US, NATO Outta Afghanistan 2021

[Blackadder1916]

For a country that 20 years ago talked about "Freedom Fries" and joked about white French flags, that's gotta sting.

Since France was mentioned, it may be appropriate to note this speech (official English translation in the link) given by the French President a few days ago. I've included an excerpt that discusses the immediate situation in Kabul and France's intent.

France will stand with Afghans in a spirit of comradeship - President

"Afghanistan's future is in its own hands, but we will continue... supporting Afghan civil society and doing our duty to protect those whom we can protect," says Emmanuel Macron.

uk.ambafrance.org

Afghanistan – Speech by M. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic, on the situation in Afghanistan
Fort de Brégancon, 16 August 2021

. . .

France’s fight served a purpose and did us credit. One day it will bear fruit, and I ask you to remember that.

At this very moment, the situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating swiftly and sharply. As I speak, the Taliban have assumed control of nearly the entire country. They entered Kabul and control the city with the exception of the airport, where activities are being coordinated by the Americans. The Afghan president left the country. Commercial flights have ceased.

This shift, which we were prepared for, calls for immediate decisions and initiatives on a par with the gravity of the situation, in order to respond to the humanitarian disaster.

The absolute priority is to ensure the security of our compatriots, who must all leave the country, as well as Afghans who have worked for France.

Our citizens have been evacuated in stages during recent weeks, in anticipation of what would happen. We are in contact with all French citizens who wish to return home, whether they be at the military airport, the civilian airport, or on the historic grounds of the Embassy, where the situation remains troubling. I want to take this opportunity to thank our representatives on the ground – our diplomats, police officers and military personnel – for their commitment and their courage. I also want to thank our American allies, who have been indispensable to carrying out these evacuations.

France is one of the very few countries that decided it had to have the means on the ground until the very end to protect those who worked for us. In recent weeks, we also made plans for evacuations operations.

We were therefore able to welcome all Afghan employees of French entities in Afghanistan who could be in danger, together with their families – more than 600 people – and assume care for them under good conditions.

France is currently protecting the European Union delegate and has provided protection for Afghans who work with the European delegation. France has also provided protection and support for all French personnel of nongovernmental organizations who wish to leave the country.

Operations have been under way for several years now to welcome Afghan civilian personnel employed by the French armed forces, along with their families. Our duty and our sense of integrity demand that we protect those who help us: interpreters, drivers, cooks and so many others. More than 800 people are now on French soil. Several dozen people who assisted the French armed forces are still on the ground, and we are mobilizing all of our efforts on their behalf.

Many Afghans – rights workers, artists, journalists, activists – are now in danger because of their activities. We will help them as much as we possibly can, because it does credit to France to stand by those who share our values, taking into account necessary adjustments to our capacity. I want to thank the associations, collectives and local governments who will help welcome them. In order to proceed with their evacuation, which can only be conducted in close coordination with American troops on the ground, I have decided to send two military aircraft and special forces. They will be on the ground in the coming hours.

Apart from these urgent measures, I intend to take several initiatives on behalf of France in close coordination with the other European nations and our allies.

- We will continue to focus our efforts first and foremost on actively combating Islamist terrorism in all of its forms.

. . .

 

[YZT580]

and they were planning in advance and working in advance. What a contrast to the 'so-called' leaders on this side of the Atlantic

 

[Jarnhamar]

and they were planning in advance and working in advance. What a contrast to the 'so-called' leaders on this side of the Atlantic

Conspiracy hat: It's cheaper, easier and more convienient to play stupid, act surprise and put in minimal acceptable level of effort. (MALE rule )

 

[Altair]

Conspiracy hat: It's cheaper, easier and more convienient to play stupid, act surprise and put in minimal acceptable level of effort. (MALE rule )

 

[daftandbarmy]

and they were planning in advance and working in advance. What a contrast to the 'so-called' leaders on this side of the Atlantic

Like who, I wonder?

Evacuating as many Afghans as Canada wants ‘nearly impossible’: Trudeau​

Evacuating as many Afghans as Canada wants ‘nearly impossible’: Trudeau - National | Globalnews.ca

"We will get some, certainly, but to get many people out, as many as we'd want, is going to be almost impossible in the coming weeks," Trudeau said.

globalnews.ca

 

[OldSolduer]

Nice haul of goodies. Maybe we can trade them for some parkas?

Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest​

President Joe Biden’s administration is so concerned about the weapons that it is considering a number of options to pursue.

The officials said launching airstrikes against the larger equipment, such as helicopters, has not been ruled out, but there is concern that would antagonize the Taliban at a time the United States' main goal is evacuating people here.

Another official said that while there are no definitive numbers yet, the current intelligence assessment was that the Taliban are believed to control more than 2,000 armored vehicles, including U.S. Humvees, and up to 40 aircraft potentially including UH-60 Black Hawks, scout attack helicopters, and ScanEagle military drones.

“We have already seen Taliban fighters armed with U.S.-made weapons they seized from the Afghan forces. This poses a significant threat to the United States and our allies,” Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, told Reuters in an email.

Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest

About a month ago, Afghanistan's ministry of defense posted on social media photographs of seven brand new helicopters arriving in Kabul delivered by the United States.

www.reuters.com

Wait until the evacuation is over and I hear Hellfire missiles work well.

 

[MilEME09]

Is it bad the Taliban have better helicopters and drones then us?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Is it bad the Taliban have better helicopters and drones then us?

We have better offshore patrol vessels

​

 

[kkwd]

We have better offshore patrol vessels

​

Yes, but the Taliban are swimming in superior land boats.

 

[Weinie]

Nice haul of goodies. Maybe we can trade them for some parkas?

Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest​

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - About a month ago, Afghanistan’s ministry of defense posted on social media photographs of seven brand new helicopters arriving in Kabul delivered by the United States.

“They’ll continue to see a steady drumbeat of that kind of support, going forward,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters a few days later at the Pentagon.

In a matter of weeks, however, the Taliban had seized most of the country, as well as any weapons and equipment left behind by fleeing Afghan forces.

Video showed the advancing insurgents inspecting long lines of vehicles and opening crates of new firearms, communications gear and even military drones.

“Everything that hasn’t been destroyed is the Taliban’s now,” one U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Current and former U.S. officials say there is concern those weapons could be used to kill civilians, be seized by other militant groups such as Islamic State to attack U.S.-interests in the region, or even potentially be handed over to adversaries including China and Russia.

President Joe Biden’s administration is so concerned about the weapons that it is considering a number of options to pursue.

The officials said launching airstrikes against the larger equipment, such as helicopters, has not been ruled out, but there is concern that would antagonize the Taliban at a time the United States' main goal is evacuating people here.

Another official said that while there are no definitive numbers yet, the current intelligence assessment was that the Taliban are believed to control more than 2,000 armored vehicles, including U.S. Humvees, and up to 40 aircraft potentially including UH-60 Black Hawks, scout attack helicopters, and ScanEagle military drones.

“We have already seen Taliban fighters armed with U.S.-made weapons they seized from the Afghan forces. This poses a significant threat to the United States and our allies,” Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, told Reuters in an email.

Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest

About a month ago, Afghanistan's ministry of defense posted on social media photographs of seven brand new helicopters arriving in Kabul delivered by the United States.

www.reuters.com

I thought it was just M4s and Hummers.......hmmmmm

 

[CBH99]

To be fair, I think the concerns about the Taliban seizing aircraft such as Black Hawks, MD-500's, and the A-29's are overblown.

Helicopters need skilled maintenance, knowledge of spare parts, oil, lubricants, fuel. I don't know if the average timmy Taliban would be a very trustworthy helicopter mechanic/technician.

Helicopters also need pilots. While they may be able to turn one on, or eventually figure out how to get the rotor spinning & engine started, I again don't know how good timmy will be at actually flying one of them. Especially a black hawk.


Between a lack of pilots, and a complete lack of technicians/crew, I think the helicopters will mostly stay as great photo props.



The A-29's would be a lot easier to figure out and get in the air. Ride of a lifetime for anybody who has never driven or ridden in anything cooler than a pickup truck before, that's for sure. But the real question is, can timmy land the thing? (Also, does it have gas? ammo? weapons properly connected to hardpoints?)

 

[Good2Golf]

Is it bad the Taliban have better helicopters and drones then us?

160th SOAR(A) ‘Nightstalkers’:

“Hold our beers…”

 

[Jarnhamar]

Between a lack of pilots, and a complete lack of technicians/crew, I think the helicopters will mostly stay as great photo props.

They'd make a killing selling them though.

Anything the Taliban won't or can't use can be sold. Money they make can bribe people for a long time.

I don't think it would be hard to find buyers in the middle east for american night vision, small arms, laser sights etc..

 

[MilEME09]

They'd make a killing selling them though.

Anything the Taliban won't or can't use can be sold. Money they make can bribe people for a long time.

I don't think it would be hard to find buyers in the middle east for american night vision, small arms, laser sights etc..

How about we find a middle man, buy it, track the funds, close the accounts, and get new kit, and the money back, it's win win

 

[Altair]

They'd make a killing selling them though.

Anything the Taliban won't or can't use can be sold. Money they make can bribe people for a long time.

I don't think it would be hard to find buyers in the middle east for american night vision, small arms, laser sights etc..

this is true.

Just don't think that surplus kit is enough to prop up that nations economy after all the foreign money the west and western backed institutions were flowing into it.

There are going to be a lot of poor starving afghans in the near future.

 

[OldSolduer]

The Taliban have had 20 years. No doubt some younger ones are a bit more tech savvy than their predecessors

 

[dapaterson]

We have better offshore patrol vessels

​

FTFY. Only one is in service so far...

 

[Jarnhamar]

Just don't think that surplus kit is enough to prop up that nations economy after all the foreign money the west and western backed institutions were flowing into it.

I wonder if there's any Kingdoms in the area that would have a historic connection to the Taliban in Afghanistan and willing to secretly slide some cash their way

 

[OldSolduer]

I wonder if there's any Kingdoms in the area that would have a historic connection to the Taliban in Afghanistan and willing to secretly slide some cash their way

There’s always the Haqqani network in NW Pakistan ….. ya know?

 

[Altair]

I wonder if there's any Kingdoms in the area that would have a historic connection to the Taliban in Afghanistan and willing to secretly slide some cash their way

some cash?

Some Cash?

IMF is blocking 370m this week alone, and the USA has frozen assets worth around 7 billion.

If these kingdoms want to fill the void, they had better start holding some bake sales.