Tyr-Ziu Saxnot
08-13-2021, 07:03 AM
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-scrambles-to-avoid-vietnam-moment-in-kabul-as-panic-spreads-through-afghan-capital/ar-AANhtTg?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531
Washington Examiner
Washington Examiner
US scrambles to avoid Vietnam moment in Kabul as panic spreads through Afghan capital
Jamie McIntyre - Yesterday 6:18 AM
‘A TEMPORARY MISSION WITH A NARROW FOCUS’: With the Taliban offensive gaining momentum at a startling pace, and more provincial capitals falling with each passing day, the United States is dispatching three infantry battalions, roughly 3,000 troops, already forward deployed in the region, to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul for what is described as a short term mission to provide security for emergency evacuations.
“These forces are being deployed to support the orderly and safe reduction of civilian personnel at the request of the State Department and to help facilitate an accelerated process of working through SIV [Special Immigrant Visa] applicants,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. “This is a temporary mission with a narrow focus. As with all deployments of our troops into harm's way, our commanders have the inherent right of self-defense, and any attack on them can and will be met with a forceful and appropriate response.”
In addition, a joint Army-Air Force support element of around 1,000 personnel will deploy to Qatar to facilitate the processing of SIV applicants, and a combat brigade numbering around 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg will be on standby in Kuwait, in case things go south.
The evacuees will be airlifted out on U.S. military planes, a move the Pentagon previously said would be unnecessary.
US TROOPS 'WILL TEMPORARILY DEPLOY' TO AFGHANISTAN TO HELP EVACUATE DIPLOMATS
THE SPECTER OF SAIGON: As soon as the news broke that the U.S. was sending thousands of U.S. troops back to Kabul to draw down embassy staff and qualified Afghans, a colleague emailed me, “We've reached the Saigon moment.”
It’s an analogy the Pentagon has been anxious to avoid, an ignominious episode captured in an iconic 1975 photo by a Dutch photographer of Americans scrambling to get on one of the last helicopters out of Saigon, as the Viet Cong overran the city.
It wasn’t long before others began citing the embarrassing chapter in American history. “Weeks ago, President Biden promised the American people that we would not have a Saigon moment in Afghanistan,” said Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers, ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. “Now, we are watching President Biden’s Saigon moment unfold before us.”
Inevitably at yesterday’s Pentagon briefing, Kirby was asked how the U.S. would “avoid the parallel with the fall of Saigon.”
“We're not walking away from our commitments to the Afghan forces, we're not completely eliminating our diplomatic presence on the ground. We're still going to have diplomats there,” Kirby said. “So, nobody is abandoning Afghanistan, it's not walking away from it, it's doing the right thing at the right time to protect our people.”
“I want to be very clear about what this is and what this is not,” said spokesman Ned Price at the State Department. “This is not abandonment. This is not an evacuation. This is not the wholesale withdrawal. What this is is a reduction in the size of our civilian footprint.”
AFGHANISTAN’S INEVITABLE AND PREDICTABLE BACKSLIDE INTO THE CLUTCHES OF THE TALIBAN
‘ALL WE NEEDED WAS A PLAN’: The frenzied dispatch of U.S. troops back to the airport they left just over a month ago drew sharp criticism from Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
“Afghanistan is careening toward a massive, predictable, and preventable disaster. And the Administration’s surreal efforts to defend President Biden’s reckless policy are frankly humiliating,” said McConnell in a statement. “The Biden Administration has reduced U.S. officials to pleading with Islamic extremists to spare our embassy as they prepare to overrun Kabul. Absurdly, naively, our government is arguing that bloodshed might hurt the Taliban’s international reputation, as if radical terrorists are anxious about their P.R.”
“Our allies are watching as Afghanistan rapidly deteriorates, and President Biden still claims he does not regret his unconditional withdrawal. Make no mistake, the consequences of President Biden’s haphazard withdrawal will be felt for decades,” said Rogers. “All we needed was a plan to avoid this very moment. Mr. President, where is the plan?”
MCCONNELL SLAMS BIDEN'S 'RECKLESS' AFGHANISTAN STRATEGY AND URGES MORE MILITARY SUPPORT
Here we have the dems gifting the terrorists an entire nation--and- billions of dollars in military bases/equipment.
Yet that little fact- is ignored by media and other idiots that will excuse this cowardly- running away the ffing treasonous dem scum Biden has done, imho.--Tyr
Washington Examiner
Washington Examiner
US scrambles to avoid Vietnam moment in Kabul as panic spreads through Afghan capital
Jamie McIntyre - Yesterday 6:18 AM
‘A TEMPORARY MISSION WITH A NARROW FOCUS’: With the Taliban offensive gaining momentum at a startling pace, and more provincial capitals falling with each passing day, the United States is dispatching three infantry battalions, roughly 3,000 troops, already forward deployed in the region, to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul for what is described as a short term mission to provide security for emergency evacuations.
“These forces are being deployed to support the orderly and safe reduction of civilian personnel at the request of the State Department and to help facilitate an accelerated process of working through SIV [Special Immigrant Visa] applicants,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. “This is a temporary mission with a narrow focus. As with all deployments of our troops into harm's way, our commanders have the inherent right of self-defense, and any attack on them can and will be met with a forceful and appropriate response.”
In addition, a joint Army-Air Force support element of around 1,000 personnel will deploy to Qatar to facilitate the processing of SIV applicants, and a combat brigade numbering around 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg will be on standby in Kuwait, in case things go south.
The evacuees will be airlifted out on U.S. military planes, a move the Pentagon previously said would be unnecessary.
US TROOPS 'WILL TEMPORARILY DEPLOY' TO AFGHANISTAN TO HELP EVACUATE DIPLOMATS
THE SPECTER OF SAIGON: As soon as the news broke that the U.S. was sending thousands of U.S. troops back to Kabul to draw down embassy staff and qualified Afghans, a colleague emailed me, “We've reached the Saigon moment.”
It’s an analogy the Pentagon has been anxious to avoid, an ignominious episode captured in an iconic 1975 photo by a Dutch photographer of Americans scrambling to get on one of the last helicopters out of Saigon, as the Viet Cong overran the city.
It wasn’t long before others began citing the embarrassing chapter in American history. “Weeks ago, President Biden promised the American people that we would not have a Saigon moment in Afghanistan,” said Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers, ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. “Now, we are watching President Biden’s Saigon moment unfold before us.”
Inevitably at yesterday’s Pentagon briefing, Kirby was asked how the U.S. would “avoid the parallel with the fall of Saigon.”
“We're not walking away from our commitments to the Afghan forces, we're not completely eliminating our diplomatic presence on the ground. We're still going to have diplomats there,” Kirby said. “So, nobody is abandoning Afghanistan, it's not walking away from it, it's doing the right thing at the right time to protect our people.”
“I want to be very clear about what this is and what this is not,” said spokesman Ned Price at the State Department. “This is not abandonment. This is not an evacuation. This is not the wholesale withdrawal. What this is is a reduction in the size of our civilian footprint.”
AFGHANISTAN’S INEVITABLE AND PREDICTABLE BACKSLIDE INTO THE CLUTCHES OF THE TALIBAN
‘ALL WE NEEDED WAS A PLAN’: The frenzied dispatch of U.S. troops back to the airport they left just over a month ago drew sharp criticism from Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
“Afghanistan is careening toward a massive, predictable, and preventable disaster. And the Administration’s surreal efforts to defend President Biden’s reckless policy are frankly humiliating,” said McConnell in a statement. “The Biden Administration has reduced U.S. officials to pleading with Islamic extremists to spare our embassy as they prepare to overrun Kabul. Absurdly, naively, our government is arguing that bloodshed might hurt the Taliban’s international reputation, as if radical terrorists are anxious about their P.R.”
“Our allies are watching as Afghanistan rapidly deteriorates, and President Biden still claims he does not regret his unconditional withdrawal. Make no mistake, the consequences of President Biden’s haphazard withdrawal will be felt for decades,” said Rogers. “All we needed was a plan to avoid this very moment. Mr. President, where is the plan?”
MCCONNELL SLAMS BIDEN'S 'RECKLESS' AFGHANISTAN STRATEGY AND URGES MORE MILITARY SUPPORT
Here we have the dems gifting the terrorists an entire nation--and- billions of dollars in military bases/equipment.
Yet that little fact- is ignored by media and other idiots that will excuse this cowardly- running away the ffing treasonous dem scum Biden has done, imho.--Tyr