US hands Bagram Airfield to Afghans after nearly 20 years
Source: AP
By KATHY GANNON
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) After nearly 20 years, the U.S. military left Bagram Airfield, the epicenter of its war to oust the Taliban and hunt down the al-Qaida perpetrators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America, two U.S. officials said Friday.
The airfield was handed over to the Afghan National Security and Defense Force in its entirety, they said on condition they not be identified because they were not authorized to release the information to the media.
One of the officials also said the U.S. top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Austin S. Miller, still retains all the capabilities and authorities to protect the forces.
Miller met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Friday and according to a Dari-language tweet by the presidential palace the two discussed continued U.S. assistance and cooperation with Afghanistan, particularly in supporting the defense and security forces.
A gate is seen at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, Friday, June 25, 2021. In 2001 the armies of the world united behind America and Bagram Air Base, barely an hours drive from the Afghan capital Kabul, was chosen as the epicenter of Operation Enduring Freedom, as the assault on the Taliban rulers was dubbed. Its now nearly 20 years later and the last US soldier is soon to depart the base. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/taliban-afghanistan-f6da97f3bde5b50b6d029185c9eb385d
BumRushDaShow
(127,325 posts)But it's time. It's been long past time.
captain queeg
(10,036 posts)The rethugs have always loved the military. Till now. Theyve proven their contempt for the military and the police.
GregariousGroundhog
(7,498 posts)Per the Military Times, $433 billion from The Pentagon's base budget, $933 from congressional allocations to the war in Afghanistan, $296 billion to care for veterans, and $530 billion in interest expenses because of borrowing used to pay for the costs.
oldsoftie
(12,410 posts)Sorry, but some countries just cant be left to themselves. Taliban is already going back on their pledges made earlier. As expected. And the people will suffer because they have no way to stand up without us there. women will suffer the most
Polybius
(15,239 posts)We're not the world's policeman.
oldsoftie
(12,410 posts)And few other countries will respond to a calamity. If Afghanistan falls into a terrorist training ground again, back we go. Or if we start to see a wholesale slaughter of people by the Taliban, I dont think Pres Biden will ignore it
If the US isnt the worlds policeman, the russians & Chinese will step in and fill that need. And then they'll take over whatever country it is. Which in turn puts us in a tougher spot little by little. Its one of the 3 & we're the bets option.
Polybius
(15,239 posts)But if the Taliban is being violent against the "infidels", we need to stay out. A huge percentage of that country likes the Taliban. If it were 1 or 2%, it might be a different story. Hard to educate people who with no education that have their minds made up.
sanatanadharma
(3,639 posts)Bagram Air Base ... was chosen as the epicenter of Operation Enduring Freedom
If the USA had not invaded Iraq and instead spent that money in Afghanistan, enduring freedom might have had a chance of success, but no, the PNAC pin-heads prevailed and now we have 21st century enduring crisis, death, destruction and decay, there and here.
oldsoftie
(12,410 posts)Thanks Cheney
llashram
(6,265 posts)will be another Vietnam. Many thousands dead and wounded, untold treasure wasted and all for what? Holding the line? Well, that line is blurred or has disappeared altogether. Hell, we even have domestic terrorists threatening death and destruction in this land for a sexual predator, conman and his grifter family. 640 million made personally by this family, Ivanka and Kushner specifically while 'advisors' and Inauguration fund custodians for THE LOSER. He's certified as a blabbering, drivelling idiot living in his gilded bunkers around the country. And millions of loser Russian operatives back this guy in their quest for racial supremacy...again. Which will never happen!!! Without a huge, bloody fight, that is...again.
Won't be picnicking like the First Battle of Bull Run either...
IronLionZion
(45,264 posts)US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan was looking a lot like Vietnam. Obama put Biden in charge of the Iraq withdrawal. Good that Biden finally ended Afghanistan too. The taliban are shitty as always, but they probably won't be as bad of a threat outside that area as ISIS was.
McKim
(2,412 posts)The Mission was to destroy any viable country that was a threat to our power in the region or a threat to the power of our allies in the Middle East.
marble falls
(56,369 posts)AZ8theist
(5,339 posts)Jedi Guy
(3,171 posts)They'll be as giddy as kids on Christmas morning when they start rooting through all the bang-bangs and boom-booms we left behind.
Marrah_Goodman
(1,586 posts)They treat them worse then farm animals.
Mysterian
(4,524 posts)We could have gone in, destroyed terrorist training camps, killed terrorists, captured Bin laden, not built any bases and had the troops home for Christmas. These forever occupations never turn out well.