Who Is Arming The Taliban .

[tinfoilhat]

19 minutes ago, L00b said:

The US did not spend 1000 billions, it spent 83 billions, much of which ended up padding bank accounts of US armaments and private security companies, with much of the balance ending up padding bank accounts of successive senior Afghani government types.

 

In recent times, the Afghani army (with an annual recruit turnover of up to 50%) has been reliably estimated at 180k soldiers, of which 95k effective trained combattants, all trained for the past decade or two on western-style combined arms tactics, heavily reliant on air support and dominance. That air power disappeared overnight when US maintenance staff were repatriated.

 

Add to that the ‘peaceful transition’ deal brokered by Trump & Pompeo with the Talibs that included the release of 000s of hardline senior Talibs from Pakistani jails, the $1.6bn (estimate) Talib war chest with which senior commanders have been buying provincial governors and Afghani army commanders over the last few months, lastly the Afghani president hightailing it out of the country that gave the Talib a clear excuse for cancelling that ‘peaceful transition’ deal…and then what do you expect your low-level unpaid-for-months Afghani army recruit with relatives to do, faced with a choice of dropping their weapons and walking away, or fighting with the certainty of dying and likely their relatives too?

 

It’s quite something to read posts criticising the Afghani army for folding so quickly, when the combined might of a NATO coalition led by the US achieved no better in 20 years, than the USSR 20 years earlier, unemcumbered as it was then, by “rules of engagement” and other humanistic niceties.

 

There never was any clean or better exit to be had from the ‘Stan, Biden just got handed the team captaincy for the last minute of extra-time of the game started by Bush. A game which, rightly or wrongly, Trump decided to throw and fold 4 years ago, lest we forget.

I did read an interesting thread on the Taliban and the reason they weren't hugely opposed in the 90s was - for good or bad - was stability.  

 

I'm somewhat surprised we've been training an army without an air force to fight with air support. 

[L00b]

6 minutes ago, tinfoilhat said:

I did read an interesting thread on the Taliban and the reason they weren't hugely opposed in the 90s was - for good or bad - was stability.  

 

I'm somewhat surprised we've been training an army without an air force to fight with air support. 

The coalition and the Afghani army have had 20 years’ worth of total air supremacy, with air support more or less on tap.
 

Until Trump made good on his promise to pull out (with Pompeo brokering the peace deal in February 2020), moreover on an accelerated timetable, that was not going to change.

[tinfoilhat]

Just now, L00b said:

The coalition and the Afghani army have had 20 years’ worth of total air supremacy, with air support more or less on tap.
 

Until Trump made good on his promise to pull out (with Pompeo brokering the peace deal in February 2020), moreover on an accelerated timetable, that was not going to change.

Surely it couldn't have been beyond the realms of imagination to have air support still on tap? If memory serves there wasn't any fast air based in afghanistan anyway (I prepared to be corrected on the last bit).

[L00b]

18 minutes ago, tinfoilhat said:

Surely it couldn't have been beyond the realms of imagination to have air support still on tap? If memory serves there wasn't any fast air based in afghanistan anyway (I prepared to be corrected on the last bit).

The Afghani Air Force’s offensive capacity is (was) ground attack prop jobs (Tucanos) and  attack helicopters (Hinds, MD500s). No jets, but then plenty of US, Brit and French jets at Bagram over the years to support operations.
 

Reports are still sketchy, unsurprisingly, but they paint the  Talibs as capturing and/or destroying many of these on provincial airstrips during their blitzkrieg of the past few weeks. Same main/underlying issue as my earlier post: once NATO started leaving places, the Talibs filled the void with alacrity, and there wasn’t any local, regional or even national C3 to do anything about it, as senior types were busy taking in the coins of silver and exfiltrating.

 

Seek out the witness report from the director of Afghanistan’s central bank (doing the rounds on Twitter), for an insight of how quickly things escalated and took most everyone by surprise (-bar those with an ‘in’, like the bribed local government and army types).

Edited August 17, 2021 by L00b

[geared]

1 hour ago, L00b said:

The US did not spend 1000 billions, it spent 83 billions,

I'm not making figures up, it's literally what the President of the United States said yesterday.

 

"We spent over a Trillion dollars.  We trained and equipped an Afghan military force of some 300,000 strong, incredibly well equipped"

"We gave them every tool they could need.  We paid their salaries"

 

Perhaps you need to tweet the President and let him know you have more accurate figures?

 

Skip to 50 minutes

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by geared

[L00b]

I am not accusing you of making anything up, geared, I just quoted your post as a reference to that trillion claim, in the context of a discussion about the Afghani army.
 

$83bn (or 88, depending on source) is what the US spent on training and kitting out the Afghani army.

 

That trillion (the real figure is allegedly double that, all things told and accounted for) is the total spend on Afghanistan over the period. For everything. Army, roads, bridges, railways, schools, buildings, salaries of everyone and their pets, etc.

 

 

[trastrick]

News of the day

 

"From Bad to Worse"

 

CNN

"Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirms to CNN that the Department of Defense is aiming to relocate up to 30,000 Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants into the US, a reversal of President Biden's previous assertion that "the law doesn't allow that to happen."

Kirby said DoD is aiming to get several thousand people transported immediately and tens of thousands more to follow, though how the US government will achieve that is unclear. 

White House Deputy National Security Adviser told CNN Monday morning there is no plan for US forces to provide safe passage for Americans, locally employed Afghan staff of the US embassy and other Afghan visa applicants from within the city of Kabul to the airport. 

Finer said the US has made clear to the Taliban “in no uncertain terms” not to interfere with Afghans who are attempting to get to the Kabul airport for potential evacuation, however those Afghans should wait until they are told it is time for their evacuation before going to the airport.

Reversing a Biden administration plan to prioritize Americans trying to leave Kabul, Kirby said the plan is to now evacuate "a mix" of Afghans and Americans".

 

AP

"A former senior U.S. defense official who has been in contact with American commanders on the ground in Kabul tells Fox News’ Bret Baier that “the Taliban have a ring outside of the airport and won’t let anyone inside it.” 

The source said the 82nd Airborne is securing the airport but “the big issue here is that no people outside of the Taliban ring will get in."

 

The Sun

"THE TALIBAN'S reign of terror has begun as fighters are reportedly going door-to-door with a kill list and women face torture & execution under brutal new rules.

Taliban forces have already pledged to reintroduce the twisted laws which saw them brutalise women and gay people when they ruled Afghanistan in the 90s.

And there have already been reports throughout their advance of women being shot dead and girls as young as 12 being dragged from their homes to be "married".

It appears however their first mission is tick off victims who have made their way onto their "kill list" as they hunt down anyone who may have helped forces of the US, UK and other nations during the occupation.

And they are reportedly going door-to-door in Kabul as they hunt for soldiers, police, government officials and journalists.

Afghanistan's descent into chaos has seen unverified reports emerge of thousands gathering to witness an execution in Kandahar at a sports stadium.

And there are claims a woman has been sentenced to be stoned to death in Samangan".

 

CNN

"Finer said the US has made clear to the Taliban “in no uncertain terms” not to interfere with Afghans who are attempting to get to the Kabul airport for potential evacuation".

 

Your move, Joe!
 

[cuttsie]

5 minutes ago, trastrick said:

News of the day

 

"From Bad to Worse"

 

CNN

"Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirms to CNN that the Department of Defense is aiming to relocate up to 30,000 Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants into the US, a reversal of President Biden's previous assertion that "the law doesn't allow that to happen."

Kirby said DoD is aiming to get several thousand people transported immediately and tens of thousands more to follow, though how the US government will achieve that is unclear. 

White House Deputy National Security Adviser told CNN Monday morning there is no plan for US forces to provide safe passage for Americans, locally employed Afghan staff of the US embassy and other Afghan visa applicants from within the city of Kabul to the airport. 

Finer said the US has made clear to the Taliban “in no uncertain terms” not to interfere with Afghans who are attempting to get to the Kabul airport for potential evacuation, however those Afghans should wait until they are told it is time for their evacuation before going to the airport.

Reversing a Biden administration plan to prioritize Americans trying to leave Kabul, Kirby said the plan is to now evacuate "a mix" of Afghans and Americans".

 

AP

"A former senior U.S. defense official who has been in contact with American commanders on the ground in Kabul tells Fox News’ Bret Baier that “the Taliban have a ring outside of the airport and won’t let anyone inside it.” 

The source said the 82nd Airborne is securing the airport but “the big issue here is that no people outside of the Taliban ring will get in."

 

The Sun

"THE TALIBAN'S reign of terror has begun as fighters are reportedly going door-to-door with a kill list and women face torture & execution under brutal new rules.

Taliban forces have already pledged to reintroduce the twisted laws which saw them brutalise women and gay people when they ruled Afghanistan in the 90s.

And there have already been reports throughout their advance of women being shot dead and girls as young as 12 being dragged from their homes to be "married".

It appears however their first mission is tick off victims who have made their way onto their "kill list" as they hunt down anyone who may have helped forces of the US, UK and other nations during the occupation.

And they are reportedly going door-to-door in Kabul as they hunt for soldiers, police, government officials and journalists.

Afghanistan's descent into chaos has seen unverified reports emerge of thousands gathering to witness an execution in Kandahar at a sports stadium.

And there are claims a woman has been sentenced to be stoned to death in Samangan".

 

CNN

"Finer said the US has made clear to the Taliban “in no uncertain terms” not to interfere with Afghans who are attempting to get to the Kabul airport for potential evacuation".

 

Your move, Joe!
 

The Sun ,you would be better off reading toilet paper if you want crap .

 

[tinfoilhat]

6 minutes ago, trastrick said:

News of the day

 

"From Bad to Worse"

 

CNN

"Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirms to CNN that the Department of Defense is aiming to relocate up to 30,000 Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants into the US, a reversal of President Biden's previous assertion that "the law doesn't allow that to happen."

Kirby said DoD is aiming to get several thousand people transported immediately and tens of thousands more to follow, though how the US government will achieve that is unclear. 

White House Deputy National Security Adviser told CNN Monday morning there is no plan for US forces to provide safe passage for Americans, locally employed Afghan staff of the US embassy and other Afghan visa applicants from within the city of Kabul to the airport. 

Finer said the US has made clear to the Taliban “in no uncertain terms” not to interfere with Afghans who are attempting to get to the Kabul airport for potential evacuation, however those Afghans should wait until they are told it is time for their evacuation before going to the airport.

Reversing a Biden administration plan to prioritize Americans trying to leave Kabul, Kirby said the plan is to now evacuate "a mix" of Afghans and Americans".

 

AP

"A former senior U.S. defense official who has been in contact with American commanders on the ground in Kabul tells Fox News’ Bret Baier that “the Taliban have a ring outside of the airport and won’t let anyone inside it.” 

The source said the 82nd Airborne is securing the airport but “the big issue here is that no people outside of the Taliban ring will get in."

 

The Sun

"THE TALIBAN'S reign of terror has begun as fighters are reportedly going door-to-door with a kill list and women face torture & execution under brutal new rules.

Taliban forces have already pledged to reintroduce the twisted laws which saw them brutalise women and gay people when they ruled Afghanistan in the 90s.

And there have already been reports throughout their advance of women being shot dead and girls as young as 12 being dragged from their homes to be "married".

It appears however their first mission is tick off victims who have made their way onto their "kill list" as they hunt down anyone who may have helped forces of the US, UK and other nations during the occupation.

And they are reportedly going door-to-door in Kabul as they hunt for soldiers, police, government officials and journalists.

Afghanistan's descent into chaos has seen unverified reports emerge of thousands gathering to witness an execution in Kandahar at a sports stadium.

And there are claims a woman has been sentenced to be stoned to death in Samangan".

 

CNN

"Finer said the US has made clear to the Taliban “in no uncertain terms” not to interfere with Afghans who are attempting to get to the Kabul airport for potential evacuation".

 

Your move, Joe!
 

Given the cost in blood and treasure - not just America, the UK, France, everyone - it would be just as cost effective to get those who want to leave out. We're short on lorry drivers!

[The Joker]

5 hours ago, trastrick said:

The Sun

"THE TALIBAN'S reign of terror has begun as fighters are reportedly going door-to-door with a kill list and women face torture & execution under brutal new rules.

Taliban forces have already pledged to reintroduce the twisted laws which saw them brutalise women and gay people when they ruled Afghanistan in the 90s.

And there have already been reports throughout their advance of women being shot dead and girls as young as 12 being dragged from their homes to be "married".

When did the S*n start ever care about Muslims?

 

or Brown folk in general?

 

or any Foreigners?

 

and Gay people? forget it

 

and Women and young girls? (unless they're showing their tits on page 3)