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Suicide bombing at Kabul airport leave 13 U.S. troop members, scores of Afghan nationals dead

posted 3 years ago by Rorikon (18389)
17 replies | jump to latest

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/08/26/world/asia/kabul-airport-map-explosions.html?action=click&algo=bandit-all-surfaces&block=more_in_recirc&fellback=false&imp_id=835309368&impression_id=08efa201-0716-11ec-a87c-67305bc20eb0&index=3&pgtype=Article&pool=more_in_pools%2Fworld®ion=footer&req_id=900389322&surface=eos-more-in&variant=0_bandit-all-surfaces

https://theprovince.com/news/world/pentagon-confirms-second-blast-near-kabul-airport-deadly-explosion-complex-attack

- 13 U.S. service members killed (12 marines, 1 navy medic)
First American service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020
- 15 U.S. service members injured
- 170 Afghans were killed and 143+ others wounded
- One explosion occurred by Abbey Gate (US position).
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9ud24pUYAIc2Fr?format=jpg&name=orig
- Bomb detonated on the Kabul airport perimeter in a sewage canal - not inside the airport itself but a crowded choke point that leads to the British and Americans positions
- Suicide bomber Abdul Rehman Al-Loghri of ISKP was allegedly one of the suicide bomber
- US evacuated nearly 5000 Americans, nearly 1000 remain in Afghanistan
- Total evacuated: 104,000

Islamic State struck the crowded gates of Kabul airport in a suicide bomb attack on Thursday, killing scores of civilians and 12 U.S. troops, and throwing into mayhem the airlift of tens of thousands of Afghans desperate to flee.

The U.S. death toll, announced General Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, made it the deadliest single incident for American forces in Afghanistan in a decade and one of the deadliest of the entire 20-year war.

Islamic State, which has emerged in Afghanistan as enemies both of the West and the Taliban, claimed responsibility in a statement in which it said one of its suicide bombers targeted “translators and collaborators with the American army.” U.S. officials also blamed the group.

There was no complete toll of Afghan civilians but video images uploaded by Afghan journalists showed dozens of bodies of people killed in packed crowds outside the airport.

A watery ditch by the airport fence was filled with bloodsoaked corpses, some being fished out and laid in heaps on the canal side while wailing civilians searched for loved ones.

“For a moment I thought my eardrums were blasted and I lost my sense of hearing. I saw bodies and body parts flying in the air like a tornado blowing plastic bags. I saw bodies, body parts elders and injured men, women and children scattered in the blast site,” said one Afghan who had been trying to reach the airport

“Bodies and injured were lying on the road and the sewage canal. That little water flowing in the sewage canal had turned into blood.”

Several Western countries said the airlift of civilians was now effectively over, with the United States having sealed the gates of the airport leaving no way out for tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the West through two decades of war.

Biden's legacy in a nutshell... And no, you can't pin this on Trump since Biden has the power to undo most of it if not extend any deadline via phased/conditional/etc. As he said along these lines, "The buck stops with me, the commander in chief". He has blood on his hands.

He could've put more troops back in (as you saw with the airport evac how easily it could be done) when Afghan still had an army + provinces and do a phased withdraw with American citizens -> Embassy -> Troops. All he did was continue with Trump plan v2.0 (date extension + SIV). And you know what? MANY OF THE AFGHANS DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO LEAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE when given the chance.

https://twitter.com/BDemocratsfor/status/1430876249241620489

How the hell is there over 5000+ Americans in Afghanistan? Wtf? Who'd want to live there? Unless they're counting troops, embassy folks and the likes. 100k+ seems like just refugees being fast tracked into EU/West instead of them having to flee to neighboring countries around Afghanistan (Pakistan, Iran, etc.). I have a bad feeling if they don't vet these people properly, we're looking at another possible 9/11 via sleeper cells inbound from all this chaos.

Update:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/08/25/world/asia/afghanistan-evacuations-estimates.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

3 days left, they're still continuing with the evacuations and asking the Taliban to close the roads and coordinate. Guess we're going to be allying with the Taliban in the near future from the looks of it as new splinter groups pop up.

Four Russian military planes evacuated many Russians from Kabul yesterday on orders from Putin. I wonder how this “ties into” today’s explosion at Abby Gate at airport? Putin must of known it was coming. It’s believed ISIS-K is behind this explosion, they don’t support Taliban.

https://twitter.com/anadoluimages/status/1430497671266119681

[–] B1cKsurN (17828) 3 years ago

Dumpster fire Admin 8 months in.

[–] Oblivioid (1556) 3 years ago

Joe Biden is on it, he knows how the military families feel because of Beau dying of brain cancer. He actually brought that up in his scripted presser, what an asshole.

[–] JoWilli2 (855) 3 years ago

are u serious? there is no reason to bring that up when 13 marines were just killed.

[–] Gubbio (3893) 3 years ago

Joe Biden is on it, he knows how the military families feel because of Beau dying of brain cancer.

I, for one, am SICK of hearing about Joe's son Beau.

We've all suffered losses. Joe's loss is no greater than anyone else's.

[–] Oblivioid (1556) 3 years ago

I think he brings it up all the time because it's one of the few stories he can recite without having it written for him on one of his little index cards.

[–] LokiVariant264 (505) 3 years ago

Biden's legacy in a nutshell... And no, you can't pin this on Trump since Biden has the power to undo most of it if not extend any deadline via phased/conditional/etc. As he said along these lines, "The buck stops with me, the commander in chief". He has blood on his hands.

so the us army never would have been attacked if turmp was in power? nice logic...

He could've put more troops back in (as you saw with the airport evac how easily it could be done) when Afghan still had an army + provinces and do a phased withdraw with American citizens -> Embassy -> Troops. All he did was continue with Trump plan v2.0 (date extension + SIV). And you know what? MANY OF THE AFGHANS DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO LEAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE when given the chance.

it doesnt work this way. the Taliban during the withdrawal would have taken over the country. meaning either the usa would have had to back the fledgling and only remaining part of the afghan army in Kabul.

so instead of a relatively Kabul airport evacuation with a Taliban ceasefire. it would have been a chaotic withdrawal during a fight with the Taliban to somehow secure the 1000 mile square city of Kabul.

you are trying to have your cake and eat it.

5 days left, they're still continuing with the evacuations and asking the Taliban to close the roads and coordinate. Guess we're going to be allying with the Taliban in the near future from the looks of it as new splinter groups pop up.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/10/22/taliban-isis-drones-afghanistan/

ohh look under trump helping the Taliban fight isis! oh right its only bad when a democrat forms a ceasefire with the Taliban. yet again, you want to have your cake and eat it. you want Biden to have a smooth peaceful withdraw, while also punching the Taliban and int face.

[–] Rorikon (18389) 3 years ago

From how he handled it? Yes. We can only merely speculate on 'what if's' at this point if he continued with the May pullout but from Feb 2020 to his re-election loss, no American death under that deal made.

No one is arguing that the Taliban was going to eventually take over, it's how fast they were going to take over. There are specific key cities (2-3) that were vital that could be held as they've been held from before. US troops would remain in those cities to establish a perimeter around the city aka Green Zone backed by the Afghan army.

As they transitioned the government or got the civies out that wanted to get out by a certain date would they then pull out from that city to the final one being in Kabul but would still retain that perimeter until the final moments instead of just the airport. Anything that happens thereafter is on the civies themselves for wanting to stay in the first place when given the chance to leave.

There would be little to no chaos since the city would be secured for the most part as the Taliban before surrounded the city but didn't enter at first until they saw no US soldiers or resistance, then they just walked right in. Afghan army would've disintegrated once the US left so with US soldiers present there, Taliban wouldn't have made such drastic moves into the city.

When did I say it was bad when a Democrat forms a ceasefire with the Taliban (I don't recall them doing so btw, only Trump signed a ceasefire deal)? Stop smoking crack from your butt. There was no punching Taliban in the face as the Taliban is the future government that the US will have to work with against ISIS. Maybe even as an ally as they're more or less the same people they've trained/armed/educated but with extreme Sharia Law ideology.

[–] Keelai (36155) 3 years ago

4 days ago, I wrote:
"I think we'll be forced to return one way or another."

We haven't left yet and we're already planning to return for vengeance against ISIS-G and to aid stranded Americans.

Both Trump and Biden wanted American soldiers to leave Afghanistan, therefore they both bear responsibility. I thought it was a stupid idea not to have a presence. Now, Afghanistan will be a totalitarian theocracy aka: The Handmaid's Tales with terrorists' training camps.

[–] Rorikon (18389) 3 years ago

Wait, there is an ISIS-G now? Pretty sure it's just ISIS-K.

Thing is, no one is complaining about leaving, it's HOW to leave. Biden admin. is just playing the Trump card like how Trump did with blaming Obama. Southern border crisis? Trump's fault. Afghan withdrawal crisis? Trump fault. Seeing a pattern? He's not in office no more, everything that plays out from his inauguration point is on this administration alone since they hold the power to move things let alone undo it. I will say though that I do blame Trump for setting the stage.

I don't believe the Taliban will turn into the Handmaids tale that you think it will turn out. Taliban have been trained, educated, armed by the US and are essentially the people of Afghanistan more or less. It was only a small handful of people that were 'progressives' in the first place. The western world will eventually have to work with the Taliban just as they did with Saudi Arabia in the past (they're repressive as well), only that the Taliban are more repressive. It's a never ending cycle of regime change there anyway. Once they get too repressive will another mujahideen pop up to overthrow.

Oh, btw, want to know how much more of a fuck up Biden admin is doing right now?

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/26/us-officials-provided-taliban-with-names-of-americans-afghan-allies-to-evacuate-506957

Either it'll end badly for those that worked for the US gov. or maybe it'll end good?

[–] Keelai (36155) 3 years ago

"I will say though that I do blame Trump for setting the stage."

Exactly. That's the reason I'm blaming both Trump and Biden.

And why did Trump negotiate with the Taliban WITHOUT the Afghan government present? Taliban didn't follow anything agreed upon, therefore the agreement should've been torn up. by both presidents.

I also blame Afghan soldiers and village leaders who gave up or were bought. Taliban played our game when Iraqi officers were bought off by us.

Our government was clueless for years about Afghan and/or chose not to deal with the issue of corruption, cultural differences, etc. which lead to this.

I'm convinced the design of the Visa program was meant to deny as many Afghans as possible. Not only ours, but other western governments as well. That and now leaving them behind.

Biden clearly needs new advisors.

Women are being fired from their jobs, told not to walk outside, door to door searches, some taken to be wives of Taliban fighters, some denied passage to leave and have begun to wear burkas. Handmaid's Tale has already started.

It'll end badly.

There's no Southern border crisis. That's partisan nonsense.

[–] Rorikon (18389) 3 years ago

I say 25% Trump and 75% Biden blame from all the info that's already been out there.

Update:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/08/20/trump-peace-deal-taliban/
https://www.axios.com/trump-taliban-agreement-doha-biden-8dabe136-6dce-4e43-9289-98551bd47ed6.html

Well after reading this, I bring it to 45% Trump and 55% Biden blame. The main blame is leaving the main Bagram Air Base on 1 July 2021. The last remaining U.S. troops left the base by shutting off the electricity and slipping away in the night without notifying the Afghan Armed Forces. The base was looted by local civilians soon after US forces left the area. This means no more air support which was needed to maintain supremacy and control.

You have a good point there on that part. Not sure why they didn't include the Afghan government. I think it was due in part to them never agreeing with one another. US had more than 18 months to dismantle and leave, should've been more than enough time yet still left many things unfinished or rather rushed near the end game leave with the small number of bases remaining.

Can't really blame the soldiers per se. Many were fatigued, low pay, smoking drugs, or corrupt to begin with. I think many in the higher ranks stashed the cash and left lower rank soldiers with not a lot so when Taliban offered pay and protection, they took it. I think a good number just switched sides, surrendered on cue, or deserted to nearby countries. Corruption is a ruin to all nations as you can see. Self over country.

Denied to some degree but you also forgot in the link above, most civies didn't even want to leave when given the choice upon US withdrawal so the onus is on them. Now look at the scramble in fear and chaos on the poor choices they've made.

That's Sharia Law for ya. No more beauty salons, singing, etc. That's just the way of life for this religious zealot group (religion is a repressive idea) and most seem to have accepted it, very little resistance from the majority.

[–] Keelai (36155) 3 years ago

They didn't include any women in the negotiations either, and they're the ones being negatively affected the most.

I still blame mainly the Soviets for this mess. After them, I blame all five presidents. More recently, if Afghan soldiers needed air support to maintain security, why weren't more Afghans being trained as pilots?

No one in the U.S. government appeared to understand Afghan culture and politics. If local politics are so important, then a central form of government wasn't a good idea. Maybe a Parliamentary system with different localities and political parties (including the Taliban) would've made more sense.

Rural areas had the brunt of suffering and just wanted it to stop. Soldiers knew they would lose without air support. They only cut their loses. I think our leaving was premature without addressing the corruption and delivering proper military training and support.

Those civilians didn't believe their government was going to collapse especially so quickly. I read the Afghan soldiers were really far outnumbered by the Taliban because of ghost soldiers on the books.

The Afghans are religious, but the Taliban, and especially ISIS, are extremists. Afghans were caught between a rock and a hard place: extremist Taliban vs. corrupt and violent government with unending warfare.

[–] Rorikon (18389) 3 years ago

Did you see the twitter link Randal gave? That huge stash of saran wrap USD bills. Seems the US only knows how to waste money or just throw money at it in hopes of solving it. With great wealth comes great responsibility, NOT. I'm starting to believe the US is the main problem of most of the ills in the world in the name of Democracy/Freedom shtick. Loose gun control get guns funneled to Cartels to the south, loose border gets drugs funneled into the US and abroad with grow ops within the US, pretty much loose everything. A one all try to fix all solution they keep coming up with that solves nothing in the end.

[–] Keelai (36155) 3 years ago

Most drugs enter on container ships, not the border. BTW, I blame Americans for that. Don't do illegal drugs and there won't be a profitable market for it in the U.S..

Sorry, but I don't take Randall's links seriously. Twitter is not a credible news source. I've been chiding him for the past few days over his links containing conspiracy theories, propaganda and disinformation.

Eisenhower warned about the military–industrial complex. There's profit in warfare. Imagine if we shifted the profit from war to constructive endeavors like food, education and construction in foreign countries. Instead of private companies making profit from making bombs, they make profit from building schools.

[–] Bloodworth79 (5739) 3 years ago

I just saw some huge bald black lady on TV , simone something?

Well she was drinking lemonade and said she was getting ready to meet with some tribal leaders.

Dont worry she has this under control???

[–] TimMC (9143) 3 years ago

May they all Rest in Peace.

[–] JoWilli2 (855) 3 years ago

agreed, sadly, this will all be forgotten next week.