Afghanistan News & Discussion - April 2016

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 Aug 2021 11:37

Mort Walker wrote:
chetak wrote:
I would be leery of trusting any numbers evacuated from Afghanistan coming from the US military or government. Wait until there is confirmed information from other sources.

ANI is a news agency and your point is also valid

the figures are broadly comparable to what the whitehouse is putting out given the lag in the reportage.

Vadivel · Post by **Vadivel** » 24 Aug 2021 11:49

ldev wrote:
This photo courtesy Yalda Hakim, BBC twitter shows the Taliban at the President's desk in the Presidential Palace in Kabul the day they took over. I wonder who the person in the jacket is, the only one not working Afghani clothes. Afghani? Pakistani? He has that subservient demeanor unlike all the others present in the photograph.

Probably this guy, maybe.

https://af.shafaqna.com/FA/225755

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 24 Aug 2021 12:17

Moi, aam Abdul., a not a specialist on NATO. But it is clear that there will be challenges for US leadership from someme Nato members like Germany. If Russia play card well Germany is going to take some steps to undermine US leadership. And yes no more coalitions of nations to follow US in future conflicts. J M T

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 24 Aug 2021 13:03

Western media is making ground to save Biden in G7 meeting. CNN is claiming that G7 nations will request Biden to extend evacuation beyond 31 August.
It is common sense that G7 countries will put Biden in a corner about Betray and cowerdness in Afganistan. Americans still think that they will be requesting America.

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 24 Aug 2021 13:19

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/23/politics ... index.html
US military gives Biden a deadline to decide on extending Afghanistan evacuations
By Nicole Gaouette, Barbara Starr, Jennifer Hansler and Kylie Atwood, August 23, 2021
The US military is advising President Joe Biden that he must decide by Tuesday whether to extend the evacuation in Afghanistan beyond August 31, according to a defense official directly familiar with the discussions, though Biden has yet to make a decision.
Military advisers have told the White House that the decision must be made by Tuesday in order to have enough time to withdraw the 5,800 troops currently on the ground, as well as their equipment and weapons. If the President agrees, the military anticipates "a few more days" of trying to evacuate as many people as possible before the draw down of US forces begins, possibly at the end of this week.
Still deciding
As of Monday, Biden was still deciding whether to extend the deadline for removing all US troops, CNN has learned. Several of the President's advisers have advised against an extension, citing the security situation on the ground. Officials have spent recent days monitoring potential terrorist threats, citing "persistent" and credible information that the chaotic situation outside the airfield has created a target for ISIS-K and other organizations.
The Pentagon's decision-making ultimatum for Biden follows the Taliban's declaration that the US must remove all forces by August 31 -- a deadline that US military officials say they are still currently planning to meet, with an accelerated pace of evacuation flights now taking thousands out of Afghanistan every day and the US military even entering Kabul, as necessary, to retrieve people. While senior US national security expressed optimism that there will be no need to extend beyond August 31, Biden has said that if need be, the mission to extract US citizens and some Afghans could continue into September.
For now, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the military is working with an August 31 deadline in mind. "That is the mission we've been assigned by the commander in chief ... that's what we're trying to execute," Kirby told reporters at a briefing Monday.
Earlier that day, a Taliban spokesperson said that if US troops were still in the country after that, "our leadership will take proper and necessary decision[s]."
Biden told reporters on Sunday that "there's discussions going on in the military about extending. My hope is we will not have to extend." He said the decision might depend "on how far along we are in the process" of evacuating Americans. The President is also expected to encounter a push from allies to extend the deadline during a Tuesday morning virtual meeting of G7 leaders.
Biden was asked what he will say if G7 leaders -- who are expected to press him to extend -- ask the US to stay longer. "We'll see what we can do," he said he would tell his counterparts.
.....
Gautam

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 24 Aug 2021 13:21

This is a military pov video of US fighter pilots take on the Afghan debacle.

It's about an hour long but it is very telling...

A particularly no BS statement - 'All we managed to do in 20 years in A'stan was to teach the Taliban all about our tactics and how to use the equipment we would leave for them'

kit · Post by **kit** » 24 Aug 2021 13:41

https://zeenews.india.com/india/dna-exc ... 87842.html

It is unfortunate that at a time when the airports and borders have been closed for the common people of Afghanistan, these terrorists are free to move anywhere.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 24 Aug 2021 14:30

IAF C17s have been making regular stops in Tajikistan. Just saying.
Afghanistan Resistance rises | Afghanistan: Tajikistan Airdrops Weapons For Ahmad Massoud's Anti-Taliban Army In Panjshir

In a massive show of support for the Afghanistan Resistance rising against the Taliban, the Northern Alliance received military equipment, weapons, and other supplies from Tajikistan on Monday morning. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, led by Ahmad Massoud has given a bloody nose to the Taliban in several districts, forcing the terrorists to surrender.

Early on August 23, the resistance forces received first support from Tajikistan as helicopters imported military equipment, guns, full ammunition, and food supplies for Massoud's army. Pictures have emerged from Afghanistan showing Tajikistan choppers dropping arms in Panjshir. The Northern Alliance has been trying to import equipment, guns, and ammunition to fight back the Taliban.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 24 Aug 2021 14:38

Looks like something has happened and both sides are covering it up.
In Kabul to Evacuate Citizens, Ukrainian Plane 'Hijacked and Flown to Iran'; Tehran Denies

A Ukrainian plane that arrived in Afghanistan to evacuate Ukrainians was reportedly hijacked on Tuesday by unidentified people who flew it into Iran, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Yenin said.

“Last Sunday, our plane was hijacked by other people. On Tuesday, the plane was practically stolen from us, it flew into Iran with an unidentified group of passengers onboard instead of airlifting Ukrainians. Our next three evacuation attempts were also not successful because our people could not get into the airport," Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister reportedly said, according to Russian News Agency TASS.

The report said that the deputy minister did not report anything about what happened to the plane or whether Kiev would seek to get it back or how the Ukrainian citizens got back from Kabul, onboard of this “practically stolen" plane or another one sent by Kiev.
Yenin only underlined that the whole diplomatic service headed by Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba “had been working in the crash test mode" the whole week.

Iran, meanwhile, has denied the claim of Ukrainian plane hijack. “Apparently it happened yesterday at 22:00 local/1730Z, the aircraft landed in Mashhad for “Refueling" and immediately embarked for Kyiv afterward… We deny the Ukrainian claims," Iranian Civil Aviation Organization Spokesperson Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh told ILNA agency.

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 24 Aug 2021 15:06

As expected... need to be careful. Pakis are bound to try the IC-814 redux.

Get ISI to recruit hijackers, fly to A'stan, then project themselves as the do-gooders by offering to mediate for the release... in return for some small favors of course...

nam · Post by **nam** » 24 Aug 2021 15:32

Although Putin babu has given out statesmanship comments, I am pretty sure the Russians would want a "buffer zone" at the borders of Uzbek & Tajikstan. Even the two countries would probably like to have it as well.

It is not as if everyone is "tired" of the Afghan war. The only nation who fought the Afghan war in the last 20 year was US & Pak. Among themselves.

India probably wants a "free" northern region as well. Iran a "free" western region. For all the victory, the cavemen & their backers in pindi are no where as powerful as they were in 90's. Years of US bombing would have depleted the experienced fighters. Most of the jokers would be raw recruits.

We would probably see a defacto division of Afghanistan like Syria. Afghanistan is anyways a failed state. It is not as if India is expected a progressive one. We are better off keeping the bunnies and their puppet master buzy in a war in the north.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 24 Aug 2021 15:39

Do we have any background details of this Najibullah?
Taliban appoint finance minister, intelligence chief

The Taliban have appointed a new finance minister, an intelligence chief, and an acting interior minister in Afghanistan, the Pajhwok news agency reported on Tuesday. It said Gul Agha would be the finance minister and Sadr Ibrahim would be the acting interior minister. Najibullah would be intelligence chief, while Mullah Shirin would be Kabul governor and Hamdullah Nomani the mayor of the capital. No other details were immediately available.

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 24 Aug 2021 17:39

Doing the rounds on Twitter

"Always make sure to abandon your most strategic airbase before completing your evacuation"
-- Tun Szu
(From his lesser known 'The Art of the Withdrawal')

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 24 Aug 2021 19:23

WaPo is reporting that culinary institute director William Burns met with Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul yesterday (Monday 23 Aug 2021). They came to some agreement. This is Burns 2nd trip to Afganistan since April for high level discussions.

Ambar · Post by **Ambar** » 24 Aug 2021 19:30

NYT too is reporting CIA Director William Burns met Taliban's Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul today. I wish i could say how the mighty have fallen, then again the original taliban 1.0 was after all a creation of the CIA and ISI, so i guess we've come a full circle in 35 years.

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 24 Aug 2021 20:29

nyt thinks dictator of Belorussia is bigger bigger menace than Talibans. Headline on main page...."NO ONE IS SAFE FROM THIS DICTATOR.

AshishA · Post by **AshishA** » 24 Aug 2021 20:34

Manish_P wrote:Doing the rounds on Twitter

"Always make sure to abandon your most strategic airbase before completing your evacuation"
-- Tun Szu
(From his lesser known 'The Art of the Withdrawal')

Along with that, announce the date of withdrawal to the enemies too.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 Aug 2021 20:43

AshishA wrote:
Manish_P wrote:Doing the rounds on Twitter

"Always make sure to abandon your most strategic airbase before completing your evacuation"
-- Tun Szu
(From his lesser known 'The Art of the Withdrawal')

Along with that, announce the date of withdrawal to the enemies too.

this would not have come about had some careless/thoughtless parents (of el presidente and el vice presidente) actually practised the 'The art of withdrawal'

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 24 Aug 2021 21:15

kit · Post by **kit** » 24 Aug 2021 21:20

"Military wins wars, Politicians lose it "

kit · Post by **kit** » 24 Aug 2021 21:25

Dilbu wrote:IAF C17s have been making regular stops in Tajikistan. Just saying.

Early on August 23, the resistance forces received first support from Tajikistan as helicopters imported military equipment, guns, full ammunition, and food supplies for Massoud's army. Pictures have emerged from Afghanistan showing Tajikistan choppers dropping arms in Panjshir. The Northern Alliance has been trying to import equipment, guns, and ammunition to fight back the Taliban.

[/quote]

In 1996-97, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) started negotiations with Tajikistan to use the Farkhor Air Base to transport high-altitude military supplies to the Afghan Northern Alliance, service their helicopters and gather intelligence
Wiki

yensoy · Post by **yensoy** » 24 Aug 2021 22:30

That would mean that the Russians, despite their gloating over US debacle, are having second thoughts about Taliban's unopposed victory. The Tajik would probably prefer Tajik areas in Afghanistan to not be Taliban controlled, and Russia will likely bless a Tajik warlord or ruler to govern these areas. I am surprised that reportedly 27% of Afghans are of Tajik ethnicity.

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 24 Aug 2021 23:26

AshishA wrote:
Manish_P wrote:Doing the rounds on Twitter

"Always make sure to abandon your most strategic airbase before completing your evacuation"
-- Tun Szu
(From his lesser known 'The Art of the Withdrawal')

Along with that, announce the date of withdrawal to the enemies too.

Bismillah to that Roshan Khyali. Harami Musharraf gota get some respect here. He outplayed everybody and managed to save his skin.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 24 Aug 2021 23:31

‘No extension in evacuations from Afghanistan’, Taliban tell US

Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers said on Tuesday they wanted all foreign evacuations from the country completed by an August 31 deadline and they would not agree to an extension.

The group sought to assure the thousands of Afghans crowded into Kabul airport in the hope of boarding flights they had nothing to fear and should go home.

"We guarantee their security," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference in the capital, which Taliban fighters seized on August 15.

As he spoke, Western troops were working frantically to get foreigners and Afghans onto planes and out of the country. US President Joe Biden faced growing pressure to negotiate more time for the airlift.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 24 Aug 2021 23:41

Paki pipe dreams have started.
‘Taliban with us to free Kashmir from India’: Pak govt leader on TV news debate

A leader of Pakistan’s ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has said that the Taliban would help the country in ‘liberating’ Kashmir from India. Speaking at a television news debate, PTI leader Neelam Irshad Sheikh said, “Taliban have said that they are with us and they will help us in [liberating] Kashmir.”

In the video, the news anchor repeatedly asks Sheikh about the source of her information, even wondering at one point if she read about such a declaration by the Taliban on WhatsApp.

“Madam, do you realise what you have said. You have no idea what you just said. This show will air around the world; it will be viewed in India as well,” the news anchor asks the PTI leader.

Sheikh further said that the way Pakistan supported the Taliban when the latter was being hounded in Afghanistan, the militants said they would return the favour by helping Pakistan “make Kashmir a part of its country.”

Her remarks come at a time when Pakistan has consistently been blamed for fostering the Taliban in Afghanistan, to the point of providing them with medical aids, weapons and logistics.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 25 Aug 2021 01:31

Video captures Afghanistan evacuees cheering on flight to India

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 25 Aug 2021 02:56

Guantanamo Bay air traffic... lots of activity. Looks like a prisoner swap is taking place.

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 25 Aug 2021 03:14

So a perceived Moral and defeated power (King Khan) is successfully doing what a genuinely Moral and winning power (Bharat) couldn't do.... get all it's own POWs back..

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 25 Aug 2021 04:35

vera_k wrote:Video captures Afghanistan evacuees cheering on flight to India

That's good.

Why do I feel guilty?

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 25 Aug 2021 05:32

sanjaykumar wrote:Why do I feel guilty?

Why indeed. Your idealistic PM ain't up to the job of lifting them to their own country?!

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 25 Aug 2021 11:09

Who’s Who in Afghanistan

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 25 Aug 2021 11:28

Brilliant as usual, and a treasure trove of information, SSridhar ji.

Ashokk · Post by **Ashokk** » 25 Aug 2021 11:38

'American dreams' of Afghan Hindus, Sikhs delay airlift

The American and Canadian dream of many Afghan Sikhs and Hindus is delaying their evacuation from Kabul even as those mediating with them have alerted them to quickly decide before the Indian government concludes its rescue operation.
Around 70 to 80 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in Gurdwara Karte Parwan did not want to migrate to India as they are keen on moving to Canada or the US, Indian World Forum president Puneet Singh Chandhok told on Tuesday. These Afghan nationals were not only creating obstacles in the evacuation process but also delaying the evacuation of others, he said.
"India is facilitating these people at the highest level, yet they have missed flights twice in order to travel to the US or Canada," he alleged. In the first video released by Afghan Sikhs and Hindus after taking shelter in Gurdwara Karte Parwan, one of their leaders, Talwinder Singh, had specifically stated that they should be migrated to Canada or the US.
Afghanistan crisis: Follow TOI's live blog for latest updates
Sources said that a Sikh organisation had assured evacuation of all Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in a chartered plane following which around 100 had arrived outside Kabul airport but could not gain entry. It was not clear whether or not a chartered flight was waiting for them.
A source in Afghanistan said, "What is the harm in seeking migration to the US or Canada? We know the fate of those who migrated to India. There are no job opportunities and many of them either returned or moved to other countries".

kit · Post by **kit** » 25 Aug 2021 12:21

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 25 Aug 2021 12:28

Fine be stuck in Afghanistan for it will be long time before Canada or US take you for they have other priorities.

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 25 Aug 2021 12:38

And if you get there, be ready when some Bud-drunk redneck shoots you for wearing a turban

kit · Post by **kit** » 25 Aug 2021 12:48

Ashokk wrote: Sources said that a Sikh organisation had assured evacuation of all Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in a chartered plane following which around 100 had arrived outside Kabul airport but could not gain entry. It was not clear whether or not a chartered flight was waiting for them.
A source in Afghanistan said, "What is the harm in seeking migration to the US or Canada? We know the fate of those who migrated to India. There are no job opportunities and many of them either returned or moved to other countries".

[/quote]

If they don't want to come to India and if they feel they can go to US why not just let them do what they want? Why bother ?

RKumar · Post by **RKumar** » 25 Aug 2021 17:01

^ Get their signed on the paper with video mode on - that they are NOT interested in moving to the India and leave them in Afg for good. If they come running for help later on - show them video.

This human rights and being polite is not going to help anyone. Every time IAF flies in - it costs money and the threat to the pilot life. We also need to negotiate with ten different people.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 25 Aug 2021 20:01

https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status ... 19047?s=20 ---> Had a detailed and useful exchange of views with my friend President Putin on recent developments in Afghanistan. We also discussed issues on the bilateral agenda, including India-Russia cooperation against COVID-19. We agreed to continue close consultations on important issues.

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 25 Aug 2021 20:51

Xi Jinping: China ready to strengthen coordination with Russia, world on Afghanistan

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Russia and the broader international community on the Afghanistan issue.

Xi made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.