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| Afghanistan |
| Weapon seizures 'massive boon' for Taliban as cities fall |
| 2021-08-14 |
| [KFP via France24] The United States spent billions supplying the Afghan military with the tools to defeat the Taliban, but the rapid capitulation of the armed forces means that weaponry is now fuelling the insurgents' astonishing battlefield successes. "We provided our Afghan partners with all the tools -- let me emphasise: all the tools," US President Joe Biden said when defending his decision to withdraw American forces and leave the fight to the locals. But Afghan defence forces have shown little appetite for that fight and, in their tens of thousands, have been laying down their arms -- only for the Taliban to immediately pick them up. The Taliban's social media is awash with videos of Taliban fighters seizing weapons caches -- the majority supplied by Western powers. Footage of Afghan soldiers surrendering in the northern city of Kunduz shows army vehicles loaded with heavy weapons and mounted with artillery guns safely in the hands of the insurgent rank and file. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #32 ^^^ #30 I lost 9 of my friends to Nam, their names are on the wall in Washington, DC and I had another bunch of guys loose parts, some of them their souls (PTSD) - I'm thinking of all of our guys who fought these last 21 years and how they will be feeling soon after the news of the Afghanistan Crash & Burn Today... They might need a couple of 'old timer's ears' in the weeks and months ahead -- listen & be available, if & when they ask... Stay Strong ! |
| Posted by: Enver Clolung1116 2021-08-14 23:52 |
| #31 I say again. Arc light. |
| Posted by: Shiva Protector of the Hohlraums 2021-08-14 23:28 |
| #30 #26: KIND OF LIKE Hue. Despicable animals, then and now. Pure political murders. I would kill them as I did the NVA/and so-called grassroots uprising of the Viet Kong. Jeez I hated those VC bastards. Murderers and terrorists. |
| Posted by: Shiva Protector of the Hohlraums 2021-08-14 23:27 |
| #29 Cue cannon and koto. "It's spooky," Chucks Rocky the flying tanuki, "How this trick always works On you taxpaying jerks!" [frantic cakewalk to Kabul Kabuki] |
| Posted by: Hupolung de Medici9503 2021-08-14 21:18 |
| #28 Something about trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2021-08-14 20:51 |
| #27 |
| Posted by: Enver Clolung1116 2021-08-14 19:26 |
| #26 EASTERN HERALD Kabul has fallen, Taliban is killing political leadership and religious minorities in Afghanistan By News Room - 15 August 2021 |
| Posted by: Enver Clolung1116 2021-08-14 19:19 |
| #25 Arclight. Anyone else thinking many, many Arclights? I know, small-minded and vindictive. Know thyself. The weapons and vehicles won't last long - maintenance. Except the M2's. |
| Posted by: Claviger Sluger2932 2021-08-14 19:09 |
| #24 Well, it looks like the ETA for the fall of Kabul has dropped from 90 days to sometime tomorrow. But good news about the Taliban getting hold of US equipment. Some Afghan soldiers are driving their Humvees to Iran instead. Thanks, guys! This is looking less like Saigon 1975 and more like a combination of Chosin Reservoir 1950 and Rwanda 1994. |
| Posted by: Matt 2021-08-14 18:45 |
| #23 ^^^^ ooh ooh Can we use a MOAB instead, I've always wanted to see what a 9.9 earthquake would do... can we please, huh..huh It would also 'quick start' precious metals mining, with a six hundred foot deep hole... |
| Posted by: Enver Clolung1116 2021-08-14 18:18 |
| #22 All of our trucks had GPS installed. We just watch for the biggest concentration so we can nuke them. |
| Posted by: Pliny McGurque4779 2021-08-14 18:10 |
| #21 Taliban is doomed… none of them are wearing masks |
| Posted by: Airandee 2021-08-14 16:25 |
| #20 "We provided our Afghan partners with all the tools -- let me emphasise: all the tools," Which partners dippo? |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2021-08-14 15:52 |
| #19 Test |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2021-08-14 15:09 |
| #18 That is what I meant Besoeker. They must know this would happen and planned on it. Trump was actually making progress toward peace in the middle east - what with the accords and treaties. Can't have that! Having an eternal external threat is how they maintain their power - and keeps the gravy train running. As a bonus it lets in our adversaries the Chinese Government - which keeps Xiden's handlers happy. Yes that sounds like a conspiracy theory - but after seeing what is happening over the past 20-40 years - its hard to discount it anymore. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2021-08-14 11:24 |
| #17 That simply cannot be Matt. It makes too much sense. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-14 11:09 |
| #16 Afghanistan is going fast. However, the Obiden government is saying that all those personnel who are leaving are not being evacuated. The embassies are shredding documents and equipment is being destroyed. I don't know what the heck else you'd call it. This answers one of my questions from a few years back. Are the Afghans being trained going to be ready to stand up and defend their country when we leave? The answer looks like, No. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2021-08-14 11:08 |
| #15 Let's look on the bright side. As soon as Kabul falls the Taliban factions are going to start killing each other, and these weapons will expedite that process. |
| Posted by: Matt 2021-08-14 11:07 |
| #14 The Colin Powell 'Everybody plays and nobody gets hurt' plan. Calling off the air during the Iraqi retreat was imbecilic and was really helpful in creating the sequel. I question just how well they weaponize any of it and for how long. But small matter if you already have it pre-sold to the Chinese and Paks. |
| Posted by: Cesare 2021-08-14 11:03 |
| #13 Remember, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2021-08-14 10:47 |
| #12 /\ No CF. This has all been carefully orchestrated. I suspect a Chinese-Paki concession, but I am always 'suspecting' something. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-14 10:36 |
| #11 None of our 'Top Men' in the Pentagon, Washington think tanks, Foggy Bottom, McClean, or Leavenworth could have predicted this ? After what happened in Iraq with ISIS they would have to be very, very, stupid to not know what would happen. And they are not stupid. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2021-08-14 10:31 |
| #10 /\ Of course if your plan is to partner with the incoming Taliban regime and buy your way back into influence, it's probably not wise to kill them off in large numbers on the approaches. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-14 10:14 |
| #9 Besoeker I am more curious as to why and how none of our top men thought to disable and booby trap said equipment, a little thermite and a lot of sugar goes a long way in that direction. |
| Posted by: Cesare 2021-08-14 10:07 |
| #8 ^^^ And we left the keys in the ignitions, again. |
| Posted by: Elmush Flurt2956 2021-08-14 09:58 |
| #7 ...American 'stick shift' weapons. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2021-08-14 09:54 |
| #6 ...On the other hand, US weapons ain't AKs- they require constant maintenance. I suspect the Taliban will decide fairly quickly that they aren't worth the trouble. Until that point, of course, they have a shiat-ton of firepower. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2021-08-14 09:44 |
| #5 Long tradition - French tanks used by Germans in the Balkans. Then again, the Germans used the Czech T 38 tank to tour France in 1940. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2021-08-14 08:43 |
| #4 Want to bet there will be no ammo shortage in the Stan? |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2021-08-14 07:57 |
| #3 After 20 years of 'victory just around the corner.' None of our 'Top Men' in the Pentagon, Washington think tanks, Foggy Bottom, McClean, or Leavenworth could have predicted this ? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-14 07:45 |
| #2 https://twitter.com/Natsecjeff/status/1426246046565511170?s=20 |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2021-08-14 06:06 |
| #1 https://twitter.com/Natsecjeff/status/1426246046565511170?s=20 |
| Posted by: 3dc 2021-08-14 05:15 |
