world would be a better place if they went back to being overly insular.

If you're worried about China, then you need to lose your nativist bigotry and encourage a more open and friendly west. All the former colonies and regions that we've screwed over are now receiving massive investment and aid from China.

They are well on the road towards being the unparalleled world super power.

[Livia]

How many refugees will China take? None, that's how many. Because it would upset the Chinese people, apparently.

[The Slim Reaper]

Well 20k over 5 years is pitiful, especially when we've been deporting folks back there to murdered.

They are still investing in these countries and creating wealth. Pretending that a stiff upper lip, loving flags, and an air of superiority is in any way more appealing for other nations to want to take our sides over China isn't realistic.

I'm not specifically talking about just that region either; they are the biggest investors around the world, and the ruins we've left in Africa and the Caribbean are being repaired by China.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Muslims must counter the perverted dogmas that drove the Taliban to victory in
Afghanistan

Sir– The politico-military strategy of the West could clearly not match the
ideological fervour of the Taliban fanatics. Instead of the Western nations
wasting trillions of dollars in a forlorn physical campaign, just a fraction of
that money would have been better spent exposing the toxic theology of the
Taliban.

Since the new regime in Kabul is a brazen offshoot of Deobandi and Wahhabi
sectarianism (reliant on the toxic triad of non-Koranic sources, hadith, sharia
and fatwas), these twisted manifestations of Islam could have been
neutered over the past 20 years.

Had Britain and America backed them, progressive Muslim intellectuals and
scholars could have decisively countered the Taliban’s poisonous propaganda
of female servitude, oppression of minorities and other non-Koranic
doctrines.

The thousands of manufactured hadith are just the reputed sayings of the
Prophet Mohammed, compiled 300 years after his death. The so-called sharia
is a concoction of medieval opinion masquerading as divine law. Fatwas are
purely the personal views of clerics, not religious rulings.


The pragmatic option for right-thinking Muslims around the world is to
promote Koranic Islam through transcendent scriptural theology, highlighting
the blatant flaws in the Taliban’s perverted dogmas and their draconian
execution.

Dr Taj Hargey
Provost, Oxford Institute for British Islam
Oxford

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/08/18/letters-muslims-must-counter-perverted-dogmas-drove-taliban/

[bots]

what china are doing is investing in countries infrastructure etc in the hope that wins them over. Iraq has shown that strategy is not without its flaws

[The Slim Reaper]

what china are doing is investing in countries infrastructure etc in the hope that wins them over. Iraq has shown that strategy is not without its flaws

Absolutely, but I'm not sure Iraq is the best case study for obvious, illegal invasion reasons. However, a continual, prolonged investment strategy over decades and centuries will obviously yield more favourable results. I think sometimes it's difficult for our human brains to imagine a real long term strategy beyond a couple of decades.

[Livia]

what china are doing is investing in countries infrastructure etc in the hope that wins them over. Iraq has shown that strategy is not without its flaws

I wonder what the difference is for China between the Muslims in Afghanistan and Muslims they're currently holding in "re-education" camps?

[bots]

I wonder what the difference is for China between the Muslims in Afghanistan and Muslims they're currently holding in "re-education" camps?

nothing, they don't like either. China wont win the hearts and minds of the Afghans

[Zizu]

The reason it's so valuable is because of lithium-ion batteries, and at the moment specifically, because it's needed for the high capacity rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles. You could think of it as "the new Oil", I suppose. But also used in consumer electronics (smartphones, laptops, etc... basically anything with a rechargeable battery).


Ah ... that’s a relief .. I was thinking some kind of bomb :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[The Slim Reaper]

nothing, they don't like either. China wont win the hearts and minds of the Afghans

They don't have to win the hearts and minds of Afghans to be long term strategic allies and partners.

[Ninastar]

ABC news is on here and the reporter just said “no one could have seen the collapse happening so quickly”

And I’m like… for real?? People didn’t see this coming? Really??

[Ninastar]

**** I mean I could have told you that, but I have one brain cell lmaoo

[rusticgal]

ABC news is on here and the reporter just said “no one could have seen the collapse happening so quickly”

And I’m like… for real?? People didn’t see this coming? Really??


I know its unbelievable....its an excuse and a get out clause.

[jet]

I know its unbelievable....its an excuse and a get out clause.

It has been reported many times that Biden was informed of intelligence to the contrary of 'they didn't see this coming' and insisted on going ahead. A get out clause it is indeed.

[Ninastar]

It’s just been handed so poorly and it makes me so mad. So many pointless deaths.

There’s a few soldiers I know who actually wish they were there so they could be helping… but I dread to think how it would end up for them if they were there

Ugh and the poor women and children of Afghanistan. So many losses here

[arista]

1428246262076350465

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[Nicky91]

We should never have gotten involved in the first place but since we did, we should have stayed the course. People have sacrificed everything for nothing, every soldier that died in Afghanistan has died in vain. We and the US should



No one is a worse president than Trump, Biden is weak, but he isn't deranged and backed by an equally deranged GOP and their supporters. It's utter craziness to suggest that Biden's worse than Trump. Weak is better than crazy, incompetent and deranged. How can you say that Biden's worse than Trump when Trump literally inspired an insurrection that tried to overthrow democracy at Capitol Hill? That would have killed (and done more, horribly enough) people like AOC, Ilhan Omar and the like if they got their hands on them in said insurrection?

Biden's an arse, and shouldn't have withdrawn but blaming the democratic president for everything and making them out to be the devil when we wouldn't have been in this mess were it not for Bush is such a right wing thing to do.


if republicans want to become popular again they really need to distance themselves from the orange clown manchild and come up with a more serious candidate for presidency but who, at least not someone who was up against trump back in 2016, since most of those were just a bunch of hopeless morons either, wasn't quite the achievement for trump to have won that either, i mean anyone would've won that against them, and the ''showdown'' vs Hillary well lol, no one wanted her since she's too crooked and her with that ''fainting incident'' and 10 seconds after waving at people sealed the deal of trump's victory, no challenge so it is going to be difficult for republicans to select a candidate for next time


Biden might be old, weak but at least he showed strength in the elections, unity among the democratic party

[Beso]

Biden had his creepy fingers in the Afghan pie right from the start and all the way through until this disgusting ending.

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[arista]

The Pentagon
is live Again now
CNN HD /SkyNewsHD


12,000 Evacuated so far.

[Beso]

The Bush erasure, then again, erasing truths that don't agree with them is something the right are good at.

as chairman of the senate foreign relations committee during the bulk of the war, creepy joe, has shown himself to be absolutely hopeless.

A man who spent all those years in the job couldnt see this happening?

A man who has left billions of dollars worth of weapons including helicopters and guns in Afghanistan for the Taliban to gobble up is still peoles preferred choice as president...unbelievable, the mans a senile coward.

[Crimson Dynamo]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Trump makes it clear why the Afghan army didn't even put up a fight.. they were being paid by the Americans. They were doing it for money not for the stability of their nation.<a href="https://t.co/LL8Zr0qsBU">pic.twitter.com/LL8Zr0qsBU</a></p>&mdash; Steve Laws (@Steve_Laws_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Steve_Laws_/status/1427963013089353736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[arista]

John Kirby
Live at the Pentagon
confirmed Fighter Jets are at the Kabul Airport (general back up)
but they are not low flying like some have reported.

[arista]

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2021/08/18/ward-dnt-kabul-airport-taliban-gunfire-lead-vpx.cnn

Its below
the 8:05mins video


Yes Clarissa leave the area
that Taliban Thug has a Metal Bike lock open
that he uses to hit anyone in his way
Others using Machine Guns.


Not wise to look at papers of locals
while the Angry Taliban Thug in close.


Good she has a Translator
and producer that has permission
to film.

[Oliver_W]

How can you say that Biden's worse than Trump when Trump literally inspired an insurrection that tried to overthrow democracy at Capitol Hill?

That wasn't when he was president though ;) can you think of anything he did during his presidency that's worse than this?

[Beso]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Trump makes it clear why the Afghan army didn't even put up a fight.. they were being paid by the Americans. They were doing it for money not for the stability of their nation.<a href="https://t.co/LL8Zr0qsBU">pic.twitter.com/LL8Zr0qsBU</a></p>&mdash; Steve Laws (@Steve_Laws_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Steve_Laws_/status/1427963013089353736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>




Yep..


That sums it up for me.

[bots]

That wasn't when he was president though ;) can you think of anything he did during his presidency that's worse than this?

he was president then, he was trying to stop biden taking over from him

[Beso]

he was president then, he was trying to stop biden taking over from him

Its beginning to look like a no bad idea!

[Beso]

The Bush erasure, then again, erasing truths that don't agree with them is something the right are good at.

Why shouldnt bush have gone into Afghanistan?

[Beso]

Heres a thing....


Boris Johnson's britain urges ita allies to take in their share of refugees.


Biden's america responds with, no american will be left in afgahnistan.


What was trumps mantra again?

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[Beso]

Have you seen Afghanistan recently?

Do you remember 9/11?

On another note.


Biden, not happy enough with people dying on runways, and videos of trapped bodies in the landing gear of the is airforce planes, their dead bodies dangling in the wind.

He now further insults the dead Afghan fighters who massively outway the american dead during the conflict, by calling them gutless and unwilling to fight for their country.




What a guy huh!

Anyone but trump though, huh!

[arista]

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[arista]

Stuart Ramsey showed his report
Filmed at the Airport UK section entrance.

Kabul : Loads that are meant for USA
were using the UK Entrance to get in.
Then once in, some UK Troops escort them to the USA section.


Tear gas was used
at one point.
Not nice for the little kids.

But too many, are trying to leave at one go.


SkyNewsHD

[arista]

Another Report on SkyNewsHD
shows a group of protestors against the Taliban.
In other cities,

They look strong
but have no weapons

It must be a matter of time
that they get beaten back or worse, killed.

One Taliban Thug
featured on the Clarissa Ward reporter CNN video
was using a metal solid bike lock,
but had it open and long.
He refused to speak to her,
and spoke to her translator.

[arista]

[Afghanistan: National youth team
footballer Zaki Anwari
'dies in fall from plane' at Kabul airport

According to the Ariana football agency,
national youth team footballer
Zaki Anwari fell from a USAF Boeing C-17 on Monday.]


https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-national-youth-team-footballer-zaki-anwari-dies-in-fall-from-plane-at-kabul-airport-12385326


Took the wrong route.

Tragic.

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[Beso]

Again, you're stroking your imaginary crystal ball dezzy, thinking it gives you an insight into what people are actually thinking when the take the time to type out their opinion, you are merely trying to belittle people.


Its boring mate.

[Livia]

Raab needs to be sacked. Today.

Biden's only been in office a matter of months and already is responsible for the biggest cock-up this side of Vietnam.

[user104658]

I don't disagree that he bears a huge burden of responsibility but trying to absolve any of the last four presidents of blame in as silly as trying to absolve Biden himself... this has been a brewing inevitability for decades. I mean, Trump-supporters are sort of tying themselves in knots with the whole thing, posting videos of Trump a decade ago basically saying that the current situation was inevitable on exit... like... that video actually defends Biden, essentially. He's saying that there was no way to avoid the current situation. In fact I don't think most of Biden's share of the blame comes from his time as POTUS and the most recent events. He does get a nice big slice of the blame pie because he's been involved for decades.

Actually taking it back to 2001 doesn't even cut it... you have to go back another 20 years. Afghanistan was ****ed when the Soviets and the West decided to spend 10 years playing wargames between the Afghan Army and the Mujahideen all through the 80's. This **** goes back nearly 45 years, it's potentially unfixable.

[Livia]

I don't disagree that he bears a huge burden of responsibility but trying to absolve any of the last four presidents of blame in as silly as trying to absolve Biden himself... this has been a brewing inevitability for decades. I mean, Trump-supporters are sort of tying themselves in knots with the whole thing, posting videos of Trump a decade ago basically saying that the current situation was inevitable on exit... like... that video actually defends Biden, essentially. He's saying that there was no way to avoid the current situation. In fact I don't think most of Biden's share of the blame comes from his time as POTUS and the most recent events. He does get a nice big slice of the blame pie because he's been involved for decades.

Actually taking it back to 2001 doesn't even cut it... you have to go back another 20 years. Afghanistan was ****ed when the Soviets and the West decided to spend 10 years playing wargames between the Afghan Army and the Mujahideen all through the 80's. This **** goes back nearly 45 years, it's potentially unfixable.

Yeah, I get all that and I agree. It just seems like Sleepy old Joe has stumbled into the presidency and his first major act is... this.

But yeah, they are all responsible.

The Brits were in Afghanistan when Victoria was on the throne and no one's ever fared well there. It's like... doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.

[thesheriff443]

Having viewed more information on this,
Biden and those around him screwed up big time and he will only serve one term in office and rightfully so.

[bots]

they have known for 18 months that this was going to be a challenging time. They could have started getting the translators etc out the country from then onward. The taliban have been making large advancements over the last month, again, plenty time to get the vulnerable out, but they didn't.

Raab shouldn't remain in his job. Everyone could see what was brewing over the last week, so he goes off and is unreachable on a beach. It was intentional. Similarly with Biden, he goes off and is unreachable too. They knew what was going to go down and scarpered. Biden comes across as completely callous and Raab just doesn't seem to give a toss

[joeysteele]

they have known for 18 months that this was going to be a challenging time. They could have started getting the translators etc out the country from then onward. The taliban have been making large advancements over the last month, again, plenty time to get the vulnerable out, but they didn't.

Raab shouldn't remain in his job. Everyone could see what was brewing over the last week, so he goes off and is unreachable on a beach. It was intentional. Similarly with Biden, he goes off and is unreachable too. They knew what was going to go down and scarpered. Biden comes across as completely callous and Raab just doesn't seem to give a toss


I think this sums up things pretty well.

I still can't believe Biden's cold hearted speech the other night.
Staggering.

As for Raab, amidst the really strong speeches and genuine heartfelt caring expressed in the contributions in parliament in the debate on Wednesday..
The strongest too, coming from the government backbenchers side.

Seeing Raab with a grin on his face during the debate was really nauseating.

It's clear to me,on the Conservative backbenches, there's a wealth of talent left there, while some of the worst are in the higher positions of office.

Good grief, even Theresa May seemed far more reasoned and on the ball than most of the front bench of the government.
She spoke really well and strongly in my view.

There is no way Raab or any Foreign secretary in any government should stay in place now after this mess and particularly complacency as to it.

[user104658]

Yeah, I get all that and I agree. It just seems like Sleepy old Joe has stumbled into the presidency and his first major act is... this.

I feel like it's increasingly obvious that he was lobbed in rather than stumbling. The elephant in the room is that he's just too old and he seems tired already, he's only been there 6 months. He's there because they thought he had the best chance of beating Trump and he did beat Trump (yes he did, Alf :nono: ) but there were far better candidates for the actual office.

[Ninastar]

Just wanna say that I agree it’s the past 4-5 presidents fault and that pretty much everything about this has been handled so poorly, it’s embarrassing

However, I do think that if there’s one reason to ever go to war, it’s over an attack like 9/11 and 7/7 and the multiple terrorist attacks after that.

If you have a threat that basically murders anyone who isn’t a part of their belief system, you have to try and take the threat away and help the civilisation left behind.

This does go back 40+ years and if we ****ed up, we should be the ones to help stabilise it.

I’m not great with words and i ain’t the brightest tool in the crayon box, but I truly believe we left Afghanistan waaay too early and now all these deaths (on all sides) were ****ing pointless

I’m a big believer in intelligence/NSA/CIA etc etc and I believe that if we don’t use the insane ‘power’ that they have, we will be completely and utterly ****ed

[Ninastar]

Just wanna say that I agree it’s the past 4-5 presidents fault and that pretty much everything about this has been handled so poorly, it’s embarrassing

However, I do think that if there’s one reason to ever go to war, it’s over an attack like 9/11 and 7/7 and the multiple terrorist attacks after that.

If you have a threat that basically murders anyone who isn’t a part of their belief system, you have to try and take the threat away and help the civilisation left behind.

This does go back 40+ years and if we ****ed up, we should be the ones to help stabilise it.

I’m not great with words and i ain’t the brightest tool in the crayon box, but I truly believe we left Afghanistan waaay too early and now all these deaths (on all sides) were ****ing pointless

I’m a big believer in intelligence/NSA/CIA etc etc and I believe that if we don’t use the insane ‘power’ that they have, we will be completely and utterly ****ed

[Ninastar]

Double post am sorreh

[user104658]

Just wanna say that I agree it’s the past 4-5 presidents fault and that pretty much everything about this has been handled so poorly, it’s embarrassing

However, I do think that if there’s one reason to ever go to war, it’s over an attack like 9/11 and 7/7 and the multiple terrorist attacks after that.

If you have a threat that basically murders anyone who isn’t a part of their belief system, you have to try and take the threat away and help the civilisation left behind.

This does go back 40+ years and if we ****ed up, we should be the ones to help stabilise it.

I’m not great with words and i ain’t the brightest tool in the crayon box, but I truly believe we left Afghanistan waaay too early and now all these deaths (on all sides) were ****ing pointless

I’m a big believer in intelligence/NSA/CIA etc etc and I believe that if we don’t use the insane ‘power’ that they have, we will be completely and utterly ****ed

I agree that once the west was "in" it should have committed to being there until the country had some sort of genuine political and social stability... even if that meant 4 more decades.

[Ninastar]

I think that’s what it’s gonna take, sadly. I am scared for the worlds future, but I know there’s nothing that can be done now

[Shaun]

Raab needs to be sacked. Today.

Biden's only been in office a matter of months and already is responsible for the biggest cock-up this side of Vietnam.

Yep. If Trump was looking for an early Christmas present, this is going to be the ticket to his reelection in '24.

[Ninastar]

Yep. If Trump was looking for an early Christmas present, this is going to be the ticket to his reelection in '24.

It’s like the universe keeps saying “suuuuppprisseeeeeee” and handing us another load of **** every time

[The Slim Reaper]

The biggest cock up since the iraq war; we don't have to go back as far as Vietnam.

[Nicky91]

Yep. If Trump was looking for an early Christmas present, this is going to be the ticket to his reelection in '24.

the hypocrisy at everyone voting for Trump then, when he at that point will be at the same age as Biden is now (and those exact people calling Biden old, senile, weak, but i can already imagine them calling Trump same as always ''strong, stable, young at heart'')

[Oliver_W]

the hypocrisy at everyone voting for Trump then, when he at that point will be at the same age as Biden is now (and those exact people calling Biden old, senile, weak, but i can already imagine them calling Trump same as always ''strong, stable, young at heart'')

There's old, and then there's old. Say what you want about Trump, be doesn't come off as someone in his seventies. And Biden really does.

It shouldn't affect how good a candidate is for the role of president, but in the eyes of "Joanna and Michael", a visibly old man with a weak voice and a stammer pales next to a bombastic booming-voiced creature...

If it weren't for his appalling handling of the pandemic, I still think Trump would have won.

[Nicky91]

There's old, and then there's old. Say what you want about Trump, be doesn't come off as someone in his seventies. And Biden really does.

It shouldn't affect how good a candidate is for the role of president, but in the eyes of "Joanna and Michael", a visibly old man with a weak voice and a stammer pales next to a bombastic booming-voiced creature...

If it weren't for his appalling handling of the pandemic, I still think Trump would have won.

a reason why he shouldn't become president again ;)

[bots]

i think people are diminishing it by calling it a cock up. It was far bigger than a whoops moment. I believe it was a wilful strategy over the last couple of years. They have all sorts of data modelling and projection tools at their disposal. They knew what the impact would be going back months. This narrative that they weren't expecting it, is an outright lie. If this had been unexpected, Biden would have been running around in a fury, but no, he was off on his hols with a large do not disturb sign on the door

[Oliver_W]

a reason why he shouldn't become president again ;)

I didn't say he should :shrug:

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[arista]

https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1428434139083157507/5fJaoC7Y?format=jpg&name=small
[U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, left, and
Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's top political leader,
shake hands in February 2020 as a peace deal is signed.]


This was Presidents Trump Deal
last year.
But New President Biden changed the date to the 11 of Sept.
with the 31st of August final day there.


At the Airport its a Lucky dip if you get out,sadly.


Private Contractors who worked as Security
have lost their jobs
and are trying to get, through the mess at the airport

[arista]

The Taliban has the Copper Mines
Working hard
ready to sell to China
Billions of dollars they need.
As well as Natural Gas.


WION HD Sky Ch523 Live

[arista]

President Biden
is to go Live, Shortly.

CNN HD/ SkyNewsHD.

[arista]

1428769644765143042

[arista]

Biden now Live
SkyNewsHD

[arista]

At least Biden is taking some Questions.

[jet]

At least Biden is taking some Questions.

He has to this time, doesn't he.

[arista]

Biden again blames the Afghan Army for walking away.
Then he walked off
Massive Loud Shouts from the Press.

[arista]

He has to this time, doesn't he.


Yes, But he rushed away
after the NPR reporter upset him.

[Beso]

Yes, But he rushed away
after the NPR reporter upset him.

Hes lucky hes not orange, or he would be a big orange baby.

[arista]

Ch4HDnews keeps saying Empty Planes?

One Photo of a Norwegian near empty plane.
Is all they have.

The wife (Norwegian) of that Famous UK Ex Military
Animal Saver was on that flight and took that photo.

All planes are in a rota
meaning even if empty they must
Fly out at the time the
American control tells them


So Ch4HDnews give all the Facts on that one Photo.

[arista]

UK has given £5million
for the UK ARAP scheme
for local councils to use the Cash
with even Private Landlords to house Afghans
who have just landed.


Ch4HDnews.

[arista]

Now the Pentagon is Live

CNN HD

[Oliver_W]

You're okay with an openly corrupt president that answered to Putin .
When? The unproven "Russian interference" is practically a meme at this point.

You're okay with Trump filling camps and separating families permanently at the border and holding them in terrible conditions?
A slightly worse method of processing undocumented migrants than the one from Biden's Vice-Presidency isn't worse than plunging a region into civil war.

You're okay with the fact that Covid ravaged the US horrifically under his watch
I've said many times he handled it badly, and it (deservingly) cost him his second term.

[arista]

From The Pentagon Briefing.
That Child handed to that USA Army man
was taken to a site medical centre &
treated, then handed back to the dad
outside the Airport.


More Truth.

[arista]

The USA left far to many weapons
even Helicopters and some Planes.

All that should have gone with them.

Over 200 aircraft left for the Taliban.

Biden made a big error there.

Around 20 Billion Dollars Worth.


WION HD SkyHD 523

[Ninastar]

Hopefully they don’t know how to fly American aircrafts lolz

[Ninastar]

Ugh terrible I hate myself

[jet]

One of those who died falling from a US plane leaving Kabul has been identified as 19-year-old Zaki Anwari, who played for Afghanistan's national youth football team.
BBC News.

So tragic...

[arista]

Hopefully they don’t know how to fly American aircrafts lolz


They are getting Pilots
Pakistan Helpers to them.



Over Trillion Dollars
for all Lithuim /Copper Mines /Gold
they are selling to China.

[arista]

One of those who died falling from a US plane leaving Kabul has been identified as 19-year-old Zaki Anwari, who played for Afghanistan's national youth football team.
BBC News.

So tragic...



Yes I posted a page back
he thought he could hang on
big mistake

[arista]

[Afghanistan: National youth team
footballer Zaki Anwari
'dies in fall from plane' at Kabul airport

According to the Ariana football agency,
national youth team footballer
Zaki Anwari fell from a USAF Boeing C-17 on Monday.]


https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-national-youth-team-footballer-zaki-anwari-dies-in-fall-from-plane-at-kabul-airport-12385326


Took the wrong route.

Tragic.


A sad loss

[arista]

Nicky
Your Nation are Terrible

On WION HD Gravitas 6:30PM show

The Dutch Affiars Minister Sigrid Kaag
said the Communications equipment
had problems.
They left Fast.

Leaving behind all the Local helpers.

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/4F19/production/_120194202_mail2108.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/98ED/production/_120194193_mirrorfront2108.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/1352D/production/_120194197_iweekendfront2108.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/139DD/production/_120194308_sunfrontpage21_08_21.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/E70D/production/_120194195_ft2108.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/9D9D/production/_120194304_guardian2108.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/1834D/production/_120194199_thetimes210821pg1.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/15C3D/production/_120194198_telegraph2108.png

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[Nicky91]

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2021/08/new-afghan-evacuation-flight-on-way-to-schiphol/

more than 700 dutch people still in afghanistan, so Netherlands will continue to send planes to kabul the next couple weeks

[bots]

Greece are not messing about, they have put up a new wall at their border with turkey

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/EE15/production/_120194906_hi069623506.jpg

[Oliver_W]

Greece are not messing about, they have put up a new wall at their border with turkey

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/EE15/production/_120194906_hi069623506.jpg

Hard to blame them, the countries around the Med have already been flooded with migrants...

[arista]

[Greece are not messing about, they have put up
a new wall at their border with Turkey.]



Yes makes sense

[arista]

SkyNewsHD
Stuart Ramsey Live in Kabul
3 dead could be more

To many, all trying to escape.

[arista]

Nicky
Your Nation are Terrible

On WION HD Gravitas 6:30PM show

The Dutch Affiars Minister Sigrid Kaag
said the Communications equipment
had problems.
They left Fast.

Leaving behind all the Local helpers.


Yes Nicky
your nation got bad press
and there is not 2 weeks left - it is days.

[Nicky91]

Yes Nicky
your nation got bad press
and there is not 2 weeks left - it is days.

well we have a lot of other stuff on our mind as well


our parliament mess, we still need to get our formation finalized


and the mess regarding this afghanistan crisis so to say is on MP Sigrid Kaag since she decides over foreign affairs here (however i cannot blame her since she is also one of those in the running of our new formation alongside PM Rutte)

[arista]

well we have a lot of other stuff on our mind as well


our parliament mess, we still need to get our formation finalized


and the mess regarding this Afghanistan crisis so to say is on MP Sigrid Kaag since she decides over foreign affairs here (however i cannot blame her since she is also one of those in the running of our new formation alongside PM Rutte)


Yes it is


Out By Tuesday


You saying 2 weeks?

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/13/46934977-0-image-m-4_1629547960825.jpg

[Oliver_W]

The best thing for the people of Afghanistan (and most islamic countries tbh) would be if they were the modern equivalent of a colony or imperial outpost, with Western-type laws being maintained.

[arista]

1429066890115272710

[arista]

Kabul Airport Now Closed


USA has no choice
They will open once they have dealt with the ones in there.

Loads have died.
outside.


All Media

[arista]

Pentagon Briefing

Will be Live on Both News Channels.

[arista]

1429090643733848064

[arista]

Pentagon Live Now

[arista]

[Latest from Afghanistan: All gates at Kabul
airport closed as thousands left desperate to evacuate]

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2021/08/21/latest-afghanistan-news-kabul-airport-evacuations-stuck-taliban-leader/8227068002/

Pentagon - -avoiding this?

[arista]

The General
has confirmed gates have been Closed
and Opened.

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/16/46938157-9914593-As_they_marched_through_Central_London_another_pro testers_held_a-a-1_1629558126022.jpg

Today in London
Another Protest

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9914593/Protesters-Downing-Street-demonstrate-governments-handling-Afghanistan.html

[Nicky91]

Netherlands have managed to evacuate 153 embassy staff from Kabul today


in total now 368 embassy workers, translators been evacuated by netherlands


more than 500 to go then

[arista]

[Desperate Afghans are killed in the crush
as they fight to get into Kabul airport
after it emerges UK rescue flights may
end in 3 days, while US embassy
tells Americans to stay away because
of security threats at the gates]

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/16/46939075-9914613-image-a-43_1629559951568.jpg
[A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right,
and Taliban fighters stand guard on their respective sides
at a border crossing point
between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham,
in Khyber district, Pakistan]

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/15/46938151-0-image-m-7_1629557085764.jpg

The London Protest Today.

BBCnews not reporting it?

[Nicky91]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/15/46938151-0-image-m-7_1629557085764.jpg

The London Protest Today.

BBCnews not reporting it?

of course since you should not report this sort of nonsense protest news

[arista]

of course since you should not report this sort of nonsense protest news

They have relatives in Afghanistan.


Many on ITV1HD national news
were shocked - But what the hell did they expect?

Biden gave it, to the Taliban.
Its now their nation.

[Crimson Dynamo]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/16/46939075-9914613-image-a-43_1629559951568.jpg
[A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right,
and Taliban fighters stand guard on their respective sides
at a border crossing point
between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham,
in Khyber district, Pakistan]

old tech Kalashnikovs

[arista]

old tech Kalashnikovs


Russian

[bots]

the taliban can't maintain the new tech that the americans gave the afghan forces so it will be useless to them

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/1067F/production/_120199176_tv069635033.jpg

[arista]

I knew he would be on this,soon.

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/21/46945537-9915299-image-m-150_1629578792073.jpg
[Blair, pictured addressing British troops in Basra,
southern Iraq, in May 2003]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/23/46945627-9915299-Ex_Prime_Minister_Blair_meets_British_troops_at_Ca mp_Bastion_in_-a-3_1629585579112.jpg
You & GW Bush wanted to change the Regime.
You are part of the Problem.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-9915299/TONY-BLAIR-retreat-makes-enemies-think-dont-interests-values-worth-defending.html


https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1429017077663285250/Qv0klVVW?format=jpg&name=900x900
GW Bush thought it was all over, early on.

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/21/21/46945365-0-image-a-29_1629578375417.jpg

[M.O.D. looking at establishing processing
‘hubs’ for Afghan refugees in countries
such as Pakistan]


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9915197/Defence-Secretary-Ben-Wallace-admits-fleeing-Afghans-make-way-past-Taliban.html

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/13C72/production/_120201018_sundaypeoplepage1n.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/69E6/production/_120201172_mail2208.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/C742/production/_120201015_express_front22-09-21.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/11562/production/_120201017_sundaymirrorpage1.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/5212/production/_120201012_observer2208a.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/7922/production/_120201013_telegraph2208.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/EE52/production/_120201016_thesundaytimes220821pg1.png

[arista]

1428929856163573764

[arista]

https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1428228053788921856/EQCaXZG6?format=jpg&name=small

The Taliban Leaders
leaving a meeting

[bots]

There is apparently credible intelligence of an imminent IS attack at the airport. It could be horrendous

[arista]

There is apparently credible intelligence of an imminent IS attack at the airport. It could be horrendous


Yes packed with people
could be a bomb, I assume?


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58293832

[Beso]

https://www.google.com/search?q=tony+blair&client=ms-android-samsung&prmd=niv&sxsrf=ALeKk02hY_e-Q53CewVl-0zm_NnGDDCeKQ:1629617243895&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwitlsSnjcTyAhXeFlkFHYxlDYwQ_AUoAXoECAIQA Q&biw=360&bih=612

[Nicky91]

There is apparently credible intelligence of an imminent IS attack at the airport. It could be horrendous

what sort of ''intelligence''


give us the evidence, and not just clickbait

[bots]

what sort of ''intelligence''


give us the evidence, and not just clickbait

you really are quite unpleasant

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58293832

[Nicky91]

you really are quite unpleasant

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58293832

no i'm not :shrug:


thank you for the link, hmm that really is something to worry about yes


but really hope we can get all remaining dutch people out before tuesday

[arista]

what sort of ''intelligence''


give us the evidence, and not just clickbait


Its been on All USA news
and now UK news.

ISIS would love to kill loads at the Airport
but they could also kill the Taliban there,


If the Taliban all moved away
I would think a bomb could go off
it could be in a simple bag
they all have.

[arista]

no i'm not :shrug:


thank you for the link, hmm that really is something to worry about yes


but really hope we can get all remaining dutch people out before Tuesday


If ISIS set a bomb off
they would have to close the entrance

[arista]

https://www.google.com/search?q=tony+blair&client=ms-android-samsung&prmd=niv&sxsrf=ALeKk02hY_e-Q53CewVl-0zm_NnGDDCeKQ:1629617243895&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwitlsSnjcTyAhXeFlkFHYxlDYwQ_AUoAXoECAIQA Q&biw=360&bih=612


Yes I posted about him.
Just before the never ending Newspapers

Sod Blair
he and GW Bush
got us into this mess.

[arista]

Once the USA leave
the Airport will Close
and be given to the sloppy Taliban.

Then all others will have no choice but cross into Pakistan.

[arista]

On Each hour
SkyNewsHD
Stuart Ramsey is the best report



BBC has mobile phone footage - only

[arista]

Blair on TV news now.
he's not telling us anything new.

[Gusto Brunt]

I've noticed certain high profile celeb Trump haters, sealing their lips with superglue so they don't speak out against their one-time 'saviour', Joe Biden.

Very strange selective loving and hating. They hate everything Trump ever did, whether it was, in reality, good or bad. But with Biden, he 'cannot be wrong'. :p We all know Biden is a disaster on legs.

[jet]

He really is unfit to be President of the US, possibly the most inadequate ever.
Thankfully he has no chance of getting a second term.

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[arista]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9YysIRVkAUs8pr?format=jpg&name=small

[arista]

The owner of TOLO news HD
Saad Mohseni
was Live on CNN HD Reliable Sources.

He is the only Free News Station in Afghanistan
The Taliban, so far have left
him to do the news.


Alot of his staff have left the country
so he is hiring new locals.


The Taliban gave them an Interview in their Studio in Kabul.
Allowing a Female to interview him.

Of course, next time it could be, they only want a man.


Some of his staff are pushed around when outside filming
but he says that is normal in Kabul.

[Nicky91]

Netherlands will send extra military to Kabul, to assist the 62 military personnel who are already there

[arista]

Netherlands will send extra military to Kabul, to assist the 62 military personnel who are already there

About Time.

[bots]

US President Joe Biden is expected to address the nation on Sunday afternoon amid ongoing criticism of his handling of the troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He is expected to provide an update on the evacuation effort in Kabul in his address at 16:00 (20:00 GMT). On Friday, he pledged to evacuate every American and eligible Afghan who wanted to leave.

Mr Biden is under pressure as latest polls suggest three-quarters of Americans think he has badly handled the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

[arista]

John Irvin
for ITV1HD news in Kabul.

One Bloke spoke great English
Shouting Biden go to Hell.
We are Against Biden.


Legitimate Folks with UK Passports
are being held back by some who can not even write

[arista]

The PM is having a G7 meeting about Afghanistan
online on Tuesday PM
including Biden

[arista]

The local men in Panjsher Region is ready to fight to the Death.
The Taliban Gunmen near them
told them to surrender.

Around 300 miles from Kabul.

[joeysteele]

I never had any time for Tony Blair.
I was just a child to a teen when he was PM.

I never agreed with either going into Afghanistan or Iraq.

However, since we were there and committed, then we needed to secure as much as we could as to peace and as much stability as possible.

Then too, in my view, to nurture and protect any gains made as to same.

So I agree with Tony Blair, this policy now comes from an imbecilic slogan.

He is also correct, we now can see the gains so hard fought for and secured which already are being lost,or probably will be lost now.

An absolute, unnecessary and cruel mess in my view.

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/22/10/46958177-9916133-image-a-26_1629622801805.jpg
[British ambassador to Afghanistan
Laurie Bristow (left) speaking to a member
of the UK armed forces at Kabul airport]


Well Done the British Ambassador
working 24/7
to help Legit British and Legit helpers
return to the UK.


I very intense job he is now doing.

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/22/22/46974841-0-image-a-91_1629667857656.jpg

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/E010/production/_120206375_tv069635286.jpg

Some Happy folks going to USA

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/A19A/production/_120207314_guardian2308.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/C8AA/production/_120207315_mail2308.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/EFBA/production/_120207316_telegraph2308.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/2C6A/production/_120207311_ifront230821.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/13DDA/production/_120207318_thetimes230821pg1.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/537A/production/_120207312_metrop1aug23.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/116CA/production/_120207317_express2308.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/055A/production/_120207310_ft2308.png

[jet]

Thank you Arista for all the news updates on so many different topics and also for all the next day newspaper front pages. Much appreciated. :clap1:

[arista]

Thank you Arista for all the news updates on so many different topics and also for all the next day newspaper front pages. Much appreciated. :clap1:

Nice of you to say,again.

[arista]

1429467973073440772


A good BBC Journalist Lyse Doucet
arrived at the Kabul Airport today.



Meanwhile Stuart Ramsey
on the other side of the Wall
for SkyNewsHD, is second to none


CNN HD now using Sam Kiley (who used to work for SkyNews)
as Clarissa Ward got back to France to see her own kids.

[arista]

Yes Rant Away

1429607581958410251

[arista]

1429614366152867843

[arista]

1429637122403835905

[Taliban spokesperson Dr Suhail Shaheen
said: "It's a red line. President Biden announced
that on 31 August they would withdraw all
their military forces. So if they extend it that
means they are extending occupation
while there is no need for that."
He added: "If the US or UK were to seek
additional time to continue evacuations - the answer is no.
Or there would be consequences.]


https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-taliban-warns-there-will-be-consequences-if-biden-delays-withdrawal-of-us-troops-12388436

[arista]

10 days to go.

GBnewsHD
is live at the Home Office
there is a group of angry Afghans
demand their family left behind,
must get brought over.


Ben Wallace has said 10 days
even though the Prime Minister is to ask Biden
tomorrow PM at the Virtual G7
for an extension.

[arista]

The Pentagon is Live

SkyNewsHD / CNN HD


16,000 Evacuated from Kabul
for the USA.

[arista]

1 Afghan Troop was killed in a Firefight.

Pentagon would not go into who shot him.
Details still coming in.

[bots]

1 Afghan Troop was killed in a Firefight.

Pentagon would not go into who shot him.
Details still coming in.

the situation at the airport was getting more chaotic, Mr Maas noted, after a firefight broke out between unidentified gunmen, Western security forces and Afghan guards at the north entrance on Monday, resulting in the death of an Afghan soldier.


---------------

it's going to get worse every day

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/E7C4/production/_120223395_page1.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/17400/production/_120223259_1001ic-dtndt-1-240821-a001c-dt.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/89A0/production/_120223253_metrop1aug24.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/FED0/production/_120223256_ifrontpage24august2021.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/18404/production/_120223399_ex24p01.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/7294/production/_120223392_24aug1front01.png

[arista]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/01B0/production/_120223400_tim.001.1gm.png

[arista]

The Army (USA/UK/others) needs 2 days to get out.
So of the time left, for all others, is now 6 days.

The Taliban would have to be Paid
to allow an extension.
They need Cash - Urgently.

So Biden should Pay them some Millions
for some extra days.

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/24/00/47020907-0-image-m-65_1629762233656.jpg

[bots]

i think it is too great a security risk to extend the time frame. I also think that giving the taliban any money to extend the time frame would be the ultimate failure for biden

[user104658]

The US typically doesn’t respond well to threats though, because the perception of military might is so important to their foreign relations. With The Taliban making “or else” threats it becomes a seesaw between whether it’s worse PR to crawl off with tail between legs and make it look like The Taliban has the power to issue threats to the US unanswered, or to make a U-turn.

If they simply choose to ignore the threat and the Taliban does implement “consequences”, there would certainly be retaliation.

[bots]

The US typically doesn’t respond well to threats though, because the perception of military might is so important to their foreign relations. With The Taliban making “or else” threats it becomes a seesaw between whether it’s worse PR to crawl off with tail between legs and make it look like The Taliban has the power to issue threats to the US unanswered, or to make a U-turn.

If they simply choose to ignore the threat and the Taliban does implement “consequences”, there would certainly be retaliation.

honestly, i think if americans got attacked it would be the excuse for an about turn and for the coalition to absolutely hammer the taliban. It's pretty gross hoping for an attack on americans at the airport, but in the long term it may be the best outcome

the taliban will know this of course which would make them less likely to attack from a logical point of view, but i'm not sure that the leadership can keep their men in check until the coalition has gone

[Nicky91]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2021/aug/23/afghanistan-live-news-taliban-say-deadline-extension-for-foreign-troops-is-red-line

Germany is looking at options for keeping Kabul airport running to allow for evacuations beyond the US’s self-imposed deadline of 31 August for withdrawal of its presence in Afghanistan.

The German foreign minister, Heiko Maas, said earlier: We are talking with the United States, Turkey and other partners with the aim of facilitating a civil operation of Kabul airport to enable the evacuation of people [beyond31 August].

We will also have to continue to talk with the Taliban about this issue, and that’s what we are doing.
.

[bots]

1430104106211946526

[Nicky91]

Netherlands; MP Kaag everyone needs more time than the deadline of August 31


----------------------------
and also a interview of Der Spiegel with Germany's foreign minister Heiko Maas


German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has been under fire since the fall of Kabul. In a DER SPIEGEL interview, he speaks about the mistakes that have been made and the dangers of the rescue operation currently under way in Afghanistan.

This interview was conducted on Thursday, August 19, in Berlin

DER SPIEGEL: Minister Maas, have you given any thought in the past few days to resigning?

Maas: Believe it or not, in the past few days, I have only been thinking about a single thing, and that is learning from the mistakes we’ve all made and making sure that we get as many people out of Afghanistan as possible. That is the damned duty of everyone who’s been involved in the developments of recent weeks.

DER SPIEGEL: You have admitted to having incorrectly assessed the situation. This German misjudgment has led to chaos and despair in Afghanistan. In the past, ministers have resigned from office for less.

Maas: No one can seriously dispute that there have been misjudgments. We will have to take a hard look at all of it – from the specific events of the last days and weeks to the political issues that have arisen for us in Germany, but also for the international community. People from Afghanistan who are appealing to us and me want one thing above all: help. And now.

DER SPIEGEL: Do you think that you can make up for your mistakes with the evacuation operation?

Maas: I don’t know if it’s possible to completely make up for everything. But the people at Kabul’s airport rightly expect us to take care of them and to get them out of there. I want to help prevent desperate people from also being left behind after our mistakes.

DER SPIEGEL: A dangerous evacuation process is currently underway. Will you also remain in your post if rescuers or local hires who worked for the German armed forces or other agencies are injured or killed?

Maas: I have great respect for the servicemen and -women as well as the other Germans – the police officers, diplomats and everyone else. This is a very dangerous operation. But we have done everything in our power to ensure that the evacuation remains tenable – as other nations are also doing.

DER SPIEGEL: What obvious conclusions are you drawing from the Afghanistan disaster?

Maas: Besides the specific questions regarding what happened in the last days, weeks and months, there are big political questions: How do we want to assume international responsibility going forward? For me, one thing is certain: The result of this process must not be that we no longer shoulder any responsibility internationally. The question is: How do we want to do this? And the question will come up: Is NATO a purely defensive alliance? Or is this organization also well suited for undertaking missions like this?

DER SPIEGEL: What kind of missions are you referring to?

Maas: Missions that fall outside NATO’s actual mandate. The reason for the Afghanistan mission was the attacks of September 11, 2001. The NATO mission was supposed to guarantee that no more terrorist attacks would be perpetrated from Afghan soil. But once this was achieved, the mission continued anyway. Suddenly, it was about the future of Afghanistan. Is it our job to keep the peace? To ensure that human rights are respected? Does this also include exporting our form of government? That has certainly failed in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the question still remains whether such missions should not also be possible in the future under NATO leadership.

DER SPIEGEL: You believe NATO should become more political?

Maas: Yes, without a doubt. As you know, this is a debate that we’ve been having for some time. At times, NATO decisions are de facto made in Washington, and NATO in Brussels hardly has any chance to have a say but merely operationalizes them. We need a lot more political discussion before we send our soldiers anywhere. Otherwise, we run the risk of merely always following Washington’s decisions regardless of who is president there.

DER SPIEGEL: Isn’t the more pressing question: How will Germany and Europe finally free themselves from military dependence on the United States?

Maas: Within Europe, we will have to give some thought to strengthening the European pillar in NATO. The reality is that the Americans decide a lot of things and we follow because we are not at all capable of carrying out difficult international missions without the United States. The failure in Afghanistan mustn’t lead to a complete refusal to accept responsibility in foreign and security policy. But Afghanistan mustn’t be allowed to happen again, either.

DER SPIEGEL: Former U.S. President Donald Trump negotiated with the Taliban without involving the government in Kabul. Then his successor, Joe Biden, withdrew U.S. troops without waiting for an agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Which was the bigger mistake?

Maas: As a matter of fact, the Trump administration excluded not only the Afghan government, but also its international alliance partners from the talks with the Taliban. The result was that the United States – and thereby all other foreign troops, as well – were supposed to leave Afghanistan by early May of this year. After the change in the White House, we joined Britain, France and other NATO allies in asking Joe Biden’s administration what will happen as a result of this decision. And all partners were in favor of linking the withdrawal to conditions rather than sticking to a concrete timetable.

DER SPIEGEL: But the Biden administration ultimately didn’t stick to that agreement.

Maas: No. They chose to define a specific time for withdrawal, with one of the justifications being that war could break out with the Taliban if foreign troops stayed in Afghanistan past May. We had envisioned the U.S. withdrawal differently. But the blame for the development lies with Biden’s predecessor.

DER SPIEGEL: The Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, didn’t foresee the rapid deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan. Did the intelligence services fail?

Maas: I don’t see much value in debating who bears the most blame. But the mistakes must be analyzed.

DER SPIEGEL: Did the BND make mistakes?

Maas: The BND obviously assessed the situation incorrectly, as did other services. Of course, they share information and have adopted false assessments from each other. That has to change. Going forward, the findings of other services should be reviewed again and very thoroughly. The decisions taken on the basis of these flawed reports were made in good faith. But the result was incorrect – and had disastrous ramifications. We cannot let this go without consequences regarding how our services operate.

DER SPIEGEL: According to our reporting, your ministry, as well as the federal ministries of the Interior, Defense, and Development, became mired in bureaucratic squabbling over the repatriation of local hires. Is the federal government incapable of acting in crisis situations?

Maas: A lot of things could have certainly been done better on this issue, too. For example, as was proposed by our ministry and the Federal Ministry of Defense, visas could have instead been issued upon arrival in Germany from the get-go. But we were only able to reach an agreement on this within the federal government in the last few days.

DER SPIEGEL: But your ministry also accepted the argument of the Afghan government, according to which it risked collapse of a lot of these local hires were flown out prematurely.

Maas: The Afghan government has had no interest all along in seeing local support staff leave the country. It has refused to issue expedited passports to this group. The Ghani government feared that images of local hires leaving would trigger a mass exodus and a collapse of state structures and the armed forces. When a country’s government confronts us with these kinds of predictions, we can’t simply ignore it.

DER SPIEGEL: The president has fled the country and the armed forces have surrendered without a fight in many places. In hindsight, what do you think about these warnings from the Afghan government about an exodus of local staff?

Maas: The behavior of the Afghan government and armed forces is really hard to believe. Analyzing the real reasons behind it will be important for any future undertaking.

DER SPIEGEL: The Taliban now intend to let the local Afghan hires leave the country. Your envoy, former Ambassador Markus Potzel, is negotiating with the Taliban leadership on this issue in Doha. What price is Germany’s government willing to pay to rescue these people?

Maas: We are holding the talks with the Taliban because there is no alternative. The goal will be to find an arrangement that will allow local hires to get to the airport safely now and be flown out by the Bundeswehr. But they will also be talking about civilian charter flights for other groups of people in the coming weeks. It would be irresponsible not to talk about this as well with the Taliban.

DER SPIEGEL: Does this mean that Germany might give money to the Taliban?

Maas: This isn’t about paying ransom. We need to find a solution fast, but we aren’t willing to pay for it at any price.

DER SPIEGEL: How will you react if the Taliban demand that Germany continue to finance development projects?

Maas: We want to make it possible for all local staff to be evacuated, including those who assisted Germany’s development aid organization (GIZ). So, there will soon be no more people who can carry out development projects for the time being. Our top priority at this time it to continue organizing humanitarian assistance – and in a way that it reaches those who need it.

DER SPIEGEL: German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer proposed evacuating local staff who have worked for the German military or other agencies stretching back to 2013, but the development minister has opposed the idea. What is your position?

Maas: It isn’t my job to reveal the details of these discussions to you. Most likely you know them already. In any case, this issue was discussed. The roughly 2,500 local support staff of the Bundeswehr have been prioritized because they face the greatest danger. If we add local development support staff and human rights activists, we’re talking about a total of 10,000 people.

DER SPIEGEL: Conservatives in government, with whom your Social Democrats are partnered in the current governing coalition, are speaking publicly about fears that there could be a repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis. Do you share those worries?

Maas: The refugee crisis of 2015 will not be repeated; today’s circumstances are far too different. But we do have to anticipate that there will be many refugees coming out of Afghanistan in the coming days, weeks and months. And owing to the mistakes and failures of recent weeks that I mentioned earlier, I believe we also have a responsibility to not simply stand idly by as a refugee movement unfolds.

DER SPIEGEL: Would you be willing to accept groups of refugees in Germany in addition to the local hires?

Maas: We are discussing this with our European allies. First of all, we should make sure that we help the states neighboring Afghanistan cope with refugees as soon as they begin arriving.

DER SPIEGEL: How many refugees do you expect there will be?

Maas: The Federal Ministry of the Interior expects the figure to range between 500,000 and 5 million. At this time, no one can confidently predict how many there will be. But this much is certain: There will be more refugees.

DER SPIEGEL: After the bungled launch of Germany’s vaccination campaign and the poor disaster-management efforts during the catastrophic flooding in parts of Germany, this is now the third time in just the last several months that Germans have watched as their government has failed to deal well with an acute crisis. Can faith in the government be restored?

Maas: The images that we’ve been seeing from Afghanistan in the last few days are so horrific and disturbing that it leaves no one unmoved. But despite all the drama, the truth is that we have now flown out more than 1,000 people. Will the broader public conclude from this that the German government is no longer capable of acting? I don’t think so.

DER SPIEGEL: Why should Germans be confident that things will go better next time?

Maas: Those intent on excluding all risk of making mistakes end up doing nothing. That cannot be an alternative, either. The important thing is for us politicians to show that we are learning the right lessons. I also disagree with you that we as a federal government are constantly messing up. Look at how well Germany has gotten through the coronavirus crisis compared with other countries or at the fact that, after the catastrophic flooding, the federal and state governments allocated €30 billion in a very short period of time. We are far from getting everything right. But compared with other countries – and I hear this often – Germany is not exactly considered a failed state.

DER SPIEGEL: Fifty-nine German soldiers were killed in the war in Afghanistan, and many more were injured, some seriously. Were these sacrifices ultimately for nothing?

Maas: Those who have been in Afghanistan over the last 20 years have helped to raise life expectancy in the country and lower infant mortality, to enable girls to go to school and women to university, and to see that human rights are respected. Our job is to make sure that these achievements do not completely vanish. But the soldiers who were deployed there made sure in a very tangible way that human lives were saved and preserved. No one can take that away from them.

DER SPIEGEL: Many veterans of the war in Afghanistan complain about the lack of societal recognition. After the catastrophe of recent days, will Germany’s government still ceremoniously honor the Afghanistan mission?

Maas: That’s the very minimum it can do. However, we must also engage in a societal debate about ensuring that soldiers on deployment receive the recognition they deserve. That hasn’t always been the case in the past. Armed soldiers were the foundation for building roads, hospitals and schools in Afghanistan.

DER SPIEGEL: Will the election battle be dominated by the Afghanistan issue?

Maas: That’s safe to assume. Afghanistan will keep us busy until the end of September and beyond. Some are, of course, already trying to turn this to their advantage. I find it strange that conservative chancellor candidate Armin Laschet is linking the acceptance of all local hires with his chancellorship. That has more to do with responsibility than with who becomes chancellor. Whoever says this and also that the refugee crisis of 2015 should not be repeated is rather ambivalent on this issue.

DER SPIEGEL: Would you like to continue to be the foreign minister after the election?

Maas: I would first wait and see which parties are actually part of the next federal government. The race is rather more open than many thought it would be. And what my professional future will look like is really the last thing I’m thinking about right now.

DER SPIEGEL: Mr. Minister, thank you very much for this interview.

https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-foreign-minister-on-the-afghanistan-debacle-i-don-t-know-if-it-s-possible-to-completely-make-up-for-everything-a-2901ca30-cd06-43c8-a847-5bb7fa151fbe#ref=rss

[bots]

the taliban are no longer allowing afghans to go to the airport. Now the trouble will start

[arista]

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/24/14/47042189-0-image-m-15_1629811919929.jpg

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9921503/Ministers-dismiss-hopes-extending-Kabul-airlift-August-31.html


[CIA Director William J Burns is reported
to have held a secret meeting in Kabul
on Monday with the
Taliban's de facto leader Abdul Ghani Baradar - the highest level
contact between the US and extremist regime
so far.]

1430166078357921807

[arista]

the taliban are no longer allowing afghans to go to the airport. Now the trouble will start


The Taliban have caught
4 ISIS who were doing filming.


CNN reporter Sam Kiley
on ITV1HD lunch news

[arista]

the taliban are no longer allowing afghans to go to the airport. Now the trouble will start

Was that not a temp measure?

[bots]

Was that not a temp measure?

nope, they don't want skilled afghans leaving is what they said in the press conference, so no more are allowed to leave.

[arista]

nope, they don't want skilled afghans leaving is what they said in the press conference, so no more are allowed to leave.


Yes the Taliban Conference
again, today

[arista]

1430166096389320716

[Cherie]

1430166096389320716

like literally why would they? it makes no sense for them to extend a deadline set by Biden

[arista]

The Pentagon Live

CNN HD / SkyNewsHD

[Cherie]

the taliban are no longer allowing afghans to go to the airport. Now the trouble will start

They dont want the educated elite leaving, and have told the US to stop encouraging them.... that's pretty much it now for any of them

[Alf]

Anyone see the difference yet between a non politician President like Trump and career politician president like Biden?

[bots]

The head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) secretly met the leader of the Taliban in Kabul in Monday, sources have told US media.

Neither the Taliban nor the CIA would confirm the reported meeting between William Burns and Mullah Baradar.

US President Joe Biden has set a deadline of 31 August for American forces to leave Afghanistan. Allies - including the UK - want an extension.

US forces have been in Afghanistan since 2001, following the 9/11 attacks.

Sources have told US news outlets, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Associated Press and broadcaster NPR about the CIA-Taliban meeting.

However, they gave few details.

If confirmed, this would be the highest-level contact between the US and the Taliban since the militants took Kabul on 15 August, prompting the internationally backed Afghan government to flee.

About 5,800 US troops are currently guarding Kabul airport as thousands of foreign nationals and Afghans try to leave the country.

The Washington Post says the discussions are likely to have involved the deadline for the US military to conclude its airlift.

Also on Tuesday, the Taliban said no more Afghans would be allowed to leave the country, nor would the deadline for the US withdrawal be extended.

Mullah Baradar is one of the four men who founded the Taliban in 1994. He was captured in a US-Pakistani operation in 2010 and spent eight years in prison.

Since 2019, he has been the head of the Taliban political office in Qatar. In February 2020, he signed the Doha agreement on the withdrawal of US and Nato troops.

He was also the first Taliban leader to communicate directly with a US president, after having a telephone conversation with Donald Trump in 2020.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58320516

------------------------------------------


If the CIA are involved it will get messy for sure

[user104658]

The way this has spanned the Trump and Biden administrations, I reckon there's more going on with this situation than it first appears. I mean, yes, that's obvious, because it's pretty much always the case with international politics... but srsly... somethn fuQuy going on here.

[Alf]

The way this has spanned the Trump and Biden administrations, I reckon there's more going on with this situation than it first appears. I mean, yes, that's obvious, because it's pretty much always the case with international politics... but srsly... somethn fuQuy going on here.Do you even know Trumps opinions on all this? If so, what are they?

[arista]

Johnson PM
Recorded
is on both news channel.


He hopes to get all out?

[arista]

After today's Virtual G7

President Biden is not changing
the 31st of Aug.
Leaving Kabul.

[Nicky91]

imagine anyone thinking Trump would've done better, he wouldn't


the orange clown had his chance, all what he does now is attention seeking, i don't pay attention to all what that moron has to say anymore, no longer relevant

[arista]

imagine anyone thinking Trump would've done better, he wouldn't


the orange clown had his chance, all what he does now is attention seeking, i don't pay attention to all what that moron has to say anymore, no longer relevant


We do not know.

[user104658]

Do you even know Trumps opinions on all this? If so, what are they?

He set the ball rolling and he was chatting with the Taliban :shrug:. I didn't say I know what's going on, I said there's clearly more going on than we're being told.

I think it's fear from you, you're scared to challenge Trump, even when the evidence is in your face, that's fear.

[arista]

At Least Our Defence secretary
admits not all will get out of Kabul.

On his LBC interview