Afghanistan

[dogmush]

^^^I think it is unfortunate that the ready brigade of the 82nd Airborne has not been airlifted into the airport to serve as needed.

The Immediate Response Force is a Battalion that rotates through one of the Brigades of the 82nd.  I'm pretty sure they IS the Army force on ground, along with some Marines out of whatever MEF is embarked in the Indian Ocean right now.

It take a bit longer to get the rest of the Brigade wheels up and deployed.

As far as going and getting our folks, sure, we can do it.  Right now the Taliban is not trying to overrun the airport, or take out Americans because we have a cease-fire, that is predicated on not engaging.  So, sure, let's go kinetic and get the American Civilians that were too stupid to leave last month.  How much fuel is at Kabel airport.  We have some gunships from the 160th, but no real air support.  How many CH47 sorties can we run with the POL on hand?  What's ammo look like?  Defense against indirect fire?  Basically every American in Afghanistan right now is living on the end of a logistics line that relies on the runways at Kabul taking C17's.  If those runways get mortared, everyone there dies.  We probably HAD CRAM's there, but are they still there, and how much ammo do they have?  Or is the plan to drop the entire 82nd on a combat drop to retake Bagram or Kandahar?

Pakistan won't let us use that ground line to start another war with the Taliban.  The Northern Distribution network is mostly shut down and on the wrong side of the country. 
So what's the plan?  How many troops do you think the Taliban will let us build up in the airport before they cut off that line of support?

I fully agree, I'd like to see MH-60's and CH-47's going out like the Brit's Pumas and picking people up, but remember that is possible ONLY at the whim of the Taliban.  If they say no, we can't do it, because that airport is completely indefensible on any kind of timeline.

this is one of those lack of having a plan gotcha's.  As long as we were doing the deliberate withdrawal, we had maneuver options, and some logistics.  Now we functionally have neither.

[Ben]

More on veteran and other groups banding together to help people get out:

https://www.foxnews.com/world/afghan-interpreters-veterans-roadmaps-satellite-imagery-taliban-checkpoints

[Blakenzy]

At this point the less messy solution would be to straight up pay the Taliban leadership with cash/gold/weapons/toyota pickups for every American citizen delivered to the airport unscathed.

Any pretense of being tough, having any dignity or "not negotiating with trrists" is long gone. Just cut the bull and arrange to get the people out in one piece.

[WLJ]

Well it appears someone is hopefully getting out. Been a crap ton of transports going in and out today.

[kgbsquirrel]

The call has been put out for experienced trigger pullers from PMCs.

$2k per day, expected 10 days, bring your own kit if you like but some will be provided, need current passport, required skills include trigger discipline and discrimination and general physical fitness.

[WLJ]

Y'all just too ignorant to understand the brilliance of how this is all being carried  out.

    the work of Americans charged with executing the evacuation is noble, selfless and deeply patriotic. Often reviled by an ignorant public, smeared as the “deep state” by right-ring, they saved untold lives and alleviated a good deal of human suffering https://t.co/L11XeUQj9U

    — Jennifer 'pro-voting' Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) August 22, 2021

https://twitchy.com/samj-3930/2021/08/22/so-on-brand-jennifer-rubin-dragged-for-claiming-ignorant-public-is-to-blame-for-being-too-stupid-to-understand-bidens-afghanistan-strategy/

[Fly320s]

The call has been put out for experienced trigger pullers from PMCs.

$2k per day, expected 10 days, bring your own kit if you like but some will be provided, need current passport, required skills include trigger discipline and discrimination and general physical fitness.

That's me!  Except for the discrimination and physical fitness.  I'm too old and fat to care.

[WLJ]

I just counted 10 C-17s plus some C-130s in the air going in and out of A at the moment.

Edit: Make that 11

[Ron]

Well it appears someone is hopefully getting out. Been a crap ton of transports going in and out today.

This completes the circle of failure.

Bringing in thousands of Afghan refugees will result in the rape and death of Americans as well as accelerate the decline of areas they are resettled.

The stupid, just seeing it hurts.

[WLJ]

This completes the circle of failure.

Bringing in thousands of Afghan refugees will result in the rape and death of Americans as well as accelerate the decline of areas they are resettled.

The stupid, just seeing it hurts.

Was just getting ready to post

McGarvey then decided to team up with state house minority leader Joni Jenkins (D) to come up with a way to make the state a solution. The pair then decided to write a letter, begging the governor and the state's eight-member congressional delegation to add Kentucky to the list of states willing to accept Afghan refugees.

Democratic state lawmakers urge governor to make Kentucky permanent home for Afghan refugees
https://www.wlky.com/article/democratic-state-lawmakers-urge-governor-to-make-kentucky-permanent-home-for-afghan-refugees/37368461

[Ben]

We take in a ton of refugees* in this state - probably a higher percentage per population than most. I only very rarely read stories of crime caused by refugees. Most of them seem to go to school and start businesses, including some really good restaurants.

*As in REAL refugees, not the AOC definition of refugee. Real refugees, fleeing death, generally seem to be grateful for a new start and freedom.

[WLJ]

We take in a ton of refugees* in this state - probably a higher percentage per population than most. I only very rarely read stories of crime caused by refugees. Most of them seem to go to school and start businesses, including some really good restaurants.

*As in REAL refugees, not the AOC definition of refugee. Real refugees, fleeing death, generally seem to be grateful for a new start and freedom.

I wasn't passing judgment on the refugees just posting local news on the matter but I do agree do rarely hear bad things about REAL refugees. In fact most seem to go on to be better Americans than many if not most native born Americans.

There are exceptions though. *cough* Ilhan Omar *cough*

[Ben]

There are exceptions though. *cough* Ilhan Omar *cough*

Agree -there are certainly bad apples. With economic immigrants from the South, I have often found it's their children that have decided the country that gave their parents a new chance is an evil dictatorship. Perhaps the same thing happens with even real refugees.

[Ron]

If only there was a nation(s) that has taken in large numbers of refugees from Afghanistan that we could look at and determine how well they assimilate ...

like maybe an England or Germany ...

[dogmush]

The call has been put out for experienced trigger pullers from PMCs.

$2k per day, expected 10 days, bring your own kit if you like but some will be provided, need current passport, required skills include trigger discipline and discrimination and general physical fitness.

Got a contact number?

[Boomhauer]

I’m concerned about separating the sheep from the goats because you know in these times it’s RAYCIST to investigate a refugee’s background making it the perfect opportunity to insert some sleeper cells into the US.

[fifth_column]

The Taliban dressed up in American military gear we left behind when we fled the country and staged their own mock Iwo Jima photo.
https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/1429174503930613764/photo/1

They've sure got some chutzpah.

From what I've seen it looks like they've got a really good publicist. This really feels like a social media propaganda blitz to me.

[Ben]

From what I've seen it looks like they've got a really good publicist.

It's called Twitter. Have you ever seen a picture of Jack Dorsey? He's an American Taliban.

[dogmush]

I guess we'll know in about a week who blinks.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/23/afghan-guard-killed-in-armed-clash-at-kabul-airport-live-news

[WLJ]

I guess we'll know in about a week who blinks.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/23/afghan-guard-killed-in-armed-clash-at-kabul-airport-live-news

A staring contest between the Taliban and Biden?   

[Ben]

A staring contest between the Taliban and Biden?   

Biden actually seems to be kind of a pro at staring off into space for long periods.

[WLJ]

*

[WLJ]

Whoops wrong thread

[Lennyjoe]

Wouldn’t it be great if we could whack the Taliban now that they’re not trying to hide from our forces?  Like fill the C-17s with troops going in and start an offensive against them.  Have the fast movers ready to bomb the *expletive deleted*it out of anything that looks Taliban running out of Kabul and the Northern Alliance/ANA standing by outside Kabul to nail small groups of T- ban runners..

Ok, it’s a nice wish but still….

[dogmush]

Was just a waiting game for the Taliban.  History shows that they just need to be patient and wait us out.

Bottom line, it’s a shithole and you’d never be successful in teaching them to do anything different they have been doing for hundreds of years.

No love lost for the fall of Afghanistan here, except for the lives lost trying to bring them up to the 21 st century.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could whack the Taliban now that they’re not trying to hide from our forces?  Like fill the C-17s with troops going in and start an offensive against them.  Have the fast movers ready to bomb the *expletive deleted*it out of anything that looks Taliban running out of Kabul and the Northern Alliance/ANA standing by outside Kabul to nail small groups of T- ban runners..

Ok, it’s a nice wish but still….

Ladies and gents, 11 days from "you'll never be successful" to "let's fire the land war back up".

Notwithstanding the logistical issues of invading a country by Air Bridge, do you want a generation long occupation or not?  We have civilian control of the military, I know, but the civlian's moods are exhausting.  Over the last decade the GWOT has more in and out action than OnlyFans.