WAR U.S. Asks Taliban to Spare Its Embassy in Coming Fight for Kabul
- Thread starter Melodi
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- kabul us embassy war
Doomer Doug
TB Fanatic
But, but we don't negotiate with terrorists.
Doughboy42
Veteran Member
The Hammer
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Where are the idiots who keep saying the fall of Kabul is unlikely, days or weeks away at worst? We're now down to hours here. The troops they're sending probably won't even get there in time.
Doomer Doug
TB Fanatic
Not sure how close to Kabul the taleban are. 30 miles last night. Media isn't saying much, even though it is Saturday noon.
48 hours but we will see.
48 hours but we will see.
Report on other thread puts them at less than 12 miles from Kabul.
Zagdid
Veteran Member
This can not be overlooked. Money fueled stupidity. A lot of people got very wealthy running this show. The same idiots that gave bin ladin's crew stingers there some many years ago.
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
SOLUTION:
GIVE the Taliban pallets laden with cash....however they must not attack the embassy if they take the money.
That is SOP
Last edited:
Zagdid
Veteran Member
We have been paying the Taliban money not to attack/destroy things for years. We don't have that kind of cash anymore.
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
Print it up....we're good at it
FYI
Pakistan air force has issued official warning to the Afghan Army and Air Force that any move to dislodge the Taliban from Spin Boldak area will be faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force. Pak air force is now providing close air support to Taliban in certain areas.”
and so it begins THE GREAT UNRAVELING
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
I can't help but notice that Taliban are maskless...no covd19 ????hmmm
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
..a crucible of terror in the making
https://www.the-sun.com/news/3468810/chilling-map-jihadis-flocking-afghanistan-terror-war/#
https://www.the-sun.com/news/3468810/chilling-map-jihadis-flocking-afghanistan-terror-war/#
MERDE.................
ETA: This could get "real sporting" if the Pakistanis get the bright idea to interdict US aircraft, never mind how the US reaction to flying CAP/BARCAP for the Taliban is going to go over.......
Last edited:
Posted for fair use.....
www.nbclosangeles.com
AFGHANISTAN
Rush of Troops to Kabul Tests Biden's Withdrawal Deadline
The State Department said the embassy in Kabul will remain partially staffed and functioning
By Robert Burns, Matthew Lee and Ellen Knickmeyer • Published 6 hours ago • Updated 13 seconds ago
Getty Images
Pakistani soldiers check documents of stranded Afghan nationals returning to Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman on August 14, 2021
The last-minute decision to send 3,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan to help partially evacuate the U.S. Embassy is calling into question whether President Joe Biden will meet his Aug. 31 deadline for fully withdrawing combat forces.
The vanguard of a Marine contingent arrived in Kabul, the capital, on Friday, and most of the rest of the 3,000 are due by Sunday.
Officials have stressed that the newly arriving troops’ mission is limited to assisting the airlift of embassy personnel and Afghan allies, and they expect to complete it by month’s end. But they might have to stay longer if the embassy is threatened by a Taliban takeover of Kabul by then.
On Saturday, the Taliban seized two more provinces and approached the outskirts of Kabul while also launching a multi-pronged assault on a major northern city defended by former warlords, Afghan officials said.
“Clearly from their actions, it appears as if they are trying to get Kabul isolated,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, referring to the Taliban’s speedy and efficient takedown of major provincial capitals this past week.
Biden had given the Pentagon until Aug. 31 to complete the withdrawal of the 2,500 to 3,000 troops that were in Afghanistan when he announced in April that he was ending U.S. involvement in the war. That number has dropped to just under 1,000, and all but about 650 are scheduled to be gone by the end of the month; the 650 are to remain to help protect the U.S. diplomatic presence, including with aircraft and defensive weapons at Kabul airport.
But Thursday’s decision to dispatch 3,000 fresh troops to the airport adds a new twist to the U.S. withdrawal. There is no discussion of rejoining the war, but the number of troops needed for security will depend on decisions about keeping the embassy open and the extent of a Taliban threat to the capital in coming days.
Having the Aug. 31 deadline pass with thousands of U.S. troops in the country would be awkward for Biden given his insistence on ending the 20-year U.S. war by that date. Republicans have already criticized the withdrawal as a mistake and ill-planned, though there’s little political appetite by either party to send fresh troops to fight the Taliban.
Kirby declined to discuss any assessment of whether the Taliban are likely soon to converge on Kabul, but the urgent movement of extra U.S. troops into Afghanistan to assist the embassy drawdown is clear evidence of Washington’s worry that after the rapid fall of major cities this week with relatively little Afghan government resistance, Kabul is endangered.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani delivered a televised speech Saturday, his first public appearance since the recent Taliban gains, and pledged not to give up the “achievements” of the 20 years since the U.S. toppled the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks.
The Biden administration has asserted that Afghan security forces have tangible advantages over the insurgents, including a viable air force and superior numbers. The statement serves to highlight the fact that what the Afghan forces lack is motivation to fight in a circumstance where the Taliban seem to have decisive momentum.
Stephen Biddle, a professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, said in an interview the announcement that 3,000 U.S. troops are heading to Kabul to help pull out American diplomats and embassy staff likely made Afghan morale even worse.
“The message that sent to Afghans is: ‘The city of Kabul is going to fall so fast that we can’t organize an orderly withdrawal from the embassy,’” Biddle said. This suggests to Afghans that the Americans see little future for the government and that “this place could be toast within hours.”
The Pentagon also is moving an additional 4,500 to 5,000 troops to bases in the Gulf countries of Qatar and Kuwait, including 1,000 to Qatar to speed up visa processing for Afghan translators and others who fear retribution from the Taliban for their past work with Americans, and their family members.
The State Department said the embassy in Kabul will remain partially staffed and functioning, but Thursday’s decision to evacuate a significant number of embassy staff and bring in the thousands of additional U.S. troops is a sign of waning confidence in the Afghan government’s ability to hold off the Taliban surge. The Biden administration has not ruled out a full embassy evacuation or possibly relocating embassy operations to the Kabul airport.
There are a little over 4,000 personnel still at the embassy; the State Department has not said how many are being pulled out in the next two weeks.
The Biden administration warned Taliban officials directly that the U.S. would respond if the Taliban attacked Americans during the stepped-up deployments and evacuations.
__
AP Diplomatic writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
Biden Orders 1,000 More Troops to Aid Afghanistan Departure
President Joe Biden has authorized an additional 1,000 U.S. troops for deployment to Afghanistan
www.nbclosangeles.com
AFGHANISTAN
Rush of Troops to Kabul Tests Biden's Withdrawal Deadline
The State Department said the embassy in Kabul will remain partially staffed and functioning
By Robert Burns, Matthew Lee and Ellen Knickmeyer • Published 6 hours ago • Updated 13 seconds ago
Getty Images
Pakistani soldiers check documents of stranded Afghan nationals returning to Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman on August 14, 2021
The last-minute decision to send 3,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan to help partially evacuate the U.S. Embassy is calling into question whether President Joe Biden will meet his Aug. 31 deadline for fully withdrawing combat forces.
The vanguard of a Marine contingent arrived in Kabul, the capital, on Friday, and most of the rest of the 3,000 are due by Sunday.
Officials have stressed that the newly arriving troops’ mission is limited to assisting the airlift of embassy personnel and Afghan allies, and they expect to complete it by month’s end. But they might have to stay longer if the embassy is threatened by a Taliban takeover of Kabul by then.
On Saturday, the Taliban seized two more provinces and approached the outskirts of Kabul while also launching a multi-pronged assault on a major northern city defended by former warlords, Afghan officials said.
“Clearly from their actions, it appears as if they are trying to get Kabul isolated,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, referring to the Taliban’s speedy and efficient takedown of major provincial capitals this past week.
Biden had given the Pentagon until Aug. 31 to complete the withdrawal of the 2,500 to 3,000 troops that were in Afghanistan when he announced in April that he was ending U.S. involvement in the war. That number has dropped to just under 1,000, and all but about 650 are scheduled to be gone by the end of the month; the 650 are to remain to help protect the U.S. diplomatic presence, including with aircraft and defensive weapons at Kabul airport.
But Thursday’s decision to dispatch 3,000 fresh troops to the airport adds a new twist to the U.S. withdrawal. There is no discussion of rejoining the war, but the number of troops needed for security will depend on decisions about keeping the embassy open and the extent of a Taliban threat to the capital in coming days.
Having the Aug. 31 deadline pass with thousands of U.S. troops in the country would be awkward for Biden given his insistence on ending the 20-year U.S. war by that date. Republicans have already criticized the withdrawal as a mistake and ill-planned, though there’s little political appetite by either party to send fresh troops to fight the Taliban.
Kirby declined to discuss any assessment of whether the Taliban are likely soon to converge on Kabul, but the urgent movement of extra U.S. troops into Afghanistan to assist the embassy drawdown is clear evidence of Washington’s worry that after the rapid fall of major cities this week with relatively little Afghan government resistance, Kabul is endangered.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani delivered a televised speech Saturday, his first public appearance since the recent Taliban gains, and pledged not to give up the “achievements” of the 20 years since the U.S. toppled the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks.
The Biden administration has asserted that Afghan security forces have tangible advantages over the insurgents, including a viable air force and superior numbers. The statement serves to highlight the fact that what the Afghan forces lack is motivation to fight in a circumstance where the Taliban seem to have decisive momentum.
Stephen Biddle, a professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, said in an interview the announcement that 3,000 U.S. troops are heading to Kabul to help pull out American diplomats and embassy staff likely made Afghan morale even worse.
“The message that sent to Afghans is: ‘The city of Kabul is going to fall so fast that we can’t organize an orderly withdrawal from the embassy,’” Biddle said. This suggests to Afghans that the Americans see little future for the government and that “this place could be toast within hours.”
The Pentagon also is moving an additional 4,500 to 5,000 troops to bases in the Gulf countries of Qatar and Kuwait, including 1,000 to Qatar to speed up visa processing for Afghan translators and others who fear retribution from the Taliban for their past work with Americans, and their family members.
The State Department said the embassy in Kabul will remain partially staffed and functioning, but Thursday’s decision to evacuate a significant number of embassy staff and bring in the thousands of additional U.S. troops is a sign of waning confidence in the Afghan government’s ability to hold off the Taliban surge. The Biden administration has not ruled out a full embassy evacuation or possibly relocating embassy operations to the Kabul airport.
There are a little over 4,000 personnel still at the embassy; the State Department has not said how many are being pulled out in the next two weeks.
The Biden administration warned Taliban officials directly that the U.S. would respond if the Taliban attacked Americans during the stepped-up deployments and evacuations.
__
AP Diplomatic writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
Vulture45-70
Veteran Member
This country is so PUSSYFIED. Blow everything in place, set IED's, toe tappers, bambo traps then leave them with a few runs of BUFF's(B52's).
Armyvet75
Contributing Member
MERDE.................
ET: This could get "real sporting" if the Pakistanis get the bright idea to interdict US aircraft, never mind how the US reaction to flying CAP/BARCAP for the Taliban is going to go over.......
I would say so much for what would be left of the paki air force
Mongo
Veteran Member
“There is no discussion of rejoining the war, but the number of troops needed for security will depend on decisions about keeping the embassy open and the extent of a Taliban threat to the capital in coming days.”
That is why the Taliban will attempt to seize the airport and take our embassy. They view AFG as THEIR country which they WON and (I suspect) will not be dictated to. They are not afraid of us.
That is why the Taliban will attempt to seize the airport and take our embassy. They view AFG as THEIR country which they WON and (I suspect) will not be dictated to. They are not afraid of us.
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
With 27 nubile virgins awaiting them in the after life...it stands to reason.
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Biden’s Afghanistan Predictions Were All Wrong
'Highly unlikely' Taliban will overrun Afghanistan, Biden said in July
Thaleigha Rampersad and Jack Beyrer
Free Beacon
August 13, 2021 3:45 pm
When President Joe Biden defended his decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by a September 11 deadline, the president told reporters in July that it remained "highly unlikely" the Taliban would take control of the country.
"The likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely," Biden said. "The Afghan government and leadership has to come together. They clearly have the capacity to sustain the government in place … there's not a conclusion that, in fact, they cannot defeat the Taliban."
Biden's forecast for the future of Afghanistan, however, has proven completely false. The Taliban has captured several of Afghanistan's largest cities, and experts now believe the terrorist group will target the Afghan capital of Kabul in the coming weeks. The Biden administration scrambled to call in another 8,000 troops to the region in an effort to rescue both U.S. troops and civilians remaining in the country.
Biden’s Afghanistan Predictions Were All Wrong (freebeacon.com)
'Highly unlikely' Taliban will overrun Afghanistan, Biden said in July
Thaleigha Rampersad and Jack Beyrer
Free Beacon
August 13, 2021 3:45 pm
When President Joe Biden defended his decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by a September 11 deadline, the president told reporters in July that it remained "highly unlikely" the Taliban would take control of the country.
"The likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely," Biden said. "The Afghan government and leadership has to come together. They clearly have the capacity to sustain the government in place … there's not a conclusion that, in fact, they cannot defeat the Taliban."
Biden's forecast for the future of Afghanistan, however, has proven completely false. The Taliban has captured several of Afghanistan's largest cities, and experts now believe the terrorist group will target the Afghan capital of Kabul in the coming weeks. The Biden administration scrambled to call in another 8,000 troops to the region in an effort to rescue both U.S. troops and civilians remaining in the country.
Biden’s Afghanistan Predictions Were All Wrong (freebeacon.com)
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
Hi tech technology vs. low tech religious fanaticism..and the winner is?
That "hi tech" is only good if you're willing to use it. Recall one incident years ago when an AC-130 had over 200 Taliban literally dead to rights but the JAG wouldn't let them engage because they were gathered for a "funeral"?.....
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
When the Taliban cross in small groups across our southern border....some will panic...guaranteed.
You say that like it hasn't been already happening.....
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Afghanistan is lost, the southern border is now becoming the new battleground.
northern watch
TB Fanatic
RT: 0.21 minutes
Donna_in_OK
Veteran Member
I am making the assumption you mean OUR southern border... ?
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Taliban approach Kabul's outskirts, attack north Afghan city
The Taliban have seized two more provinces and are approaching the outskirts of Afghanistan’s capital
By AHMAD SEIR, RAHIM FAIEZ and JOSEPH KRAUSS Associated Press
14 August 2021, 06:06
The Associated Press
A market is shuttered closed over security fears during fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security personnel, in Kandahar, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Sidiqullah Khan)
KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Taliban seized two more provinces on Saturday and approached the outskirts of Afghanistan's capital while also launching a multi-pronged assault on a major northern city defended by former warlords, Afghan officials said.
The insurgents have captured much of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in a breakneck offensive less than three weeks before the United States is set to withdraw its last troops, raising fears of a full militant takeover or another Afghan civil war.
The Taliban captured all of Logar province, just south of the capital, Kabul, and detained local officials, said Hoda Ahmadi, a lawmaker from the province. She said the Taliban have reached the Char Asyab district, just 11 kilometers (7 miles) south of Kabul.
The insurgents also captured the capital of Paktika, bordering Pakistan, according to Khalid Asad, a lawmaker from the province. He said fighting broke out in Sharana early Saturday but ended after local elders intervened to negotiate a pullout. He said the governor and other officials surrendered and were on their way to Kabul.
Sayed Hussan Gerdezi, a lawmaker from the neighboring Paktia province, said the Taliban seized most of its local capital, Gardez, but that battles with government forces were still underway. The Taliban said they controlled the city.
The Taliban meanwhile attacked the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif from several directions, setting off heavy fighting on its outskirts, according to Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor.
The Taliban have made major advances in recent days, including capturing Herat and Kandahar, the country’s second- and third-largest cities. They now control 19 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, leaving the Western-backed government in control of a smattering of provinces in the center and east, as well as Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani delivered a televised speech on Saturday, his first public appearance since the recent Taliban gains, in which he vowed not to give up the “achievements” of the 20 years since the U.S. toppled the Taliban following the 9/11 attacks.
The U.S. has continued holding peace talks between the government and the Taliban in Qatar this week, and the international community has warned that a Taliban government brought about by force will not be accepted. But the insurgents would appear to have little interest in making concessions as they rack up victories on the battlefield.
“We have started consultations, inside the government with elders and political leaders, representatives of different levels of the community as well as our international allies," Ghani said. "Soon the results will be shared with you,” he added, without elaborating further.
The president had flown to Mazar-e-Sharif on Wednesday to rally the city's defenses, meeting with several militia commanders, including Abdul Rashid Dostum and Ata Mohammad Noor, who command thousands of fighters.
They remain allied with the government, but during previous rounds of fighting in Afghanistan, warlords have been known to switch sides for their own survival. Ismail Khan, a powerful former warlord who had tried to defend Herat, was captured by the Taliban when the insurgents seized the western city after two weeks of heavy fighting.
Residents of Mazar-e-Sharif expressed fear about the security breakdown.
“The situation is dangerous outside of the city and inside the city," Mohibullah Khan said, adding that many residents are also struggling economically.
The withdrawal of foreign forces and the swift retreat of Afghanistan's own troops — despite hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. aid over the years — has raised fears the Taliban could return to power or the country could be shattered by factional fighting, as it was after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989.
The first Marines from a contingent of 3,000 arrived on Friday to help partially evacuate the U.S. Embassy. The rest are set to arrive by Sunday, and their deployment has raised questions about whether the administration will meet its Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline.
The U.S. Air Force has carried out several airstrikes to aid its Afghan allies on the ground but they appear to have done little to stem the Taliban's advance. A B-52 bomber and other warplanes traversed the country's airspace Saturday, flight-tracking data showed.
The Taliban meanwhile released a video announcing the takeover of the main radio station in the southern city of Kandahar, which fell to the insurgents earlier this week, renaming it the Voice of Sharia, or Islamic law.
In the video, an unnamed insurgent said all employees were present and would broadcast news, political analysis and recitations of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. It appears the station will no longer play music. It was not clear if the Taliban had purged the previous employees or allowed them to return to work.
The Taliban have used mobile radio stations over the years, but have not operated a station inside a major city since they ruled the country from 1996-2001. At that time, they also ran a station called Voice of Sharia out of Kandahar, the birthplace of the group. Music was banned.
The U.S. invaded shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, which al-Qaida planned and carried out while being sheltered by Taliban. After rapidly ousting the Taliban, the U.S. shifted toward nation-building, hoping to create a modern Afghan state after decades of war and unrest.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced a timeline for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops by the end of August, pledging to end America's longest war. His predecessor, President Donald Trump, had reached an agreement with the Taliban to pave the way for a U.S. pullout.
Biden's announcement set the latest offensive in motion. The Taliban, who have long controlled large parts of the Afghan countryside, moved quickly to seize provincial capitals, border crossings and other key infrastructure.
Tens of thousands of Afghans have fled their homes, with many fearing a return to the Taliban's oppressive rule. The group had previously governed Afghanistan under a harsh version of Islamic law in which women were largely confined to the home.
———
Rahim reported from Istanbul and Krauss reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.
Taliban approach Kabul's outskirts, attack north Afghan city - ABC News (go.com)
The Taliban have seized two more provinces and are approaching the outskirts of Afghanistan’s capital
By AHMAD SEIR, RAHIM FAIEZ and JOSEPH KRAUSS Associated Press
14 August 2021, 06:06
A market is shuttered closed over security fears during fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security personnel, in Kandahar, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Sidiqullah Khan)
KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Taliban seized two more provinces on Saturday and approached the outskirts of Afghanistan's capital while also launching a multi-pronged assault on a major northern city defended by former warlords, Afghan officials said.
The insurgents have captured much of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in a breakneck offensive less than three weeks before the United States is set to withdraw its last troops, raising fears of a full militant takeover or another Afghan civil war.
The Taliban captured all of Logar province, just south of the capital, Kabul, and detained local officials, said Hoda Ahmadi, a lawmaker from the province. She said the Taliban have reached the Char Asyab district, just 11 kilometers (7 miles) south of Kabul.
The insurgents also captured the capital of Paktika, bordering Pakistan, according to Khalid Asad, a lawmaker from the province. He said fighting broke out in Sharana early Saturday but ended after local elders intervened to negotiate a pullout. He said the governor and other officials surrendered and were on their way to Kabul.
Sayed Hussan Gerdezi, a lawmaker from the neighboring Paktia province, said the Taliban seized most of its local capital, Gardez, but that battles with government forces were still underway. The Taliban said they controlled the city.
The Taliban meanwhile attacked the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif from several directions, setting off heavy fighting on its outskirts, according to Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor.
The Taliban have made major advances in recent days, including capturing Herat and Kandahar, the country’s second- and third-largest cities. They now control 19 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, leaving the Western-backed government in control of a smattering of provinces in the center and east, as well as Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani delivered a televised speech on Saturday, his first public appearance since the recent Taliban gains, in which he vowed not to give up the “achievements” of the 20 years since the U.S. toppled the Taliban following the 9/11 attacks.
The U.S. has continued holding peace talks between the government and the Taliban in Qatar this week, and the international community has warned that a Taliban government brought about by force will not be accepted. But the insurgents would appear to have little interest in making concessions as they rack up victories on the battlefield.
“We have started consultations, inside the government with elders and political leaders, representatives of different levels of the community as well as our international allies," Ghani said. "Soon the results will be shared with you,” he added, without elaborating further.
The president had flown to Mazar-e-Sharif on Wednesday to rally the city's defenses, meeting with several militia commanders, including Abdul Rashid Dostum and Ata Mohammad Noor, who command thousands of fighters.
They remain allied with the government, but during previous rounds of fighting in Afghanistan, warlords have been known to switch sides for their own survival. Ismail Khan, a powerful former warlord who had tried to defend Herat, was captured by the Taliban when the insurgents seized the western city after two weeks of heavy fighting.
Residents of Mazar-e-Sharif expressed fear about the security breakdown.
“The situation is dangerous outside of the city and inside the city," Mohibullah Khan said, adding that many residents are also struggling economically.
The withdrawal of foreign forces and the swift retreat of Afghanistan's own troops — despite hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. aid over the years — has raised fears the Taliban could return to power or the country could be shattered by factional fighting, as it was after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989.
The first Marines from a contingent of 3,000 arrived on Friday to help partially evacuate the U.S. Embassy. The rest are set to arrive by Sunday, and their deployment has raised questions about whether the administration will meet its Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline.
The U.S. Air Force has carried out several airstrikes to aid its Afghan allies on the ground but they appear to have done little to stem the Taliban's advance. A B-52 bomber and other warplanes traversed the country's airspace Saturday, flight-tracking data showed.
The Taliban meanwhile released a video announcing the takeover of the main radio station in the southern city of Kandahar, which fell to the insurgents earlier this week, renaming it the Voice of Sharia, or Islamic law.
In the video, an unnamed insurgent said all employees were present and would broadcast news, political analysis and recitations of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. It appears the station will no longer play music. It was not clear if the Taliban had purged the previous employees or allowed them to return to work.
The Taliban have used mobile radio stations over the years, but have not operated a station inside a major city since they ruled the country from 1996-2001. At that time, they also ran a station called Voice of Sharia out of Kandahar, the birthplace of the group. Music was banned.
The U.S. invaded shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, which al-Qaida planned and carried out while being sheltered by Taliban. After rapidly ousting the Taliban, the U.S. shifted toward nation-building, hoping to create a modern Afghan state after decades of war and unrest.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced a timeline for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops by the end of August, pledging to end America's longest war. His predecessor, President Donald Trump, had reached an agreement with the Taliban to pave the way for a U.S. pullout.
Biden's announcement set the latest offensive in motion. The Taliban, who have long controlled large parts of the Afghan countryside, moved quickly to seize provincial capitals, border crossings and other key infrastructure.
Tens of thousands of Afghans have fled their homes, with many fearing a return to the Taliban's oppressive rule. The group had previously governed Afghanistan under a harsh version of Islamic law in which women were largely confined to the home.
———
Rahim reported from Istanbul and Krauss reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.
Taliban approach Kabul's outskirts, attack north Afghan city - ABC News (go.com)
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Donna_in_OK
Veteran Member
Just for giggles ... last night I googled for some images of the Afghan people vs the Taliban. Let's just say I wonder how many of a certain one are walking in the southern doors that are wide open.
The planes surging 3000 troops there are doing some kind of backhaul.
Bet on it.
Bet on it.
BUBBAHOTEPT
Veteran Member
Stolen elections have consequences… 
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
| America is facing its true enemies, the Russian-Chinese AXIS. When war breaks out we can't have assets trapped near the Chinese border. | |
| Re: Any theories |
Biden’s Afghanistan Predictions Were All Wrong
“Biden” doesn’t make predictions. He doesn’t do anything but stare at a painting on the wall waiting for Oprah to come on.
“Biden” doesn’t make predictions. He doesn’t do anything but stare at a painting on the wall waiting for Oprah to come on.
doctor_fungcool
TB Fanatic
Physical wars against 3 world people who have a strong ideology are generally counter productive. We tried to impose our ideals on folks who hated us...not wise...not practical...and worse yet very wasteful.
northern watch
TB Fanatic
RT: 0.30 minutes
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Russian & Chinese Armies Pledge Deepened Military Cooperation As Afghanistan Unravels
BY TYLER DURDEN
ZERO HEDGE
SATURDAY, AUG 14, 2021 - 07:35 AM
On the heels of the latest joint Russian-Chinese strategic drills, dubbed 'Sibu/Interaction 2021' and held in northwest China's Ningxia region this week, China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe announced Friday that the Chinese and Russian armies have agreed to boost military cooperation in order to ensure "stability" and "protect peace" globally. Crucially this comes at a moment the security situation is unraveling amid lightning fast Taliban advances in Afghanistan as US troops exit.
"The world has been swept by a large-scale pandemic and is witnessing a lot of changes. In these conditions, the armies of China and the Russian Federation will strengthen strategic interaction and comprehensive pragmatic cooperation," Fenghe was quoted as saying by China's foreign ministry.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu & Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe
"We will make another considerable contribution to maintaining peace and stability on our planet," the top defense chief emphasized. It comes as both countries find themselves under a growing regimen of US targeted sanctions, and as tensions continue to soar in the South China Sea, and particularly over Taiwan, given Biden recently authorized the administration's first major weapons sale to the democratic island this month.
The statement also comes following a recent lengthy report issued by Russia's foreign ministry which charges Washington with being a destabilizing force and serial human rights abuser across the globe. "The United States continues to grossly violate human rights both inside and outside the country, including through illegal unilateral coercive measures (sanctions)..." the Russian government document said.
And in another development being widely reported Friday, the CIA is mulling the creation of a China-focused spy division. According to the reports:
The Wall Street Journal detailed that "The drills, which kicked off Monday in Ningxia region, are focused on counterterrorism and jointly maintaining security and stability in the region, according to statements by the two countries’ defense ministries."
Russian media described that the drills included over 10,000 troops, some 200 pieces of armor, 90 artillery guns, and over 100 military aircraft from both sides.
Russian & Chinese Armies Pledge Deepened Military Cooperation As Afghanistan Unravels | ZeroHedge
BY TYLER DURDEN
ZERO HEDGE
SATURDAY, AUG 14, 2021 - 07:35 AM
On the heels of the latest joint Russian-Chinese strategic drills, dubbed 'Sibu/Interaction 2021' and held in northwest China's Ningxia region this week, China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe announced Friday that the Chinese and Russian armies have agreed to boost military cooperation in order to ensure "stability" and "protect peace" globally. Crucially this comes at a moment the security situation is unraveling amid lightning fast Taliban advances in Afghanistan as US troops exit.
"The world has been swept by a large-scale pandemic and is witnessing a lot of changes. In these conditions, the armies of China and the Russian Federation will strengthen strategic interaction and comprehensive pragmatic cooperation," Fenghe was quoted as saying by China's foreign ministry.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu & Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe
"We will make another considerable contribution to maintaining peace and stability on our planet," the top defense chief emphasized. It comes as both countries find themselves under a growing regimen of US targeted sanctions, and as tensions continue to soar in the South China Sea, and particularly over Taiwan, given Biden recently authorized the administration's first major weapons sale to the democratic island this month.
The statement also comes following a recent lengthy report issued by Russia's foreign ministry which charges Washington with being a destabilizing force and serial human rights abuser across the globe. "The United States continues to grossly violate human rights both inside and outside the country, including through illegal unilateral coercive measures (sanctions)..." the Russian government document said.
And in another development being widely reported Friday, the CIA is mulling the creation of a China-focused spy division. According to the reports:
No doubt the CIA and Pentagon were closely monitoring these latest joint China-Russia military drills, said to be the first of their kind since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Wall Street Journal detailed that "The drills, which kicked off Monday in Ningxia region, are focused on counterterrorism and jointly maintaining security and stability in the region, according to statements by the two countries’ defense ministries."
Russian media described that the drills included over 10,000 troops, some 200 pieces of armor, 90 artillery guns, and over 100 military aircraft from both sides.
Russian & Chinese Armies Pledge Deepened Military Cooperation As Afghanistan Unravels | ZeroHedge
