USA is finally out of Afghanistan

[Meengla]

So no final evacuation took place in last few hours.

 

[BATMAN]

US didn't leave Afghanistan before making it a polarized state, economically dependent on foreign aid.... essentially same task is given to ruling party of Pakistan, which they have delivered at much lower cost.

 

[VCheng]

Of course the claim of $80+ billion in equipment falling into the Taliban hand was so obviously not just exaggerated--it was a fraudulent claim! Pakistan's total annual defense budget is a fraction of that amount!! And yet the high number of the Taliban getting the weapons has been peddled around ad nauseum. I know this is Fog of War--but where is some critical thinking? Where is the questioning of such exaggerated claims?? To me it seems like war and killing is a 9-5 job: Do the killings, cover the palatable parts in the media, hire the 'experts' in talkshows, do the cover-ups-- but do it all before the 'weekend' arrives.

The total for all assets is indeed astronomical, equipment being only one part of it.

 

[Verve]

in your fantasies, yes

It took a long time for the British Whites to realise that the Empire was no more ... realisation of this defeat will kick in quicker for you whites!

 

[Meengla]

So, India's WION is confirming that Taliban forces have taken over some gates of the Kabul airport. This looks like a well coordinated withdrawal-- the lesser the Western presence, the more the Taliban presence at the airport. Good.
After minute 3: (and, as I said, even WION's Annas Mallick has been doing better coverage then just about ALL the Western media in last two weeks, whose focus was always about 'Taliban, women, girls, education, hunting down blah blah', despite that the Taliban had barely moved into Kabul and there is officially no govt even now. Idiots!

 

[Meengla]

Pakistan's own Indus News--a much neglected channel-- is also doing a great job. Here is the latest from them. According to this lady, Taliban do have control of 3-4 gates out of the 7 gates and she thinks Taliban claim is more credible than Pentagon's claim on that, and that as early as tonight (Afghan time), ALL American presence would be gone! She is also saying that the negotiation with the Panjshir people will resume now--it was halted because of the attacks at the airport.
Brave lady. After minute 3.

 

[Ali_Baba]

Grab your popcorns or champagne or milkshake or Lassi. The Pentagon is supposed to have a Press Conference tomorrow (Saturday) at 11 AM Eastern Time Zone (New York City time). Meanwhile, a little moaning from India about the weapons left behinds. Certainly not $85 billion. Someone above put the more plausible number: $2 billion at most. But it is here anyway:
From an Indian forum:
"
Arms left for the Pakis:
1. 600,000 assault rifles including M-16s and M-4s.
2. 162,000 pieces of secure communication equipment.
3. 16,000 night vision goggles.
4. 4,702 armored vehicles including 2,000 Humvees in excellent condition.
5. 2,520 bombs.
6. 20,040 hand grenades.
7. 1,394 grenade launchers
8. 40 aircraft including UH-60 Blackhawks, Scout attack helos, and Scan Eagle drones. The GAO reports that 200 aircraft were delivered to Afghanistan. "

The only thing of value in that list is the UH-60s BlackHawks, Scout Attack Helo's - the rest of it is junk or the Taliban can use themselves - so it has value to them.

The Afghan Airforce collapsed when all of the contractors left - the Americans never trained the Afghan Airforce to be self - sufficient. The Iraqi airforce had the same problem - it is more about making lots of money for private contractors - rather than leaving real capability behind ...

Now, the UH-60 Blackhawks, Scout attack helos have no 2nd hand value as they need direct support from the USA to support and maintain - they are - as of now - complete junk to the talibunnies or anyone else unless the USA agrees to the sale of that equipment.

If the Turks or Jordan or any other ME country with USA friendly ties that also operate the same equipment(or any other country other than Pakistan !!! ) then they should make them a bargin basement offer and the Americans will agree to the sale to get the "equipment out of the talibunny hands, etc ". The talibunnies get some cash or exchange for help to bootstrap what ever "vision" they have for Afganistan...

That is the only future for the equipment of the Afghan airforce that is of American origin - The talibunny can operate and maintain the Mi17s for some time as they are designed to be operated by semi-illterate peasants( russian war philosphy !! )

 

[Meengla]

If the Turks or Jordan or any other ME country with USA friendly ties that also operate the same equipment(or any other country other than Pakistan !!! ) then they should make them a bargin basement offer and the Americans will agree to the sale to get the "equipment out of the talibunny hands, etc ".

Good information. Didn't know those Black Hawks are so useless to the Taliban! So, yes, sell them to Jordan or Turkey to get some much needed cash. Or make a 'Black Hawk Museum' to generate some recurring revenue in Kabul!
But I think if those helicopters, somehow, make to Pakistan then the Pakistani 'JugaaR' can make them work fine!

 

[Clutch]

Good riddance to bad garbage.

Most Muslim expatriates I have talked to, said if Pakistan was economically like China or Japan, they would never leave Pakistan.
Most Pakistani expatriates I have talked to in Mosques and behind close-doors said they would prefer to live in a Muslim environment. They only leave for economic reasons or for a higher education.

People only leave Pakistan, because the country is not developed enough.

We need to build more universities, vocational schools, develop infrastructure.

Law and order.... The legal system in Pakistan is a joke.

 

[ghazi52]

Law and order.... The legal system in Pakistan is a joke.

A really big joke.....................

 

[Meengla]

Pentagon Live Press Conference... This is a historic day. Next 24 hours.

 

[ghazi52]

BREAKING

UK's final dedicated evacuation flight leaves

The final UK flight purely for civilian evacuees has left Kabul airport, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

Flights for British military personnel and a small number of Afghan evacuees will continue over the weekend.

 

[Reichmarshal]

The only thing of value in that list is the UH-60s BlackHawks, Scout Attack Helo's - the rest of it is junk or the Taliban can use themselves - so it has value to them.

The Afghan Airforce collapsed when all of the contractors left - the Americans never trained the Afghan Airforce to be self - sufficient. The Iraqi airforce had the same problem - it is more about making lots of money for private contractors - rather than leaving real capability behind ...

Now, the UH-60 Blackhawks, Scout attack helos have no 2nd hand value as they need direct support from the USA to support and maintain - they are - as of now - complete junk to the talibunnies or anyone else unless the USA agrees to the sale of that equipment.

If the Turks or Jordan or any other ME country with USA friendly ties that also operate the same equipment(or any other country other than Pakistan !!! ) then they should make them a bargin basement offer and the Americans will agree to the sale to get the "equipment out of the talibunny hands, etc ". The talibunnies get some cash or exchange for help to bootstrap what ever "vision" they have for Afganistan...

That is the only future for the equipment of the Afghan airforce that is of American origin - The talibunny can operate and maintain the Mi17s for some time as they are designed to be operated by semi-illterate peasants( russian war philosphy !! )

Well not technically true
From 1979 to 1989, the United States sold many weapons systems to China, most notably the S-70 (UH-60) helicopter. 24 of these were exported to the People's Republic of China for $140 million. After the U.S. stopped selling arms to China over the Tianmin episode. Sikorsky ceased technical support for the exported helos.
By the late ‘90s, 21 of the 24 original helicopters were still in use by China (three had been lost in crashes), and as late as 2015, they were being used during the relief efforts after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Sichuan Province.
After almost 30 years of opp the Chinese Blackhawks were getting old. So by 2013 the first prototype of of the Chinese copy know as Z20 came out.
Today the z20 is the most delivered rotary winged element delivered to the Chinese military. The eventual figure being quoted is around 3000 units.

So I don't see many prob with keeping the afg black hawks operational.

 

[Meengla]

Afghanistan, Biden and the Taliban: U.S. Embassy Cites ‘Specific’ Kabul Airport Threat, Hours After Biden’s Warning (Published 2021)

The president said an attack was “highly likely” at the Afghan capital’s airport, where dwindling numbers are being flown out. The U.S. State Department estimates about 350 Americans are still awaiting evacuation.

www.nytimes.com

Afghanistan Live Updates: Biden Warns of New Terror Threat as Evacuation Winds Down
The president said an attack was “highly likely” at the airport in Kabul, where dwindling numbers are being flown out. The U.S. State Department estimates there are still about 350 Americans awaiting evacuation.

 

[ghazi52]

US troops have begun their withdrawal from the airport - their numbers are now down to 4,000, from a peak of 5,800 in the past week.

The next few days are likely to be the most dangerous since the evacuation began, White House officials say.
The Taliban have set up further layers of checkpoints around the airport and are not allowing most Afghans through, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

On Saturday, Italy's final flight from Afghanistan arrived in Rome. Italy said it had evacuated almost 5,000 Afghan citizens from Kabul - the highest number of any EU country.

France said it had flown out more than 2,800 since 17 August, while Germany said it had taken about 4,000 Afghans.

The head of the UK's armed forces, General Sir Nick Carter, said it was "heartbreaking" that they had not been able to rescue everyone.