Pentagon Sends 3,000 Troops to Secure Kabul Airport as US Evacuates Embassy Staff, Interpreters

8/12/21
The U.S. is sending 3,000 additional troops to Kabul to secure the airport, speed the evacuation of U.S. embassy staff, and get Afghans who helped U.S. forces over the last two decades out of Afghanistan, as the Taliban continues its rapid advance across the country. Three infantry battalions that are already deployed to the Middle East “are on the way now” and will be on the ground in Kabul within the next 24 hours, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters Thursday. In addition, an infantry brigade combat team from Fort Bragg, North Carolina—roughly 3,500 additional troops—will be sent to Kuwait in case additional forces are needed. “The president has ordered the reduction of civilian personnel at our embassy in Kabul, and the acceleration of the evacuation of Afghan special immigrant visa applicants from the country,” Kirby said. The Pentagon is also preparing to send additional airlift to assist.

Both the Pentagon and State Department argued that this is not an non-combatant evacuation operation, or NEO—which is a specific term for getting U.S. citizens overseas out of harms’ way—despite the rapid deployment to protect the quick departure of embassy staff and Afghans. “This is not abandonment. This is not an evacuation. This is not wholesale withdrawal,” said State Department spokesman Ned Price. The departure “shouldn’t be read as any sort of message to the Taliban” that the U.S. was abandoning its mission in Afghanistan, Price said. But the evacuation is taking place against a backdrop of multiple Afghan provincial capitals falling to the Taliban, and amid the increased likelihood that Kabul could fall within weeks.

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Rogue Valley said:

Pentagon Sends 3,000 Troops to Secure Kabul Airport as US Evacuates Embassy Staff, Interpreters

Secretary Austin is also requesting additional military aircraft be ready to assist, rapidly get personnel out.

www.defenseone.com

IMO the US Afghan withdrawal was badly planned. The Taliban have known since February 2021 that the US would be leaving this year after they signed an agreement with Trump's Afghanistan envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad. Before the ink was even dry the Taliban were exploding VBIED's in crowded markets, assassinating provincial leaders, and attacking school girls. Since the US abandoned Bagram Air Base, the Taliban have captured 15 regional capitols. I think Kabul will fall before 9/11/2021. I also think the US will probably have to initiate limited ground operations in Afghanistan again due to the return of AQ and IS in the country.

U.S. Is Sending 3,000 Troops Back to Afghanistan to Begin Evacuations

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Rogue Valley said:

Pentagon Sends 3,000 Troops to Secure Kabul Airport as US Evacuates Embassy Staff, Interpreters

Secretary Austin is also requesting additional military aircraft be ready to assist, rapidly get personnel out.

www.defenseone.com

IMO the US Afghan withdrawal was badly planned. The Taliban have known since February 2021 that the US would be leaving this year after they signed an agreement with Trump's Afghanistan envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad. Before the ink was even dry the Taliban were exploding VBIED's in crowded markets, assassinating provincial leaders, and attacking school girls. Since the US abandoned Bagram Air Base, the Taliban have captured 15 regional capitols. I think Kabul will fall before 9/11/2021. I also think the US will probably have to initiate limited ground operations in Afghanistan again due to the return of AQ and IS in the country.

U.S. Is Sending 3,000 Troops Back to Afghanistan to Begin Evacuations

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Perotista said:

I think you're right. AQ and ISIS will indeed return. One of the main reasons in my opinion is when we began nation building we forced up the Afghan's a government, a system of government they didn't want. All the thirteen tribe Northern Alliance wanted was to return to their homelands, their region of Afghanistan and be government by their tribal elders and religious leaders. They were fighting the Taliban in the first place is because the Taliban wanted one tribe, one leader to rule over all other tribes. They wanted tribal integrity, tribal rule, tribal government. Not to be ruled over by someone from outside their tribe.

It was bound to fail, when you don't let the people choose the type of government they want, you have a huge problem with the people. This is why many of the original 13 tribes in the Northern Alliance, once our staunch allies, turn against us and began fighting us. Will we ever learn?

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