Attack in Kabul.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

I have but one question - this attack in Kabul? Does this mean the US is not fully leaving Afghanistan any time soon? I'm thinking such might be the consequences of this attack? Rob

[iris lilies]

I have but one question - this attack in Kabul? Does this mean the US is not fully leaving Afghanistan any time soon? I'm thinking such might be the consequences of this attack? Rob
Oh do tell, why do you think this.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Oh do tell, why do you think this.Because US soldiers were attacked. Biden is promising to hunt those responsible down. I just see the US getting bogged down in another quagmire. I really wish this attack had not happened. I don't see good coming from this, no, not at all. Rob

[iris lilies]

Because US soldiers were attacked. Biden is promising to hunt those responsible down. I just see the US getting bogged down in another quagmire. I really wish this attack had not happened. I don't see good coming from this, no, not at all. Rob
It’s just more bloody blah blah blah as we pull out. If you mean this will cause infusion of arms and personnel into Afghanistan that is silly. Can’t even imagine having such a lack of respect for Biden that I would think this.

[Alan]

I have but one question - this attack in Kabul? Does this mean the US is not fully leaving Afghanistan any time soon? I'm thinking such might be the consequences of this attack? Rob
President Biden said tonight that our troop withdrawal will continue on schedule, meaning they'll be out of there in just a few days, I believe he's telling us the truth about that.

However, he also told us that we will hunt down and eliminate those responsible for today's bombing, I believe that's a lie. He's the same guy who recommended we not take out bin Laden once we'd identified his location.

He also told us that we would continue getting our citizens and allies out for as long as it takes, which means that within the next couple of days he'll report that all Americans and allies who wish to leave have been taken out-of-country. I think that will eventually be proven a lie as well.

[iris lilies]

President Biden said tonight that our troop withdrawal will continue on schedule, meaning they'll be out of there in just a few days, I believe he's telling us the truth about that.

However, he also told us that we will hunt down and eliminate those responsible for today's bombing, I believe that's a lie. He's the same guy who recommended we not take out bin Laden once we'd identified his location.

He also told us that we would continue getting our citizens and allies out for as long as it takes, which means that within the next couple of days he'll report that all Americans and allies who wish to leave have been taken out-of-country. I think that will eventually be proven a lie as well.

I agree with this. He will pull out military resources because he made a big giant worldwide deal about it.


The other stuff Alan points out is difficult to impossible to prove, or it will be minor stories and Biden can prevaricate about that. No one will remember or care.Except for those California students—That is a sticky wicket. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the Taliban is savvy enough to escort them all gently to an airport.

[Rogar]

I'd predict a few targeted drone attacks on claimed ISIS leaders or someone speculated to be behind the bombers, and then move on. Hopefully things won't escalate with other bombings. I suspect Biden knows he's on the bubble for all of this and needs to score some sort of retaliation to save some sort of face.

[bae]

I believe that, over the years, terrorists have really developed some skill at marketing strategy.

[flowerseverywhere]

It breaks my heart to think about the young soldiers killed. Young people who were serving their country to the best of their ability, not in control of where they must be.

but I have two questions. Three months ago troops started to move towards leaving the country, which was publicly announced. Once troops started moving, other countries started evacuating their citizens. Also flights were routinely leaving the country. Why were so many Americans still in the country. Surely some were military support. But for instance the group of students and their parents from California which went on a non school sanctioned trip to see the homeland should have been aware of the danger. Another family who had US green cards knowingly entered the country to visit family and now cannot get out as recently as the beginning of this week.

‘’I can find no information why so many Americans were there. We’re not, at least some who voluntarily left to visit or were aware the US was pulling up stakes and knew about the overtake of the taliban weeks ago personally responsible to do everything they could to leave the country?

there is so much talk these days about personal responsibility these days. Like situations when Hurricanes hit and people that refuse to leave call 911 and first responders try to help them. People who refuse to take any precautions against the virus, ie. Distancing, masking, vaccines etc. and have filled our hospitals and taxed those who care for them.

I don’t think I can truly get a feel for exactly what is happening in this mess which we should have withdrawn from years ago, and never should have entered in the first place.

[iris lilies]

It breaks my heart to think about the young soldiers killed. Young people who were serving their country to the best of their ability, not in control of where they must be.

but I have two questions. Three months ago troops started to move towards leaving the country, which was publicly announced. Once troops started moving, other countries started evacuating their citizens. Also flights were routinely leaving the country. Why were so many Americans still in the country. Surely some were military support. But for instance the group of students and their parents from California which went on a non school sanctioned trip to see the homeland should have been aware of the danger. Another family who had US green cards knowingly entered the country to visit family and now cannot get out as recently as the beginning of this week.

‘’I can find no information why so many Americans were there. We’re not, at least some who voluntarily left to visit or were aware the US was pulling up stakes and knew about the overtake of the taliban weeks ago personally responsible to do everything they could to leave the country?

there is so much talk these days about personal responsibility these days. Like situations when Hurricanes hit and people that refuse to leave call 911 and first responders try to help them. People who refuse to take any precautions against the virus, ie. Distancing, masking, vaccines etc. and have filled our hospitals and taxed those who care for them.

I don’t think I can truly get a feel for exactly what is happening in this mess which we should have withdrawn from years ago, and never should have entered in the first place.

Are these few paragraphs saying vaguely that the California students and families who went to Afghanistan in this environment are idiots?

Here, let me help you out by me saying it clearly: Civilians who entered Afghanistan recently as if on vacation are self centered morons. They threw personal responsibility out the window when they did this.

At least, this seems true based on the headline news we are getting here in the States. There’s always context and details that could mitigate this. There was the guy who went to Afghanistan to care for his elderly,dying father—In that culture I suppose obligation to one’s father trumps risk.

[Tybee]

"There was the guy who went to Afghanistan to care for his elderly,dying father—In that culture I suppose obligation to one’s father trumps risk."

I sympathize with that and found ourselves in similar circumstances with a dying father here due to Covid.

Am too cowardly to do what that guy did and go into Afghanistan to care for my dying father, and my father would not have wanted me to do that, either.

[iris lilies]

"There was the guy who went to Afghanistan to care for his elderly,dying father—In that culture I suppose obligation to one’s father trumps risk."

I sympathize with that and found ourselves in similar circumstances with a dying father here due to Covid.

Am too cowardly to do what that guy did and go into Afghanistan to care for my dying father, and my father would not have wanted me to do that, either.
Agreed that my parents would be angry with me if I risked my life to be with them when they’re dying and possibly unconscious anyway. What would be the point of that, they would say. And, they would see it as somewhat disrespectful of their own values in life which is to raise their progeny safely.

[Tradd]

I agree that the CA families on the school trip are morons. They had to have known when the US military was going to be leaving. There’s just no excuse for that kind of lack of common sense.

[Alan]

I agree that the CA families on the school trip are morons. They had to have known when the US military was going to be leaving. There’s just no excuse for that kind of lack of common sense.
Or perhaps they simply believed our President's repeated claims during the previous several months that the Afghanistan government and military would successfully stand after he removed the US military from the country. Or maybe they questioned that but believed US Intelligence estimates that the Taliban could be held off for several months or perhaps even a year or so and believed that this was their last opportunity to visit the country safely. It's hard to make good decisions based upon bad information.

[iris lilies]

Or perhaps they simply believed our President's repeated claims during the previous several months that the Afghanistan government and military would successfully stand after he removed the US military from the country. Or maybe they questioned that but believed US Intelligence estimates that the Taliban could be held off for several months or perhaps even a year or so and believed that this was their last opportunity to visit the country safely. It's hard to make good decisions based upon bad information.

I wonder what the state department’s travel warning was for Afghanistan? If they gave it an all clear, then I’m not sure we can beat up those students too much. But I don’t really know what it was.

[iris lilies]

https://af.usembassy.gov/afghanistan-travel-advisory-level-4-do-not-travel-april-27-2021/

this shows the state department had a “do not travel “order out at level 4 about Afghanistan as early as April, 2021. The students went into that country after that was issued.


I believe that a basic part of self reliance, taking responsibility for oneself, is to not believe whatever lying liar who lies while inhabiting the White House. That doesn’t mean everything coming out of his/ her mouth is suspect, it just means that one needs to evaluate what coming out of his/ her mouth.

[Alan]

I believe that a basic part of self reliance, taking responsibility for oneself, is to not believe whatever lying liar who lies while inhabiting the White House. That doesn’t mean everything coming out of his/ her mouth is suspect, it just means that one needs to evaluate what coming out of his/ her mouth.
True Dat!

[Teacher Terry]

The student’s parents are indeed morons!!

[organictex]

Because US soldiers were attacked. Biden is promising to hunt those responsible down. I just see the US getting bogged down in another quagmire. I really wish this attack had not happened. I don't see good coming from this, no, not at all. Rob
for sure not another quagmire but if there's money to be made it will happen. i've heard that ISIS did it to draw us back in hopes we will restart fighting the Taliban. They are enemies with the Taliban
and don't want to fight them themselves. its a no-win situation except for military contractors...

[flowerseverywhere]

It’s amazing that so many of us agree that you just cannot believe politicians without intense scrutiny. Also, that much of what is done can be explained when you follow the money.

I think most of them will say anything to get elected. They all promise to shut down Guantanamo for instance, bring troops home, give us better cheaper healthcare (as Trump said “who knew healthcare was so complicated” after saying he had the greatest plan ever. In the universe even.) as noted, Biden gave the impression Afghanistan would just go on functioning.
infrastructure will be fixed. in the meantime, the opposing party will do anything not to cooperate with them.

I just hope there is not another attack. We need to get our soldiers home.

[iris lilies]

Last night at our outdoor patio party at the community garden I talked to two couples who are associated with military bases in Germany. One of them before retiring was a “loader quote which I guess means he packs people onto large cargo planes. He said the cargo plane he worked on held 800 people with them sitting with her back against the knees of the people behind them.


With Afghanis inoculated against Covid at a rate of 2%, that’s a pretty good spreader event.I guess we can all look forward to that as they enter various places including the United States, but not necessarily the United States.

[Rogar]

With Afghanis inoculated against Covid at a rate of 2%, that’s a pretty good spreader event.I guess we can all look forward to that as they enter various places including the United States, but not necessarily the United States.

The news claims they are tested for Covid on entering the US and go into isolation if they are positive. I don't picture that as a perfect screening system. I have wondered if the Taliban has had Covid outbreaks. They sort of seem like anti-vaccines and masks and medical attention. There are probably bigger issues on their table.

[Yppej]

The women should be safe because while they don't wear masks their burkas cover their faces. And it's not oppressive at all to be covered up, it's all based on "the science" right? Or as people here have told me about masks, "It's just another garment."

The burka, the mask - innocuous garments to you, symbols of oppression to me.

[jp1]

The women should be safe because while they don't wear masks their burkas cover their faces. And it's not oppressive at all to be covered up, it's all based on "the science" right? Or as people here have told me about masks, "It's just another garment."

The burka, the mask - innocuous garments to you, symbols of oppression to me.

Brava. I love the creativity shown here.

[frugal-one]

I have not read all here so this may already have been addressed… I heard in the beginning 70,000 were to be evacuated and just now heard 110,000 have already been evacuated. Seems more was accomplished than what was anticipated??

[JaneV2.0]

Yes--it wasn't a perfectly smooth operation, and no one reasonably expected it to be, but it should have been done long ago, and I think it has exceeded expectations.

We need a robust underground railroad to evacuate all the women in the country, or at least those who want any kind of future, and it remains to be seen how that can be done.

[gimmethesimplelife]

And then again I'm often known to be wrong. Apparently the last military plane has left Afghanistan and our military is OUT. Meaning war over. Wish it bad ended sooner. Rob

[iris lilies]

And then again I'm often known to be wrong. Apparently the last military plane has left Afghanistan and our military is OUT. Meaning war over. Wish it bad ended sooner. Robyou will never be wrong if you don’t predict the future. That is the key!

[LDAHL]

Yes--it wasn't a perfectly smooth operation, and no one reasonably expected it to be, but it should have been done long ago, and I think it has exceeded expectations.


Exceeded expectations or grossly underestimated the number of people needing to escape? Even some of Biden’s most obsequious media cheerleaders have been critical of how the administration botched the bugout. One pundit compared the recent press releases to an arsonist bragging about the number of fires he put out.

The decision to leave and the execution of the withdrawal are two different things, no matter how desperately people try to conflate them. Clearly the latter was tragically incompetent. Our allies, those left behind, and (if polls are to be believed) the general public don’t seem to have been fooled.