August 30, 2021

"The last vestiges of the American presence in Afghanistan have departed Kabul airport..."

"In recent days, American military leaders said the United States would continue evacuation efforts and fully withdraw by Aug. 31. But those efforts were wrapped up a full day early. Evacuation flights ended on Monday, and the military finished packing everything it intended to fly out of the airport onto transport planes before loading the remaining U.S. service members onto planes for departure. Control of the airport was left in the hands of the Taliban.... The Taliban’s chief negotiator, Sher Mohammed Abas Stanekzai, said Friday that the group would not stop people from departing, no matter their nationality or whether they had worked for the United States...."

56 comments:

Zev said...

Sure.

Humperdink said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Humperdink said...

The Taliban’s chief negotiator, Sher Mohammed Abas Stanekzai, said Friday that the group would not stop people from departing, no matter their nationality ..

With each future hostage worth some hard-earned Yankee cash, I believe his words may not be very credible.

Speaking of cash, Biden had to outdo his former boss when it comes to dumping cash on terrorist regimes. Obama dumped billions of $$$ on pallets to Iran for weapons purchases. Biden skipped the middleman and gave the Taliban the weapons directly. No shipping charges or sales tax. A thinking man's surrender monkey.

Dave Begley said...

How many Americans left behind?

Reports that the TB is cutting out the tongues of our former interpreters.

wendybar said...

And the stranded will be tortured, raped, and killed on camera. Happy days ahead??? Not so fast. Every one left behind, is a stain on this presidency. WHAT country would ever want to help us again after this?? WHO would ever want to join the military after this?? This is going to haunt us for years...so Congratulations Joe. Pat yourself on the back and party it up on 9/11, because the Taliban will be...in the American Embassy.

Ozymandias said...


Headline: Evacuation complete!
Seventh graph: 100,000 people who aided the US left behind and under Taliban control.

Temujin said...

And the Taliban are now hanging people from the bottom of a flying US Black Hawk helicopter- that they own. In another locale they have executed a folk singer for the crime of music. I'm sure there are already a slew of raped women, 'married off' girls, and executed fathers, brothers, and sons.

But the Taliban chief offered to allow people to depart. Sure. On the other side it's too bad our State Dept. wouldn't allow them in and now...well now it's too late.

In my life, I've never seen the US in such a losing state, from within and without. Just 10 months ago, it was not this. It was not this. We had our share of mean tweets, but it was not this.

Iman said...

Thinking about that list of military equipment, weapons, ordnance, etc., that our forces gifted the Taliban… the numbers are incredible. But the Taliban won’t keep all of that, they’ll sell it off.

A question: did the USA just become (potentially) the number one funder of terrorism in the world?

Greg The Class Traitor said...

"The last vestiges of the American presence in Afghanistan have departed Kabul airport..."

No, the last members of the American military in Afghanistan have departed Kabul airport..."

The hundreds of thousands of weapons the Biden* Admin has left for the Taliban are still there

Thousands of Americans are still there. Probably tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the US are still there

All that's gone is any ability of the US to protect those things and people

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

The prophecy appears correct. The media are definitely looking on the bright side while still unable to cite actual numbers saved…or stranded. The phrase “successful airlift” makes my heart hurt today.

LA_Bob said...

"The Taliban’s chief negotiator, Sher Mohammed Abas Stanekzai, said Friday that the group would not stop people from departing, no matter their nationality or whether they had worked for the United States...."

Why, oh why, do I have trouble accepting this as God's honest truth?

Must be my overly suspicious nature. Maybe if I close my eyes and wish hard enough every word will come true.

I keep telling myself...

gilbar said...

i Wonder how much That cost us?
1 planeload of cash? 2 planeloads of cash? more?

Michael K said...

Only the humiliation remains behind, along with an unknown number of American citizens.

Wa St Blogger said...

Wow. This does not depict the nation with the most powerful military in a very good light. We left on their time table, and they magnanimously allowed us to take who we wanted that is already at the airport. We go scurrying off with our tail between our legs.

rcocean said...

well thank God for that. A botched needlessly chaotic evacuation but maybe that was deliberate. Not the deaths of many due a suicide bombing but the chaos and hysterial talk about the taliban shooting and raping. Maybe that was all done to get the 60,000 or 70,000 Afghan unvetted "translators" into the USA. With all thier relatives to follow.

My low opinion of Biden has risen slightly, I was sure he'd find some reason to stay. Hoepfully we won't be back. I guess Miss Lindsey can start yakking about all the Syrian Girls who need to wear makeup and take Freshman Women studies.

Misinforminimalism said...

Technically, the last vestiges of Americans who happened to be at the airport have departed, not in Afghanistan. Plenty of Americans are left in-country to heap further tragedy on this FUBAR operation.

A little over 100 years ago, the most civilized countries in the world would've summarily executed the military commanders for such an outcome. But back then, it was the military commanders calling the shots. Unlikely Biden's going to organize a firing squad for himself.

Judgenick said...

Except for the hundreds of American citizens left behind….

Judgenick said...

Except for the hundreds of Americans left behind

OldManRick said...

The pentagon is bragging that they have evacuated over 110,000 in 18 days. They give no information on the numbers left behind or how many more wanted to evacuate. These are the real questions.

While the over 110,000 sounds like a big number, in 2019 before COVID crushed airline travel, 62 airports in the United States would have had larger numbers of passengers embarked over 18 days based on their yearly 2019 embarkments. Another 8 are within 10% of that number. And this is based a yearly average, not Christmas and Thanksgiving peak loads. The top 30 did on average 10 times more embarkment traffic than Kabul. The rest averaged twice the Kabul numbers.

Figuring a small 727 carries just under 200 passengers and a 747 up to 600, this is on the order of 30 small flights a day. Less than 4 aircraft per hour for in an eight hour day.

This was no Dunkirk, Dunkirk evacuated 338,226 in nine days. Don't believe them; don't be impressed by them. This is another attempt to make it sound like it was all well organized when it was a complete SNAFU.

Joe Smith said...

Good luck...I'm guessing Biden has promised a ton of money to keep strays (there will be strays) from getting their heads cut off on a livestream video.

madAsHell said...

Declare VICTORY!!......and move on the next crisis.

madAsHell said...

I wonder if the helicopter executions will be broadcast on the evening news??

Mattman26 said...

We left Americans behind. Beyond my comprehension.

BUMBLE BEE said...

For the record... https://web.archive.org/web/20201228223247/https:/www.nationalsecurityleaders4biden.com/
Just guessing here, but I'd say the Dems have lost the active military, veterans, and police in what, one and one half years? What could go wrong?

Quaestor said...

The last vestiges, huh? I'll assume that's just another goddamned lie fabricated by the goddamned midget operating the Biden-bot.

The Drill SGT said...

The Taliban’s chief negotiator, Sher Mohammed Abas Stanekzai, said Friday that the group would not stop people from departing, no matter their nationality or whether they had worked for the United States...."

And if you believe that...

I can't help but compare this ignominious exit with the way the Soviets left.

On February 15, the 40th Army finished their withdrawal from Afghanistan. General Gromov walked across the "Bridge of Friendship" between Afghanistan and the USSR last. When Gromov was met by Soviet TV crews while crossing the bridge, he swore at them profusely when they tried to interview him. Recalling the events in an interview with a Russian newspaper in 2014, Gromov said that his words were directed at "the leadership of the country, at those who start wars while others have to clean up the mess.

Kevin said...

Biden and the Generals have left Afghanistan.

Americans have not.

Kevin said...

Not only did Joe not get all the Americans out, he didn’t wait until the 31st.

Kevin said...

Biden (v.): to leave other members of your group behind.

“I can’t believe you Bidened us at the bar when we ordered another round!”

JaimeRoberto said...

"A question: did the USA just become (potentially) the number one funder of terrorism in the world?"

Given how much US equipment ISIS got their hands on several years ago, I'd say the US became #1 with a bullet long ago.

Big Mike said...

From Michael Yon, a genuine journalist:

The United States military is part of the problem. They knowingly and willingly left Americans at the airport gate within the last few hours. I and others worked hard and personally to get American troops to come to the gate or call their Taliban counterparts to let them in. TALIBAN WERE WILLING TO LET THEM IN.

I contacted all the right people. They all failed. Including Lieutenant General Erik Kurilla. Courageous in battle. Morally corrupt. All failed. Don’t call me. Don’t contact me ever again.


(Emphasis his.)

Bob Boyd said...

I've been particularly concerned about the vestiges. Thank heavens we at least got the vestiges out.

Quaestor said...

I'm guessing Biden has promised a ton of money to keep strays (there will be strays) from getting their heads cut off on a livestream video.

Besides literally tons of nice crisp 20s, Biden has likely pledged no airstrikes on the Taliban's fine new air force and other military assets. Hostages are cheap insurance against night-raiding B-52s.

Lars Porsena said...

Well...I guess that's that and we can get back to fighting climate change.

madAsHell said...

This is Blackhawk Down, but with more death spread over a longer period of time.

The very thing they were trying to avoid.

Bob Boyd said...

Prediction: Next thing they'll tell us is the Administration is working with the Taliban who is now doing the terrorist fighting for us much more efficiently than we could have ever hoped to do it with no risk to our guys and at a very low cost. In fact, Biden's pull out wasn't a loss at all, the whole thing is a big win! Too bad, they'll say, that the Biden strategy wasn't tried years ago.

chuck said...

I'm sure there are already a slew of raped women, 'married off' girls, and executed fathers, brothers, and sons.

In these situations, women stop being "persons" and become "commodities".

BUMBLE BEE said...

Gotta watch Tucker's opening statement. Afghanis exiting in American Airbases requiring interpreters cause they aren't interpreters. Everyone working with Americans over the course of 20 years, were fingerprinted, photographed and logged in U.S. databases, now in Taliban (and worse) hands.
No one has even apologized. Willful ignorance is the religion of democrat voters.

MadisonMan said...

So all that's left is for Biden to declare Victory and the NYTimes and WAPost to report it without comment.
I wonder if those school children from San Diego way have gotten out.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Trump warned America. As a one time insider democrat he was privy to it.

Gilbert Pinfold said...

Admiral Byng…lok it up.

MalaiseLongue said...

At the New York Times the comment sections on this story and related stories are a cesspool of slander against President Trump, straw-man arguments about the situation as a whole, and encomiums to Dear Leader.

LA_Bob said...

Kevin, good ones!

And I should note, despite the frustrations Althouse had over the years with some in the commentariat, she didn't just just Biden us. She worked out a solution that got her (and us) out of the mess.

cubanbob said...

OldManRick said... very well said. As you succinctly described it had Biden simply kept Bagram, the Kabul airport and the city itself the government could have chartered 100 727 aircraft and flown everyone out with plenty of time to blow up Bagram and all of the weapons we left behind and killed a shit ton of Taliban on the way out the door.

Paul said...

In the years to come another 9/11 (or TWO or THREE...) will happen and some President will find out terrorist from 'ISIS-K', who were trained in Afghanistan, did these atrocities.

What will we do? Invade Afghanistan again? Fly drones and snip off a few of them? Just, as Obama said, take the hits and suck it up? Or what?

And will any other people of nations rely of the US, knowing that we actually ABANDONED OUR OWN CITIZENS, and thus we would definitely abandon them when the going got rough.

I wonder how Taiwan or South Korea feel now? Do they think we will actually fight for them down the road?

Under Biden we have lost far more than just 'prestige'. We have lost our soul.

rcocean said...

The Taliban said they would let anyone who wants to leave, leave. What evidence is there the taliban has stopped any American from leaving? Why would they want to keep any Americans from leaving? There's no evidence the Taliban are devils or they HATE AMERICA!!!. Zero.

I think a lot of Americans just love wars. They love fighting and imagining those the Kaiser, the krauts, Tojo, the Chinese commies, the NVA, the Soviets, Putin, or whoever are our ruthless enemies who must be destroyed and we need to keep sending troops overseas and getting bodybags back. And what's sad is there warmongers forget all those who died the second the current war is over. Because they're on to the next war, and the next big enemy who's going to eat us up.

Man, just give it a rest. Or drop your keyboard, get a gun and go fight yourself.

Clyde said...

It took us four-and-a-half years to get from July 1975 to November 1979 the first time. It's going to happen a lot quicker this time around.

Humperdink said...

I cannot believe we left Americans behind. I cannot fathom it.

Francisco D said...

Joe Biden told his "boy" (General Austin) to take care of this mess.

DanTheMan said...

>>The hundreds of thousands of weapons the Biden* Admin has left for the Taliban are still there

Lenin: “The capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them.”

Even Lenin would not dare to think we would just give them the rope for free.

Amadeus 48 said...

I am in as low spirits as I have been in years. What a disgrace. And so unnecessary.

Biden and his generals are hopelessly evil. Where are the resignations?

God save the United States of America.

JAORE said...

What astonishes me the most are the incredibly shrinking numbers on the Americans to be evacuated.

Early estimatedd of US citizens ranged from 15,000 to 40,000.

In the interview with George S the POTUS agreed it was about 15,000.

Much later I heard Psaki say they had contacted 11,000 US citizens.

Then, as evacuations began and we saw the problems getting to the airport (let alone from the outer provinces) the numbers fell. Worse we started hearing the "that want to leave" tossed out. While I do not doubt there are some who choose to stay due to family or other loyalties or sense of mission, I was filled with dread.

The number dropped to 6,000 as we announced we had air lifter 4,500 and had 500 on base.

On reports of Americans stuck Psaki said, give us the details.

Private groups somehow managed to get out some of those left.

The Germans, Brits and French went outside the airport to retrieve. We did too, but damnably few times.

Today we admit we left some behind, despite the Biden promise. Numbers? Apparently no one coordinated that talking point. There was 250, between 100 to 200but closer to 100 and approximately 100.

But we are working hard diplomatically to get the rest out. So apparently the story is Psaki was right, no one is "stranded".

Horrifying.

Time for the media to pivot.

BillieBob Thorton said...

Our leaders are idiots. God help us.

Amadeus 48 said...

BillieBob— they aren’t our leaders. They are elected officials. I am not following them anywhere, and you are not, either. They have the power of office, but they are incapable of leadership.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

DanTheMan said...
Even Lenin would not dare to think we would just give them the rope for free.

Yeah, well, our ruling class back then was less corrupt, and didn't actually hate America

mikee said...

The last vestiges of American occupation in this case should be a cratered runway, burning Afghan-owned aircraft on the ground, and demolished airport buildings. Not from spite, but as a warning to the new government.