Thread: U.S. leaves its last Afghan base, effectively ending operations

^ I don’t mean the people who had no papers to leave but everyone else that had passports, etc.

Originally Posted by misskit

I’d been wondering the same thing myself. It seems anyone with a bit of awareness would have packed up and left months ago.

I think many were contractors that were making large salaries, so they were trying to eek out the last dollar. Have a friend who was working on helicopters and he just recently bugged out.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

So why didn't all these countries start sending in flights in mid July when the talitubbies had no presence in Kabul or the airport?

I can only assume that nobody foresaw the 300,000 strong, well equipped, with 20 years of training, Afghan military being unwilling to stand up against a vastly inferior number of ill-equipped cave dwellers. Whether this was foreseeable or not I don't know, but obviously anyone who didn't get the fuck out once they knew the US was leaving didn't think so.

...^that and the hope that things would somehow be turned around and life would go on as usual...frogs in hot water syndrome...

Originally Posted by thailazer

I think many were contractors that were making large salaries, so they were trying to eek out the last dollar. Have a friend who was working on helicopters and he just recently bugged out.

Sure.
War, occupation and empire building is largely about profits more so than anything else.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

So why didn't all these countries start sending in flights in mid July when the talitubbies had no presence in Kabul or the airport?

All that money invested and no big countdown clock.

Originally Posted by Headworx

I can only assume that nobody foresaw the 300,000 strong, well equipped, with 20 years of training, Afghan military being unwilling to stand up against a vastly inferior number of ill-equipped cave dwellers. Whether this was foreseeable or not I don't know, but obviously anyone who didn't get the fuck out once they knew the US was leaving didn't think so.

The first few posts in the thread were about the talitubbies retaking territory, and a load of Afghan soldiers legging it over the border.

I think it's fair to say the fat lady was in mid solo.

US warns Americans of potential 'threats' at Kabul airport


The U.S. Embassy in Kabul issued a security alert on Saturday cautioning Americans seeking to evacuate Afghanistan about going to the airport in the country's capital, citing “potential security threats.”


The latest alert underscores the persisting security issues facing Americans and others as they seek to evacuate Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover.


“Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,” the alert stated.




The State Department has repeatedly told Americans not to come to the airport unless the embassy contacts them.


Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told lawmakers on a call Friday afternoon that he was “aware” that Afghans and Americans who were trying to make their way to the airport in Kabul “have been harassed or even beaten by the Taliban.”


Austin's remarks contrasted with President Biden's comments earlier Friday at the White House, when he claimed “where we have seen challenges for Americans we have thus far been able to resolve them.”


"We have no indication that they haven't been able to get in Kabul through the airport," Biden asserted of Americans, despite reporting on the ground indicating chaos at Taliban checkpoints. "We've made an agreement with the Taliban. Thus far, they've allowed them to go through."


Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman earlier this week also acknowledged "reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government, are blocking Afghans who wish to leave the country from reaching the airport."


Still, she stressed that a good number of people who were able to ultimately reach the airport.




State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Friday that roughly 13,000 people had been evacuated since Aug. 14 and the military had evacuated 5,700 people within the last 24 hours.


Biden in his speech on Friday vowed to evacuate all Americans and Afghan civilians who have helped the U.S. during the 20-year conflict, while acknowledging an unpredictable situation and certain risks amid the large-scale evacuation.


“Make no mistake, this evacuation mission is dangerous. It involves risks to our armed forces and it's being conducted under difficult circumstances,” Biden said. “I cannot promise what the final outcome will be or ... that it will be without risk of loss. But as commander in chief, I can assure you that I will mobilize every resource necessary.”


Amid efforts to evacuate thousands of Americans and Afghan civilians, flights out of Kabul were paused on Friday because a processing facility in Qatar had reached capacity, however those flights were later resumed after six or seven hours.


The embassy alert Saturday followed another issued three days earlier that warned the U.S. “cannot ensure safe passage” to the airport in Kabul. “The security situation in Kabul continues to change quickly, including at the airport,” that alert read.

Biden said on Friday that the U.S. would do “everything that we can to provide safe evacuation for our Afghan allies, partners, and Afghans who might be targeted because of their association with the United States.”


Embassy staff on Saturday urged Americans and their relatives who have not filled out their repatriation assistance requests to fill out the form as quickly as possible and told U.S. citizens not to contact the embassy about details regarding their flights.


“We will contact registered U.S. citizens as the security situation changes to provide further instructions,” the embassy said.


US warns Americans of potential 'threats' at Kabul airport | TheHill

Embassy staff on Saturday urged Americans and their relatives who have not filled out their repatriation assistance requests to fill out the form as quickly as possible

Some have been dillydallying?


I'd imagine most were filled out with the handwriting style of a doctor.

Still an amazing statistic that the Russians were in Afghanistan half the amount of time and ran away with 15.000 deaths, i.e. five times the number of casualties to the Americans.

Originally Posted by Edmond

Some have been dillydallying?

...anti-vaxxers...filling out forms is for socialists...

Originally Posted by sabang

Awww shucks, my wee rant about lil' dicky cheney got deleted. Bummer, Mods.

'
Really ?

Why would anyone bother to post more content then ?

Originally Posted by sabang

Perhaps they took umbrage at my suggestion his decapitated head should be stuck on a pike and displayed in the Capitol.

Sounds reasonable to me

Originally Posted by sabang

Yup, the very same bloke who marched us

You still think of yourself as a Brit???

Originally Posted by helge

Why would anyone bother to post more content then ?

Many posts are deleted . . . we all survive

I am a pom by birth, and I am an aussie by migration from the age of 9. I've never felt the need to be one to the exclusion of the other PH, but you know my country of first affiliation. And considering both countries were duped into ghan & Iraq on the shirt tails of the USA, yeh I've got something to say on behalf of both nationalities.

Originally Posted by sabang

And considering both countries were duped into ghan & Iraq on the shirt tails of the USA, yeh I've got something to say on behalf of both nationalities.

Too right . . . though neither the Brits nor the Aussies needed to be 'duped' as they are willing lapdogs to their Anglo brethren

Originally Posted by sabang

but you know my country of first affiliation

Of course, just teasing and wanting to use the English-teeth emoji

Heh, actually I need to go to the Dentists and get my teeth whitened- I'm getting Pom teeth. I was planning on getting it done next trip to Thailand actually, although when that might be is anyones guess.

Originally Posted by panama hat

Still an amazing statistic that the Russians were in Afghanistan half the amount of time and ran away with 15.000 deaths, i.e. five times the number of casualties to the Americans.

Are you the repeater? With the same picture? And with the same nonsense? Any comparison of the figures from Vietnam?

Then I have to repeat either: The poor Soviets were not so clever and equipped to be able to fight from comfort of PC rooms with joysticks controlling the drones...

BTW, where from do you have the figures? It depends who is counted and who has counted. Same as in Vietnam, not only the soldiers were dying, but also many civil contractors. They are not included, are they?

And there were no non-Soviets casualties, the Soviets were fighting alone without a help of their vassals...


Herewith an account (among many others that can be found nowadays) of the current Afghanistan war (before the Kabul exit):

2442 American soldiers killed
3,800 private contractors killed
1,144 NATO soldiers killed
549 humanitarian workers killed
136 journalists killed

20,666 wounded American soldiers
??,??? wounded private contractors

About 71,000 Afghan and Pakistani civilians were killed.
About 70,000 Afghan soldiers and police were killed.

A total of up to 240,000 deaths are estimated.

But! To this must be added the suicides of war veterans and their number is absolutely scary. In the USA, about 6,000 soldiers are killed every year !!!! That's over 100,000 men during the war in Afghanistan. Not everything can be attributed to war, but post-traumatic syndrome certainly plays a role. If there was no war, there would certainly be fewer.
(this can be disputed, however, a lot of about suicides can be found, e.g. Since 9/11, Military Suicides Are 4 Times Higher Than Deaths In War Operations: Military Suicides Outpace Deaths In Operations Since 9/11 : NPR

Counting the cost:

The US cost the war $ 2.3 BILLION.
That's half of the US budget for 2019.
UK and Germany $ 50 billion.

Jeez, Klondick so you used to be on the payroll, but you don't have to get so worked up anymore.

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Are you the repeater?

Are you the bullshit provider?

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Any comparison of the figures from Vietnam?

Why, did Russia/Soviet Union invade Vietnam?

Nah, this is Afghanistan we're talking about, Klongdick - do try to stick with the topic once. Once. Good boy, try.

Originally Posted by sabang

I was planning on getting it done next trip to Thailand actually, although when that might be is anyones guess.

I hear you . . . dentists in Malaysia are cheaper more modern and better than the ones here

Originally Posted by panama hat

Originally Posted by Klondyke
Any comparison of the figures from Vietnam?

kd's specialty move the goal posts. Each and every post.

Originally Posted by panama hat

Nah, this is Afghanistan we're talking about, Klongdick - do try to stick with the topic once. Once. Good boy, try.

Thank you PH. He won't. *no names here please*

Originally Posted by panama hat

I hear you . . . dentists in Malaysia are cheaper more modern and better than the ones here

Really? I'd have thought you'd have plenty of dentists who are 'modern' and very good - but not cheap.

Let's face it: it's about cost.

Sure is- what I would save on dentist fees pays for quite a bit of holiday. Anyway, what about those Taliban teeth!