WAR US to leave troops in Afghanistan beyond May, 9/11 new goal

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jward

passin' thru
foxnews.com

State Department on Afghan refugees in US: 'We're doing accountings on the back end'
Brooke Singman

4-5 minutes


Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the State Department is doing "accountings on the back end" as Afghan evacuees arrive in the United States while some raise concerns about the vetting process.
Blinken, during a press conference in Qatar, said the Biden administration focused on getting as many individuals out of Kabul and planned to focus on a vetting process after safely evacuating Afghanistan.
"In our effort to get as many people out as fast as we can while we had the airport functioning, we focused on doing just that," Blinken said, adding that State Department officials are "doing accountings on the back end as people arrive in the United States."

BIDEN OFFICIALS 'WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK' TO 'VET ALL AFGHANS' BEFORE ENTRY INTO US

"My expectation is we will have a breakdown of the numbers of people who left Afghanistan, including not just American citizens, but green card holders, SIV applicants, SIV visa holders, Afghans at risk, those eligible for P-1 and P-2 visas," Blinken said.
"All of that will be forthcoming in the days and weeks ahead as we're able to break down the numbers."

Last week, following the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the White House said intelligence and counterterrorism officials were "working around the clock" to "vet all Afghans" before allowing them to enter the United States.
The White House said those with Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) and vulnerable Afghans were flown to third countries in Europe and Asia that had agreed to "serve as transit hubs" before undergoing "robust security screening and flying to the U.S."
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, center, tours a processing center for Afghan evacuees at al-Udeid Air Base, in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/Pool Photo via AP)


Secretary of State Antony Blinken, center, tours a processing center for Afghan evacuees at al-Udeid Air Base, in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/Pool Photo via AP) (Olivier Douliery/Pool Photo via AP)
The screening process for those individuals, according to the White House, involved "biometric and biographic security reviews conducted by our intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals."

US FACILITATES AFGHANISTAN EVACUATION OF 4 AMERICANS BY OVERLAND ROUTE

The White House also said all Afghans would be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival to the U.S. and offered vaccines and said U.S. military bases are "ready" to take in SIV applicants and other vulnerable Afghans for medical screenings, health care services and other aid.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., raised concerns about the vetting process Tuesday on "Fox & Friends," saying he is "incredibly worried."
But a well-placed U.S. diplomatic source told Fox News that individuals who have been flagged in the vetting process will be sent to Camp Bondsteel – the U.S. Army's main base in Kosovo.
The source told Fox News that several individuals have already been sent to Kosovo.
The source added, though, that the U.S. government can only hold detainees for one year at Camp Bondsteel, based on the agreements with the host government. It is unclear where those individuals will go following further screening at the base.

REP. MARKWAYNE MULLIN SAYS AMERICAN FAMILY HE WAS TRYING TO EVACUATE GOT OUT OF AFGHANISTAN

Meanwhile, Biden administration officials have said the U.S. mission in Afghanistan has shifted from a military mission to a "diplomatic" one. The State Department is still working to evacuate the more than 100 Americans remaining in Afghanistan, should they desire to leave.
The State Department said it "facilitated the safe departure" of four U.S. citizens from Afghanistan on Monday, noting that the Taliban "was aware" and did not interfere in the evacuation.

A senior State Department official said the evacuation was done "by overland route from Afghanistan."
"Embassy staff was present upon their arrival," the official said. "They were in good condition."
The official said the "Taliban was aware and did not impede their transit."

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Please see source for additional video
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
BREAKING: The Taliban has invited 6 countries to take part in the formal announcement of their new government: Turkey, China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar.

Are you paying attention yet?

America not invited, but definitely paid for most of it.
View: https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1435064475283980290?s=20


Reporter asks Biden: Do you have plans to meet Afghan refugees here in the United States?

Biden: “They are (injected) all over the country. I’m sure I will be seeing some of them”.
RT 17secs
View: https://twitter.com/Rkrahenbuhl/status/1435245637495296002?s=20

It will be interesting to see who turns on whom first in that rouge's gallery....
 

jward

passin' thru
Don’t Assume a Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan Means Smooth Sailing for Pakistan
By Maryam Raashed for The Diplomat

10-12 minutes


The Pulse | Security | South Asia
Already, there are worrying signs that the Taliban are inclined to ignore Islamabad’s most pressing concerns.

Don’t Assume a Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan Means Smooth Sailing for Pakistan

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, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021.
Credit: AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad

With the withdrawal of the U.S.-led coalition forces from Afghanistan and reclamation of political power by the Afghan Taliban, countries in the region are shifting to respond to the emerging scenarios. For nearby countries like China, Russia, the Central Asian republics, India, and Pakistan, the political, economic, and security stakes in Afghanistan remain high. To Afghanistan’s east, Pakistan has been preparing to cope with the changing political and security dynamics in Afghanistan, and whatever may follow in the future. From pressing for a politically inclusive settlement to evacuations and delivery of medical supplies, Islamabad is trying to keep its position in Afghanistan strong.

As simple as it may sound, engaging with the Taliban will not be an easy affair for Islamabad. Contrary to the general belief that Islamabad exercises considerable leverage over the Afghan Taliban, the coming days may reveal the limitations of Pakistan’s influence. The Taliban of today possess a renewed vigor. The group has emerged as a dominant political force in Afghanistan, poised to assume the reins of government. The United States’ direct talks with the Taliban, resulting in a U.S. withdrawal, and the unexpectedly quick fall of Kabul have bolstered the Taliban’s image as victors in a war against a mighty superpower. Moreover, the world’s major powers, European states, and the world at large, have developed the uneasy understanding that Taliban are a political reality in Afghanistan. Hence, the Taliban’s power quotient, domestically and internationally, has considerably risen since the last time they were in power. Pakistan is no longer their only option for international support.

Even during the last period of Taliban rule, Pakistan’s leverage over the Afghan Taliban was overestimated. Pakistan remained unable to exercise its leverage on the issue of Durand Line, which is a key national security concern for Islamabad. During the Taliban’s rule in the 1990s, Pakistan was unable to pressure the Taliban into observing human rights. These examples are telling of the limits of Pakistan’s leverage over the Afghan Taliban.
Most recently, three incidents particularly raise concerns over how Pakistan’s engagement with the Afghan Taliban will evolve. First, the Taliban freed Pul-e-Charkhi prisoners which included a senior TTP commander Maulvi Faqir Muhammad. Second is the Afghan Taliban’s display of discontent over the fencing of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. And third are the Afghan Taliban’s claim that the issue of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has to be dealt by Pakistan, and not Afghanistan, though Islamabad has long complained that TTP militants find safe harbor across the border.

Pakistan is closely following the developments in Afghanistan. This focus on Afghanistan stems from the idea that any untoward development in Afghanistan will have a direct and impactful bearing on Pakistan. To put this into perspective: Pakistan lost over 80,000 lives and suffered over $150 billion worth of economic losses owing to the global war on terror in Afghanistan. Therefore, for Pakistan, a politically negotiated settlement is the only viable way to stability in Afghanistan. This policy orientation hinges on Pakistan’s desire for a stable Afghanistan — one without the internecine power struggles that provide operational spaces for militant groups. In tandem, Pakistan sees engagement with Afghanistan as a bedrock for encouraging the Afghan Taliban to conduct themselves responsibly in world politics.
Pakistan’s concerns help explain its actions since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. From August 14 to August 28, Pakistan had evacuated more than 7,000 foreigners from Afghanistan, via some 400 special flights. Pakistan International Airlines was the first airline to carry medical supplies to Afghanistan on August 30. The plane flew from Dubai to the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, carrying 12.5 tonnes of supplies.

Pakistan is engaging with the Afghan Taliban, but this engagement should be cautiously delimited by Pakistan’s prime national security interests. Anti-Pakistan militancy is the primary concern. Apart from the threat of militancy, three other major issues should form the basis of Pakistan’s security calculus vis-a-vis Afghanistan: mutual border management, repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, and an earnest commitment by the Taliban government to human rights. In particular, anything less than the Afghan Taliban’s active role in taking on anti-Pakistan militants operating on Afghan soil and mutual border management should be unacceptable to Pakistan.
Pakistan has long pressed the Afghan Taliban to crack down on TTP and Islamic State Khorasan (ISK, also referred to as ISIS-K). While the Taliban are fighting against ISK, they have not taken decisive action against the TTP. On the issue of the TTP, while speaking on a talk show on August 29, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said; “The issue of the TTP is one that Pakistan will have to deal with, not Afghanistan.” That is a worrying sign of the Afghan Taliban’s interest in tackling the issue. Hence, how the TTP question will develop Pakistan remains to be seen. In particular, Islamabad must press the issue of TTP leadership residing in Afghanistan.

Pakistan considers border management critical for beefing up its security against terrorist infiltration, terror attacks, and illegal border transgressions from Afghanistan. Historically, management of the border has remained a contentious issue owing to Afghanistan’s refusal to recognize the Durand line. In fact, contesting the legality of the Durand line as an international boundary can be considered as one of the few issues that unites the differing Afghan political factions. While Pakistan has unilaterally fenced around 90 percent of the border, it must continue to pressure Afghanistan to initiate border patrolling at the Afghan side. To give perspective, attacks against Pakistani forces along the border have continued even after Kabul’s fall to the Taliban.
The repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and Afghanistan’s commitment to human rights can be viewed as two sides of the same coin. Currently, Pakistan is hosting over 4 million Afghan refugees (around 90 percent of the total Afghan diaspora). So far, Pakistan has not registered any new incoming refugees. However, this should not dilute Islamabad’s concerns over the issue of refugees. In this regard, Islamabad will need meaningful engagement with the Taliban, prioritizing the facilitation of a formal repatriation of Afghan refugees. The Taliban should also be pushed to forge a domestic environment that is conducive to refugee repatriation.

The issue of human rights under Taliban rule generally gains the most traction in external audiences. While the Afghan Taliban are notorious for their human rights violations, we should not forget that Afghanistan’s human rights crisis has continued even under other governments. To put this into perspective, a 2013 report by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada revealed how gross human rights violations by the power elites remained a characteristic feature of Afghan society even under the U.S.-backed government. However, fears over an escalation of human rights violations under the Taliban rule are justified due to the group’s history. Human rights violations should be condemned irrespective of who is in power; for Pakistan, there is also the practical concern that abuses in Afghanistan will translate into an expanding refugee crisis.

In terms of geoeconomics, which is the overarching theme of Islamabad’s foreign policy currently, Afghanistan remains vital for Pakistan. Historically, policymakers in Pakistan had largely viewed Afghanistan through a geostrategic lens. While Pakistan may seek to approach Afghanistan with a multidimensional, economically-driven approach in the longer run, the overriding focus on security cannot be overcome unless these issues are addressed. Hence, more than anything, political stability in Afghanistan remains paramount for Pakistan.

As of now, Pakistan is trying to secure its interests in Afghanistan, while remaining in step with the international community. As a first step, Pakistan decided to await other countries’ recognition of the Taliban’s government in Afghanistan and refrained from recognizing it right away. This posture could be understood as Pakistan’s diplomatic move to remind the Taliban that Pakistan is not an unconditional backer; a give-and-take will form the basis of Pakistan’s engagement with the Taliban.
Islamabad’s Afghan policy needs to be prepared for many topsy-turvy developments. It is still highly uncertain if the Taliban will establish an all-inclusive government by peaceful negotiation or consolidate their control through military might. Other unanswered questions include the extent of political and military resistance to the Taliban, how far the new government will decentralize and devolve power to local authorities, and much more.

Afghanistan’s stability is the most desirable scenario for Pakistan. Like any other country, national security imperatives are and shall remain foremost for Pakistan. However, the resources that Pakistan has at its disposal, including its much-hyped influence over the Taliban, are limited. Pakistan may seek to be a partner in peace, but the responsibility of ensuring a peaceful Afghanistan lies on the bigger players. Stability in Afghanistan has to qualify as a concern for the international community at large. Multilateralism was not an option after the Soviet Army withdrew; it must be the choice following the U.S. withdrawal.
 

vector7

Dot Collector
China JoeBama sold out America…

PRESIDENT TRUMP WARNED OF A “HASTY” EVACUATION BACK IN 2017(He was right again) BIDEN SHOULD OF FOLLOWED THE TRUMP PLAN (CONDITION BASED ) AND NEVER SHOULD OF CLOSED THE BAGRAM AIR BASE. AN IMPORTANT STRATEGIC AIR BASE CLOSE TO CHINA!!! AFGHANISTAN IS NOW A “TERROR WONDERLAND”
RT 1min
View: https://twitter.com/drnovocaine/status/1432090668667703300?s=19


China helped Biden “win” the 2020 elections by packing the ballot box electronically! Biden pulls our great military from Afghanistan,who’s moving in on bagrahm and giving millions to the terrorist in control,CHINA! Who also has taken millions from China?Hunter & Joe! Coincidence?
View: https://twitter.com/Jonatha02789981/status/1435929970300313607?s=19


'To embarrass America' China wants to take over Bagram air base in Afghanistan, says report
View: https://twitter.com/AvinashKS14/status/1435942173086662660?s=19


Bagram Air Base Is About to Have New Tenants...And They Get Their Orders from Beijing

The country that gave world Covid now controls critical, highly sensitive base. The one President Trump would never have given up precisely bec of proximity to China.
View: https://twitter.com/MsSpikey/status/1435938048152424451?s=19


Bagram Air Base was such a strategic place not just in Afghanistan, but also in the region. Because of Biden’s decision, the U.S. is going to be hamstrung in the fight against China and Russia for decades to come.
RT 2min
View: https://twitter.com/RepBrianMast/status/1434301499597750274?s=19


20210906_111117.jpg
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Curtis Houck
@CurtisHouck
· 11h
#BREAKING: Psaki announces Afghan refugee flights to the U.S. "have been temporarily paused at the request of CDC and out of an abundance of caution b/c of four diagnosed cases of measles among Afghans who recently arrived in the [U.S.]. These individuals are being quarantined."
View: https://twitter.com/BryanDeanWright/status/1436412368540471298?s=20

And no one will be able to communicate with them the whole time they're there......
 

jward

passin' thru
Taliban: Women can study in gender-segregated universities
22 minutes ago


An Afghan woman enters a beauty salon in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Since the Taliban gained control of Kabul, several images depicting women outside beauty salons have been removed or covered up. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

An Afghan woman enters a beauty salon in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Since the Taliban gained control of Kabul, several images depicting women outside beauty salons have been removed or covered up. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Women in Afghanistan can continue to study in universities, including at post-graduate levels, but classrooms will be gender-segregated and Islamic dress is compulsory, the higher education minister in the new Taliban government said Sunday.
The minister, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, laid out the new policies at a news conference, several days after Afghanistan’s new rulers formed an all-male government.

The world has been watching closely to see to what extent the Taliban might act differently from their first time in power, in the late 1990s. During that era, girls and women were denied an education, and were excluded from public life.
The Taliban have suggested they have changed, including in their attitudes toward women. However, they have used violence in recent days against women protesters demanding equal rights.

Haqqani said the Taliban did not want to turn the clock back 20 years. “We will start building on what exists today,” he said.
However, female university students will face restrictions under the Taliban, including a compulsory dress code. Haqqani said hijabs will be mandatory but did not specify if this meant compulsory headscarves or also compulsory face coverings.
Gender segregation will also be enforced, he said. “We will not allow boys and girls to study together,” he said. “We will not allow co-education.”

Haqqani said the subjects being taught in universities would also be reviewed but did not elaborate. The Taliban, who subscribe to a harsh interpretation of Islam, have banned music and art during their previous time in power.
 

The Hammer

Has No Life - Lives on TB
:shk:

Hillel Neuer
@HillelNeuer


It's official: the Taliban have asked to address world leaders at the U.N. this week and nominated Suhail Shaheen as Afghanistan’s U.N. ambassador. If the Taliban win recognition, they inherit Afghanistan's seat on the U.N. Women's Rights Commission.
View: https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1440419069123907592?s=20
And no one in the current administration will bat an eye at the raging irony.
 

jward

passin' thru

Below is a list of threads that either flush out the main components of this
shameful chapter in American history, look more deeply into some
aspect of it, or address some of the rampant rumors swirling around it.

The 9/11 date for leaving was rolled up to 8/31/2001 days ago.
Officially the administration professed surprise at the quick blitzkrieg
the TB made through A'stan, and they blamed being caught unprepared
on others- Namely DJT, and the Afghans themselves, whom they suggested
did not fight on their own behalf.

The president, Ghani, flew away from the mess, with as much cash as he could steal,
after conceding to the TB.

The VP, Saleh, cites the countries laws to bolster his claim that he has become the
defacto president, and is heading up a resistance in the North in Panjshir.

US Administration claims to have been working with the Taliban to achieve this withdrawal
since their taking over the country.

Taliban claim to have offered US oversight of Kabul itself, which we declined,
instead opting to reduce our footprint to the Airport itself, with TB providing
security to access to the AP.

As part of the TB efforts to manage the access to the AP they were given the
names and information of those Americans and Afghani's who'd worked with
us and who'd be leaving the country, via these check points.

Rumours of attacks on the AP soon turned to fact and a SVIED attack did occur
on 8/27/21, outside of Abbey gate. It is suggested this attack killed approx 170 afghans,
and 13 US military members. Another attack was reported at a hotel some 200yds away,
but this claim has since been retracted.

US made drone strikes claimed to have killed planners of those attacks;
evidence on ground shows a family with many young children were those killed.

Five rockets were purportedly fired by the isis-k group this morn toward airport,
3 falling short, one being disabled via a cjam system, and another said to have landed
inside the AP without causing damage.

Subsequently, outrage has grown against the Admin, domestically, and abroad, at the
handling of the withdrawal. Reports of executions of Christians, political opponents,
women, and assorted foreigners abound as our officials continue to justify working with
the TB to escape withdraw.

No figures of merit exist in public, but it is admitted by the officials that we're leaving
Americans behind:
As the last American soldier leaves Kabul, a British military advisor suggests a sentiment echoed
around the globe, in some form or another:

“This marks the end of an era of Western liberalism & democracy that started with the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is a defeat of Western ideology...”

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