General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsChaos at Kabul airport, US troops firing warning shots at civilians
There aren't enough US soldiers to secure the airport
Link to tweet
Link to tweet
Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)There clearly was a mistake made in thinking that the Afghani army we armed and trained wouldn't just turn tail and immediately run away when the Taliban showed up and looked at them funny.
This is probably making it look like there was 'no planning', but when a fundamental underpinning of a plan spectacularly fails this is how any plan ends up looking.
It's looking more like an intelligence failure than a planning failure, as such.
The Unmitigated Gall
(4,438 posts)Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)should be under these conditions.
The fact that 'we're leaving' has always meant we were leaving millions of people to fend for themselves. So, these folks on the tarmac? Those are just some of those people, not really inherently different from any of the other millions, sorry to say ...
bluedevil4
(305 posts)American citizens. Theyve been told to take shelter because there is gun fire. Im editing this because they are Americans and its the diplomatic staff. They were taken from the embassy to the airport
Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)leftstreet
(36,221 posts)Im saying our soldiers evacuated our diplomats from the embassy to the airport to get them home. I believe that was their mission but the airport is under fire from the Afghans so they were told to take shelter.
AkFemDem
(2,026 posts)These videos are shared on Twitter by many sources and this was the first I saw suggesting they were firing AT people, everyone else is reporting it as air fire (warning shots for crowd control) These crowds seem too calm despite all their understandable panic, to actually be sustaining bullet spray.
bluedevil4
(305 posts)what Im reading. Im not there but Im going to watch a movie now because I cant handle this. Theres to much inaccurate reporting
bluedevil4
(305 posts)realized you are eating popcorn 🍿 lol at least you are keeping a sense of humor. I think I lost mine
Submariner
(12,626 posts)this 20 years was just a monthly check from Uncle Sam. We're gone. The checks stopped. They be gone.
Devil Child
(2,728 posts)and remaining holdouts if they are unable to maintain continued security of the tarmac and field. This right after 1000 infantry from the 82nd Airborne has landed.
Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)Our troops have secured the military part and from there Americans (and perhaps select others, not sure) are being evacuated.
This is the civilian part of the airfield. I suspect it's being flooded with locals looking to get on any airplane out of the country they possibly can and that's what we're seeing here.
Deminpenn
(16,082 posts)The pictures are of the civilian part. There was a report all commercial flights were stopped (poosibly due to reports of gunfire at the airport), thus the paniced travellers.
Devil Child
(2,728 posts)As evidenced by swarms if civilians clinging to the landing gear of US aircraft taking off.
denbot
(9,909 posts)While this was all but preordained, another 20 years of American sacrifice and the pull out would look pretty much the same.
lindysalsagal
(22,297 posts)Link to tweet
?s=20
KentuckyWoman
(6,848 posts)Did we not get Americans and that who have helped us and want to leave out months ago. I know little about the dynamic or logistics but still feel like we did it ass backward.
I don't think it reflects on Biden as much as the poor planning at State and Pentagon.