Kabul airport attack kills 60 Afghans, 13 U.S. troops

Hell on Earth...

It can get a lot worse!!!

And a certain wing of the U.S. government and its supporters actually want the U.S. to stay in Afghanistan longer! Oddly, the same group that wants a wall along the Mexican border and has issues with Islam has no problem welcoming over 82,000 (and rapidly rising daily) Afghans (mostly Sunni Muslims) into U.S. society — as long as the issue can somehow be used to attack President Biden and keep attention off the Republican mismanagement of the COVID pandemic in the U.S. south. Serious contradictions.

Great people who sacrificed their lives for others.

Rest in Peace.

This is what Biden’s incompetence has wrought. He ignored the advice of his generals and the intelligence community. He did not first consult allied nations with troops and civilian personnel in country then refused to take their calls for a day and a half after the Taliban take. Now the JV team ISIS is blowing up American personnel and civilians. Impeachment is too good for this idiot president.

Time to tell the Afghans: sorry, now we’re getting out. For 18 years, the West gave you a trillion dollars to rid yourselves of the Taliban and ISIS, and many of our young men and women died for your cause.

What did most of you do? Your soldiers chose not to fight, your provincial authorites chose to make agreements and accommodation with the Taliban rather than stand up to them, your leaders fled. Most of the rest of you didn’t do anything, happy to leave the job to us, and now it’s time for you to feel the consequences of your failure as a society. Good luck, you’re gonna need it.

Taliban should allow for an extension of evaluation period, which would make the airport less crowded and less vulnerable to terror attacks. Otherwise, it would be considered as a collaborator to the ISIS-K who has claimed responsibility.

Trump and the right wingers gloat when they themselves wanted the United States out of the country. Was it not Trump that negotiated with the Taliban? Shameless hypocrites.

My heart breaks for the service member families who lost a loved one.

I am so sorry for all those who lost their lives today.

It’s time to bring the troops home, The taliban apparently have no control over the situation and it will cost more lives to continue with the situation.

Incompetence cost people their lives. There is a lot more to be said but for now the focus needs to be on the military members and Afghan civilians who lost everything.

I'm just glad we're out of there. Leave it to them to duke it out. If history serves as a lesson, it'll be a few decades until the US involves itself in a foreign conflict where it has no place - but, caveat, Taiwan and South Korea are still on the menu.

What were the check points? All happened due to ill unprepared withdrawal.

Looking for someone to point your finger at? Look no further than Secretary of State Blinken. He either doesn’t know what he’s doing and panicking like a deer in the headlights, or he’s working against Biden for god knows what reason. I’m glad Biden is getting out but it seems his team is making every possible mistake that can be made, while the pentagon is actually trying to thwart a smooth exit.

And a certain wing of the U.S. government and its supporters actually want the U.S. to stay in Afghanistan longer! Oddly, the same group that wants a wall along the Mexican border and has issues with Islam has no problem welcoming over 82,000 (and rapidly rising daily) Afghans (mostly Sunni Muslims) into U.S. society — as long as the issue can somehow be used to attack President Biden and keep attention off the Republican mismanagement of the COVID pandemic in the U.S. south. Serious contradictions.

Huh?

Hope the rest of our guys can get out of there quickly.

RIP

Sad but almost inevitable. There was always going to be a group of fanatics who couldnt pass this opportunity to kill US troops. US put its troops in an untenable position - most US military casualties in a decade. The buck stops in the Oval office.

This whole Afghanistan has shown just how pathetic American foreign policy has been for decades. It's a direct product of American Exceptionalism, whereby Americans feel they are Exceptional, and therefore should be allowed to do whatever they want. This was seen after 9-11, when instead of taking a moment to reflect on why people from other nations would want to do to America what America had done for decades to other nations, they instead freaked out and did more Americaning to more nations.

Now 20 years later, nothing has been gained, America still hasn't taken any responsibility for it's rampages around the world, and the net increase in hatred of America has increased expontentially as a result.

Every American administration supported this since the invasion of Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq. And Americans by far supported the invasion of both Afghanistan and Iraq when it happened.

You people sit there and point fingers trying to say "it's Biden's fault" or "it's Trump's fault", as if the family and friends of those are supposed to care. It's all your fault for supporting this American Rampage in the Middle East.

But instead, you'll blame it on others so you can dust off your hands and say "not our fault, they did it". Because you're American, and you're Exceptional. Right?

“We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden said.

Not: "maybe we should think about why this happened", instead: "we're going to murder more of you".

And the cycle continues. Rinse, wash, repeat.

Trump and the right wingers gloat when they themselves wanted the United States out of the country. Was it not Trump that negotiated with the Taliban? Shameless hypocrites

Sorry, there is just no way any of this can be blamed on Trump, that ship has sailed a long time ago. Biden owns this 110% even if Biden were to survive this, he’s pretty much done. No one is gleeful about this. No one is taking a victory lap. I don’t like the guy, but I don’t want to see this tragedy happen under any President, but more importantly, who the hell is advising Biden? Whoever it is they need to be fired or hauled off to prison, either way they need to be held accountable. It absolutely doesn’t matter what Trump did, he negotiated with the Taliban, who else could he negotiate with? There was no one else there. I don’t fault Biden for leaving, I actually support it, but not like this, Biden had every opportunity as President to determine how we should leave that country and from what we now know, he was told by multiple high ranking people to leave a residual force behind and leave in small incremental steps, he didn’t do that, he chose this path, that’s on him. He and this administration have handled this situation as well as the border beyond badly. He will go down as the worst President surpassing Nixon and Carter.

What did most of you do? Your soldiers chose not to fight, your provincial authorites chose to make agreements and accommodation with the Taliban rather than stand up to them, your leaders fled. Most of the rest of you didn’t do anything, happy to leave the job to us, and now it’s time for you to feel the consequences of your failure as a society. Good luck, you’re gonna need it.

70,000 Afghan National Army soldiers died fighting alongside US troops. Its a staggering number and speaks to their bravery and commitment and US and Brit vets are attesting to that.

Both the Afghan army and the provincial leaders you talk about were solidly in place before Biden pulled the rug out from under them with his appallingly incompetent, zero thought zero planning exit.

Do you honestly believe Obama or Trump (or any US president of this century) would have presided over this catastrophic debacle taking place in Kabul?

Biden is appallingly out of his depth.

The terrorists have just dotted the i on twenty futile years of wasted blood and treasure in Afghanistan. After 9/11 the removal of the corrupt rulers of the insidious Saudi snake-pit (the oily source of fanatical Sunni terrorism) would have been a much simpler solution. Oil revenues could have been used to modernize Afghanistan instead of sowing seeds of mischief-making terrorism. Now the US occupation has finally come to a bloody end, but the tragic Afghan saga will be continued with a new script from the pen (and gun) of the Taliban.

They are misleading you. Taliban, ISIS and Al Queada are all connected at the top of their organizations.

Those who keep repeating that Biden is done, will be doing that for the next 7 years.

There is no easy way out of this mess and after August 31 people will be praising Biden for a fast withdrawal.

It is our duty to get the Afghans who worked with the troops out, but getting them killed by suicide bombers is not the way.

Do you honestly believe....or any US president of this century) would have presided over this catastrophic debacle taking place in Kabul?

That's too easy. Gerald Ford, Fall of Saigon. Despite the North make steady and consistent progress over several months, the US gave itself two days to get out, and only evacuated 6,000 people. Next, Reagan, Lebanon. 240 Marines and soldiers killed by terrorists -- in a single day. To name only 2 events.

Neither of these conservative Republican were blamed over which they "presided." Indeed, Reagan easily won re-election a few months later.

Those who keep repeating that Biden is done, will be doing that for the next 7 years.

Doubt it, but then again Nixon and Carter hoped so as well and even if Biden were to survive this, they lost the House for sure and possibly the Senate and at this rate, the Presidency as well.

There is no easy way out of this mess and after August 31 people will be praising Biden for a fast withdrawal.

Bush thought so as well.

It is our duty to get the Afghans who worked with the troops out, but getting them killed by suicide bombers is not the way.

Well, Biden was warned by his senior staff, the Pentagon, NSA and even the CIA and he ignored all of them and here we are.

Interesting NYT article on the real winner in all this — Pakistan and China.

“They call each other as ‘close as lips and teeth.’”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/real-winner-afghan-war-not-120220823.html

The US soldiers are legitimate military targets. The hospitals, schools, weddings and etc in Afghanistan they have been attacking for 20 years are not legitimate military targets.

Doubt it, but then again Nixon and Carter hoped so as well and even if Biden were to survive this, they lost the House for sure and possibly the Senate and at this rate, the Presidency as well.

Interesting to see that the only concern, even after 13 soldiers died, is of taking the House and Senate.

Bush thought so as well.

Bush did 2 terms, guess who didn’t.

Well, Biden was warned by his senior staff, the Pentagon, NSA and even the CIA and he ignored all of them and here we are.

What did he ignore?

They are misleading you. Taliban, ISIS and Al Queada are all connected at the top of their organizations.

USA has been a staunch supporter of Al Qaida in Syria. Even ISIS as long as they confined their attacks to the Syrian government a civilians under the rule of the Syrian government.

bass4funkToday  07:36 am JST

Sorry, there is just no way any of this can be blamed on Trump

Your most lol statement yet.

Trump made this deal to quit Afghanistan.

Trump excluded the Afghan government from the negotiations.

Trump released 5,000 Taliban from prison even though the Taliban didn’t keep their word.

Trump wanted to invite the Taliban to Camp David, and sent his Sec State to negotiate with a terrorist organization publicly.

This disaster has Trump’s DNA all over it, and not amount of gaslighting will change that.

I only care about the people left behind. It's Neanderthal, in Afghanistan. Someone should make a movie of it and compare it to Jean Auel's 'Clan of the Cave Bear'. Only the weapons have changed.

We ain’t seen nothing yet. They have surface to air missiles in their hands.

The US War of Terror and imperial hubris once again comes back to bite, but many of the victims are not combatants, not the neocon and neoliberal ideologues, not weapons makers and investors and not the war-room planners and generals.

I feel sorry for the Afghans who died in this senseless slaughter.

This whole Afghanistan has shown just how pathetic American foreign policy has been for decades. It's a direct product of American Exceptionalism, whereby Americans feel they are Exceptional, and therefore should be allowed to do whatever they want. This was seen after 9-11, when instead of taking a moment to reflect on why people from other nations would want to do to America what America had done for decades to other nations, they instead freaked out and did more Americaning to more nations. 

There is a major player(s) you never want to give any responsibility to. Furthermore, the foreign policy is not pathetic, it has very clear goals and those goals were met. Plenty of writers out their, Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky, John Perkins (Confessions of an Economic Hit Man), can guide you to the real actors in this occupation.

The funny part of your post is where you lambast the finger pointers. As you are no different, just pointing your finger at the wrong group. Blaming the citizens of a country for their countries behavior can only go so far.

But ah, that’s right, you trust the MSM and believe what they report on must be the whole truth. My bad.

There is no easy way out of this mess and after August 31 people will be praising Biden for a fast withdrawal.

No one will be praising the action that led directly to the death of 13 US service personal, more than in the past 18 months, and scores of Afghan civilians. Tragic day.

The likely outcome of this will be Biden will either have to resign or once the GOP retake the House there will be inquiries and investigations as to who ordered what and how a lot of this was poorly executed. People will be left behind and as a result of this major screwup by this administration getting Americans out will realistically impossible. You could send special ops in, but at this point they would be sitting ducks.

My heart breaks for the service member families who lost a loved one.

My heart breaks for all those who lost a loved one.

The likely outcome of this will be Biden will either have to resign or once the GOP retake the House there will be inquiries and investigations as to who ordered what and how a lot of this was poorly executed. 

It is better to live in reality otherwise you will always be disappointed in life.

President Biden will finish the withdrawal on the schedule set by him and ensure that more troops don’t get killed.

You could send special ops in, but at this point they would be sitting ducks.

There isn’t too much understanding of how things work, rather a continuation of fantasies.

There will be no special ops, no more Rambos going in, that’s stuff for movies, real life is different.

You could send special ops in, but at this point they would be sitting ducks.

America should have been decisive when the Taliban rapidly advanced on Kabul and flooded the city with troops. There are rapid reaction forces that can put thousands of troops anywhere in the world in less than a day. But the administration has dithered and remains indecisive in reacting to the facts on the ground.

America negotiated with the Taliban to provide security around the perimeter of the airport- how stupid do you have to be to make that kind of deal. Now there are scores of dead.

Strangerland

But instead, you'll blame it on others so you can dust off your hands and say "not our fault, they did it". Because you're American, and you're Exceptional. Right?

Waoh, one of the best post if not best from a poster that I have read here on JT.

A post from someone with a good commanding view of an issue.

Trying to blame Trump for this is neither helpful nor based on any logic. It is partisan and desperate and there is never a time for such dishonesty least of all at this time.

My concern is that President Biden appears to be isolated and ill-advised.

VP Harris’s absence and avoidance is worrying and perplexing.

There is no way all Americans will be out by 8/31 they are scattered all over the place, the insult and ludicrous statement that some Americans chose to stay is so over the top insulting. It can’t and won’t happen. The only thing looking forward is trying to send in private soldier for hire to go in and see who they can possibly extract, but I’m quite sure we will see an American hostage on TV once again.

For the Chinese that are excited to go in, they will try and scoop up as much of the lithium they can, so for them, it’s a happy day.

This is the biggest chaos there I've never seen. It is going to be more and more chaos and catastrophe until end. I don't get how/why this happened. Evacuations were supposed to be done peacefully.

Readers, instead bickering over Biden and Trump, please focus your discussions on the current situation in Afghanistan and what is likely to happen from now on. The discussion will be much more productive that way.

I agree.

And what I see scares me.

I see a high likelihood of us getting bogged down in afghanistan AGAIN because of this so-called administration's EXTREME poor decision making.

Just shows how you cannot exchange metoo for burkas. Religion and faith have proven more valuable than building a new California in Mesopotamia.

I don’t understand what America is still doing there. They haven’t made any progress in improving the situation. Over 20 years later and the group they ousted are back in charge.

The more I hear about this the more it looks like a class A mismanagement. US looks really shabby right now

There are rapid reaction forces that can put thousands of troops anywhere in the world in less than a day

I am glad our military doesn’t get their strategy from action movies.

The focus should be in getting the troops out, am sure the military will do that.

Whats’ happening is tragic for ALL but has to be seen to its frustrating conclusion. LET’S NEVER FORGET it was “the MEDIA” who also played a significant part in garnering public sentiment for the ‘War on Terror’ after 9/11. - So now, it’s seems hypocritical tho censor the same public venting of frustrations.

the more I hear about this the more it looks like a class A mismanagement. US looks really shabby right now

The challenge is the US military works best on offence, they are not the TSA. Biden blew it big time.

But the administration has dithered and remains indecisive in reacting to the facts on the ground.

They are there for sure, they’re just trying to stay out of the sensitized “surprised” reaction? of the click bait corporate MSM cameras.

the more I hear about this the more it looks like a class A mismanagement. US looks really shabby right now

Yes it does. IMO, what you’re seeing are two groups disagreeing/fighting it out; the US elite who want out and the globalists who want to stay.

There is nothing wrong with evacuating but their biggest mistake was to leave the whole city undefended while only securing the airport. What did they expect? That the enemies would just sit and have tea in the city?

They should have defended the capital in the beginning until the evacuation of the people were complete before allowing the taliban to take the whole city.

We been hearing about the threat for day now, and sadly it happened. MSNBC and DW news of Germany have been reporting the threats, actions were taken to minimize it or eliminate it but when you have so many people jammed in one location it's a prime and soft target for any terrorist.

RIP people, God save freedom and democracy.

“We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,”

and if we couldn't in 20 years time and trilllions of dollars later, we run with tails between our legs.

There is nothing wrong with evacuating but their biggest mistake was to leave the whole city undefended while only securing the airport. What did they expect? That the enemies would just sit and have tea in the city?

They should have defended the capital in the beginning until the evacuation of the people were complete before allowing the taliban to take the whole city.

Im guessing Biden woke up in the morning and his advisors telling him “guess what, Bagram airfield has been abandoned and the military are are now huddled at Kabul airport.

Everyone here should be asking “why would the military do that?”

Im interested in hearing your theories.

What a shambles. Should have had a steady stream of the largest planes the runway could take shuttling people to the nearest safe country, and then going back for more.

If you are going to run away, at least plan it properly.

There will be long term fallout from this. North Korea is a lot safer. Taiwan less so.

Rest in Peace, horrible outrage by evil men.

For better or worse, this plays right into Trumps hands for his 2024 campaign. He will be hard to beat.

A tragedy occurring simply because of hate and a radical groups desire to kill those who hold different beliefs. There is something seriously wrong with humanity that any group wants to kill others due to differing faith or opinions.

I have no idea how to resolve such issues peacefully as it takes a desire on all parties to want peace in order to reach that goal. Radicals expect everyone to take up their teachings or die and that will never happen.

Peace on Earth, just too far away to actually achieve. We have nobody to blame but humanity itself for being unable to be tolerant to itself. There is nobody else to blame.

I see many deluded Americans still believe it was possible to gracefully walk away from a war they hadn't won.

a clever soundbite but empty words.

You actually think this couldnt have been planned and managed properly instead of with mind numbing incompetence?

There is nothing wrong with evacuating but their biggest mistake was to leave the whole city undefended while only securing the airport. What did they expect? That the enemies would just sit and have tea in the city?

They should have defended the capital in the beginning until the evacuation of the people were complete before allowing the taliban to take the whole city.

You are correct.

The lives we lost today were lives given in the service of liberty, the service of security and the service of others. In the service of America. 

...and in the service for the military industrial complex.

The nearly two-decade war in Afghanistan has cost the United States $2.26 trillion, or $300 million a day, according to a new analysis by Brown University. Ask not what the war cost the US, but who profited from the war.

After twenty years and trillions flowing through the Pentagon’s war chest, the real winners were thousands of private military contractors that profited immensely.

A tragedy occurring simply because of hate and a radical groups desire to kill those who hold different beliefs. There is something seriously wrong with humanity that any group wants to kill others due to differing faith or opinions.

I agree with that statement. But in this case, we don't know if the bombing was due to ideology, or due to hatred directed towards an invader that took over their country for 20 years and rained hellfire from the sky.

I never think violence in the answer, and I condemn the bombers for using it. But I have to question whether this one was ideology, or a parting shot.

Veterans I know from the Iraq (2003 - 2011) and as far back as Lebanon (1982 - 1984) wars have told me about these sui-car bomb attacks. The problem is, since the vehicles are unmarked and they drive right atchya, you often don't know it until it's too late.

The IS always takes credit for practically every act of terror anywhere whether they actually are behind it or not. Like the late Moammar Qadaffy of Libya they are a bunch of violent scummy brats who love to strike fear and terror in anyone, everyone, anywhere. And they are certainly are not 'Muslims' in any sense of the word.

And if the IS and the Taliban truly are rivals/opponents/enemies then it shows even further just how pointless this war has been. All the foreigners need to get the funk out of there and let these crazy yahoos have it out on each other in the midst of their mountainous terrain.

I see many deluded Americans still believe it was possible to gracefully walk away from a war they hadn't won.

a clever soundbite but empty words.

You actually think this couldnt have been planned and managed properly instead of with mind numbing incompetence?

I don't. And I think there were plenty of intelligent people who would have, could have, and likely tried to tell this to America before they ever invaded. This was a mission doomed to fail, and was simply Little Bush trying to find a way to appease the American people who were angry that someone dared do to them what they had been doing to people elsewhere in the world for decades.

Getting out of the country was always going to turn into a disaster. Staying in the country wasn't ever going to be any better. They went in with anger and a goal of retribution, and not a plan of exit. Of course it was going to be a mess. And they created 20 additional years of hatred in the meantime. Add that to the anger from an invasion of Iraq based on lies, and the terrible withdrawal from Syria, abandoning their Kurd allies, and America isn't looking very good right now.

All America has done is created a situation in which the CCP now get to swoop in and look like angels, playing off the power vacuum created through lack of confidence in America to be either confident OR trustworthy. And they've never had any self-reflection on why 9-11 happened, how they screwed up in Iraq, and now how they've screwed up in Afghanistan. And hell, lets through Vietnam in there as well, as there never really was a reckoning for that either.

America is like that politician who always claimed to be clean and spotless, and you find out they were stealing from the system, sleeping with their secretary, and selling state secrets to their enemies.

Afghanistan crisis: Who are Isis-K?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58333533

Might be helpful of have some understanding of who these religious extremists actually are.

Afghanistan is in danger of returning to the same hot bed of religious extremism that drove the methodology for the 20 year occupation and war.

Every day that passes give reason that a phased withdrawal over a much more extended period of time would or could have prevented the mayhem and bloodshed.

America is like that politician who always claimed to be clean and spotless, and you find out they were stealing from the system, sleeping with their secretary, and selling state secrets to their enemies.

Just like every other country on the planet. Your hatred for America should be your hatred of the global elite, as there are only more of them based there.

Just like every other country on the planet.

No. That's just justification of horrible events, trying to pretend that they're equally bad as some mythical others, so that they can not have to take responsibility for their actions. Aka American Exceptionalism.

Your hatred for America should be your hatred of the global elite, as there are only more of them based there.

I don't hate America, I have many American friends, and family in America. I love visiting the country, and feel it has produced some excellent culture, including food, movies, music etc. And the overwhelming majority of Americans have good intention.

But as group think they suck. And the foreign policy they have supported over the past decades is a stain up on their nation.

Your anger at me is misplaced. I'm the messenger. I'm pointing out exactly why America is hated. Some Americans will recognize it. Others believe in American Exceptionalism.

As long as I live I will never understand how the US cannot find better presidential candidates, 300+ million people, many of them well educated, sensible and talented yet you keep choosing, let's call them unsuitable, the wrong people.

It is unwise to blame western governments for the middle east policies that have ended in the death and destruction unfolding again.

The extreme religious Islam fundamentalism that fuels the need to hijack jet passenger aircraft then commit atrocities on buildings, towns/cities.

The jihadist suicide bombers terrorizing our way of life.

We have to defend our way of life, our freedoms.

It is how we implement, manage our strategy of defense and attack.

If your enemy will not negotiate. Governments must finish the job without quarter.

The poor man now has death and destruction caused by his own decisions and appears to have emotionally and mentally collapsed.

That just comes with the territory of the White House occupant. And who else would want to take on the job of Potus that ALWAYS causes death and destruction? A psychopath? Biden inherited a twenty-year war that he, too, has had a personal hand in. Most people can agree that Biden's decision to leave was correct, the manner and the timing not.

So why did the Afghan military collapse? The answer is threefold.

First, former President Donald Trump’s February 2020 peace deal with the Taliban in Doha doomed us. It put an expiration date on American interest in the region. Second, we lost contractor logistics and maintenance support critical to our combat operations. Third, the corruption endemic in Mr. Ghani’s government that flowed to senior military leadership and long crippled our forces on the ground irreparably hobbled us.

The Trump-Taliban agreement shaped the circumstances for the current situation by essentially curtailing offensive combat operations for U.S. and allied troops. The U.S. air-support rules of engagement for Afghan security forces effectively changed overnight, and the Taliban were emboldened. They could sense victory and knew it was just a matter of waiting out the Americans. Before that deal, the Taliban had not won any significant battles against the Afghan Army. After the agreement? We were losing dozens of soldiers a day.

Typical GOP strategy. Always sabotage a situation and then blame someone else.

I am just only trying to think logically. If we now have Taliban, AlQuaida and obviously ISIS or ISIS-K there, then I ask you, not me, as I know the answer, what do you think or expect is now all sitting in those evacuation airplanes and distributed happily into the whole world instead of having it kept contained there? Yes, exactly, you are soon a bit clever too to recognize the next big deadly potential errors.

When is the west going to learn to that there is no "solution." The Soviets left Afghanistan in 1989 after eight years of fighting. I suppose a wide swath of you here weren't born yet or old enough to remember.

And the Soviet withdrawal was hampered by attacks on the Soviet troops during the withdrawal. The US was even supplying arms to the Afghan mujahideen in Pakistan, who were in turn supplying the people in Afghanistan attacking the Soviets.

The Cold War was not very cold and underhanded deals like this were part of the two-way, Soviet-US virtual war.

*There is no winning strategy. Unless you consider "Leave with the option to bomb the crap out of them" a strategy.

But as Mike Tyson said about fighters and their strategy to beat him: "Everybody's got a strategy... until I punch them in the face."

It's like the movie War Games.

“A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?”

Thanks for clarifying “some” @Strangerland 11:15am:

- “I don't hate America, I have many American friends, and family in America. I love visiting the country, and feel it has produced some excellent culture, including food, movies, music etc. And the overwhelming majority of Americans have good intention.” -

Same. They are not all bad and most do NOT engage in “group think”.

- “Your anger at me is misplaced. I'm the messenger. I'm pointing out exactly why America is hated.” -

Perhaps that because earlier, @7:27am You blamed ALL Americans:

*- “It's all your fault for supporting this American Rampage in the Middle East.” -*

They should have used Bagram Air Base - the old Military airfield, just 40km north of Kabul airport.

It was defendable, and had been for a long time.

They could also have repatriated or destroyed a lot of the equipment that is now in the Taliban hands.

It might have been a dumb order from Biden, but the military following it without questioning the logistics and practicality of it are equally as dumb.

- “It's all your fault for supporting this American Rampage in the Middle East.” -

I blame all who have supported governments that rampaged in the Middle East.

It was reported a day or two ago that Japan was sending (an) aircraft to Kabul to recover Japanese citizens. Other nations apart from USA and UK have now withdrawn their aircraft from Kabul. What is the news of Japan's intended effort?

I am not saying this removal of our military and personnel from Afghanistan was done the right way, obviously. Many people died today and that is the president's cross to bear.

But I will say this. Today is the exact reason why the previous administrations talked big about withdrawing but never did. They were too afraid to risk their "reputations" if things went very bad. The president made his decision at least he had the courage to do so even if it meant his character would be destroyed.. Even if American government waited until next year the result would still have been the same utter chaos.

The flex from 'Isn't it terrible how the Taliban are getting in the way of people trying to get to the gates of the airport' to 'Isn't it terrible how the Taliban didn't get in the way of someone getting to the gates of the airport' is a classic example of 'these are the bad guys and don't you dare think differently' journalism.

“We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said.

Ironic, as this is exactly the reason the Taliban/ISIS/Al Qaeda are still doing this and targeting US troops.

They are not willing to forgive or forget either.

(This is in no way sympathy towards the Taliban btw.)

Time to tell the Afghans: sorry, now we’re getting out. For 18 years, the West gave you a trillion dollars to rid yourselves of the Taliban and ISIS, and many of our young men and women died for your cause

@JeffLee, I totally agree with you.

Afghans need to grow up !

I can't believe I'm going to say this: Maybe it would have been better if Trump were still the president.Since he made this bad deal with the Taliban,just maybe his erratic persona would not have had Isis brazenly do this attack for fear of an unhinged Trump response.What this showed, was that they have no fear/intimidation factor concerning Biden and that is not good for American world standing.Biden's become the fastest lame duck in presidential history.

Exactly.

Afghans need to grow up !

"Yeah, it's their fault that we destroyed their country" say those who follow the tenets of American Exceptionalism™.

Your anger at me is misplaced. I'm the messenger. I'm pointing out exactly why America is hated. Some Americans will recognize it. Others believe in American Exceptionalism.

I am definitely not angry with you as it seems there are a lot of messengers on this forum. Also, let's not forget, there are a lot more people trying to get into The U.S.A. than out.

"Yeah, it's their fault that we destroyed their country"

We didn't impose Sharia or teach the Taliban to be pathetic monsters either. Another nail in the coffin for this admin.

To be fair, the full quote @7:27am was:

“And Americans by far supported the invasion of both Afghanistan and Iraq when it happened. 

You people *sit there and point fingers trying to say "it's Biden's fault" or "it's Trump's fault", as if the family and friends of those are supposed to care. It's all your fault for supporting this American Rampage in the Middle East.*

*But instead, you'll blame it on others so you can dust off your hands and say "not our fault, they did it"*. Because you're ****American, *and you're Exceptional. Right*?” -

Those statements seem very much inclusive of ‘the majority of Americans’ in some aspect: those with affinity toward the 2 major political parties; those who lost family &friends; and, those caught up in the ‘national fervor’ for ‘justice’ for the USS Cole, 9/11, etc that the media played a significant role in cultivating.

In addition, Australia’s PM John Howard** AND U.K.’s Tony Blair pledged** “*With You, Whatever**”. *

(Canada’s PM Jean Chrétien was the only one to break from the unified support for the war.)

*So, …

*- @Strangerland 12:18pm: [It's all your fault for supporting this American Rampage in the Middle East.] “I blame all who have supported governments that rampaged in the Middle East.*

… do you also fault their supporters in Australia and the U.K.? Are you also holding those supporters to equal scrutiny, contempt and blame for this “Rampage in the Middle East”?

let's not forget, there are a lot more people trying to get into The U.S.A. than out.

I'm sure if someone just mentions that to the Taliban, they'll realize that their anger at America for invading and occupying their country is misplaced, and actually America is a good place!

Someone just has to tell them....

We didn't impose Sharia or teach the Taliban to be pathetic monsters either.

No, you just rained down missiles on their hospitals, weddings, and day to day life for two decades. No biggie!

Those statements seem very much inclusive of ‘the majority of Americans’ in some aspect: those with affinity toward the 2 major political parties; those who lost family &friends; and, those caught up in the ‘national fervor’ for ‘justice’ for the USS Cole, 9/11, etc that the media played a significant role in cultivating.

The media in America is made up of, get this Americans. As are their government, and voters. All the parties responsible for creating, supporting, and driving America's foreign policy. So yeah, this one is on the people of America.

They should have used Bagram Air Base - the old Military airfield, just 40km north of Kabul airport.

Kabul Airport is only a short walk from the expat areas of Kabul. It is why there are so many people at the airport - it's more akin to Tokyo Station than Narita Airport.

I support the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. But I agree that there will be a downward spiral of terrorism and migrants crisis from both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The question is whether the leader will be poor like Merkel or someone strong.

@ArtistAtLarge 11:37am

*“former President Donald Trump’s February 2020 peace deal with the Taliban in Doha doomed us. a day.*

Typical GOP strategy. Always sabotage a situation and then blame someone else.

… do you also fault their supporters in Australia and the U.K.? Are you also holding those supporters to equal scrutiny, contempt and blame for this “Rampage in the Middle East”?

Yeah, anyone who supported it deserves condemnation. Oh sorry, did you want me to ascribe to some silly theory of "two wrongs make a right"?

It was a $2.3 trillion boondoggle, that killed millions, all so America could get retribution for someone daring to do to them what they had done for decades to others, that then went on to do for more decades to others.

And then you wonder why we point out that from a 3rd party perspective, America is little better than China.

its a slam dunk disastrous decision to pull out of Afghanistan in the middle of the night without telling your own citizens and allies. THATS the story here.

Yeah, the USA running rampant on ANOTHER nation after decades of doing it to others, because they freaked out that people in other countries would dare do to America what America had been doing to those other countries, should be ignored, as discussing any other issue implies that America is not Exceptional and that they should take responsibility for their actions.

There is a third option, however unthinkable, to extend the withdrawal.

The slaughter of those brave Marines, and countless innocent civilians, men women children, is reason to take this opportunity to think again.

It will mean the commitment of resource and many more troops.

Sometimes to U turn is the toughest decision.

Remember it sole responsibility is with Isis-K.

9/11 brought us all to where we are today.

An extreme act of utter devastation and loss of life that demanded a clear response. No western Government or leader is culpable.

The global community will of course proportion blame for incompetency in office.

But not for the cause.