WTF is happening in Afghanistan?

[nc8765]

Kabul will fall soon, and the Taliban will control the whole country.

The rights of women and girls will go back to the dark ages, along with rights for any other liberal view/s. In a few years, the UN will declare a humanitarian crisis and then what, we're back to square one?

The US is highly unlikely to commit to troops, same goes for us here in the UK. What about China? Surely a stable Middle East is in their best interest? Russia? The other 'stan nations??

I understand there are Afghans that do prefer life under the Taliban, but surely that's a small minority group?

I'm not a foreign affairs expert so would really like some help on this one!

Utterly horrifying.

The news reports of British and American troups heading for Afghanistan to help evacuate their civilians, embassy staff and Afhans who helped their government say this will happen over the coming weeks. However I would be surprised if they have more than a few days to achieve this! I worry that all the Afghans will be left behind as processing/assessing their applications will take time when there is none. Only the nationals of these countries will get out in time leaving the Afghans who helped these countries and their families to a brutal fate.

The locals we encouraged to support us will pay a terrible price, as will all Afghan women. We've invaded that country three times, and left. There is a pattern.

Watching an interview with an ex very senior military figure on Sky was interesting. He did really seem to have sympathy for the locals, and pulled no punched on what was going to happen.

The reality is that most of our foreign invasions required us to maintain troops for many decades and hundreds of years, e.g., India, Ireland, Wales, etc. Expecting a change is 20 years is ...

Is it better of worse a a result of our most recent invasion. I don' know.

do wonder during the last 20 years if any attempt has been made to educate the population on these basics? So they have the standard to judge incoming regimes

Oh steady there. Thus us very patronising. You do realise that Afghanistan and the whole region has an ancient culture and history.

You can go round lecturing on values. Practical help, yes, training and providing equipment for the army, and that’s what’s has been done, but it seems it didn’t really work.,

7 miles from kabul and apparently they have captured American helicopter.
Not sure if they know how to fly it.

Turkey can sod off. Erdogan is scum. His constant 'offers of help' all over the middle east are his attempt at another ottoman empire. The US withdrawal from kurdistan leaving them to turkish murderers was more unforgivable.

All the taliban have to do is walk into Kabul as 'refugees'. Its really possible a lot of troops could die there, modern street fighting is horrific. The taliban clear any house with an rpg through the wall or door.

@MGMidget

The news reports of British and American troups heading for Afghanistan to help evacuate their civilians, embassy staff and Afhans who helped their government say this will happen over the coming weeks. However I would be surprised if they have more than a few days to achieve this! I worry that all the Afghans will be left behind as processing/assessing their applications will take time when there is none. Only the nationals of these countries will get out in time leaving the Afghans who helped these countries and their families to a brutal fate.

Yes, the speed of events in the last couple of days has taken everyone I think by surprise.

Jalalabad surrendering (without a fight) has put the main road routes to Pakistan under Taliban control. Other bordering countries, such as Uzbekistan are detaining arrivals, and appear to be in negotiations about so their future.

Hamid Karzai Airport (Kabul International) is still up and running, but it can't be that long until the Taliban get close enough to make it unsafe to use

Turkey can sod off. Erdogan is scum. His constant 'offers of help' all over the middle east are his attempt at another ottoman empire. The US withdrawal from kurdistan leaving them to turkish murderers was more unforgivable.

Definitely won't be arguing about that. He's been trying to drag Turkey back to the Middle Ages.

I can't believe what I'm witnessing.

On sky someone said the "taliban" entering kabul are actually even more evil than the taliban and nasty war Lords drugs gangs.

Supposedly the taliban have stopped outside kabul and are negotiating, which makes sense as the US and British decimate them when they fight in the open and western special forces are now there.

BBC is reporting that the taliban is entering Kabul 'from all sides' -source, the interior ministry.

At the moment it seems that they are allowing out those who want to leave

The NATO troops still there won't be fighting the taliban or stopping them taking the city. They are to assist in the evacuation of foreigners.

I hope international organisations have already got their local staff out, for they are the most vulnerable to immediate 'reprisals'

Theres been no deal like 1973 paris with the NVA so NATO is still at war with the taliban. Final US troop withdrawals are end of this month.

I don’t know if we’re allowed to post petitions here but please sign this British Council one of you can.

www.change.org/p/save-british-council-educators-from-the-taliban?recruiter=165851059&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=eebfd2a0-53cc-11e4-88b0-2febaaa99e54&utm_content=fht-30293198-en-us%3A2

“The British Council is the UK government’s cultural outreach organisation and was first established in Kabul in 1964. Since 2002, the British Council has employed dozens of Afghans, including educators, who have promoted British values such as democracy, justice, and education for all children, including girls. The British Council is viewed as part of the British government and is headquartered with the British Embassy in Kabul. To the Taliban, they are one and the same as the British Embassy or armed service personnel.

British Council educators have often worked in hard-to-reach, remote areas at great personal risk. They have been at the forefront of efforts to win hearts and minds in Afghanistan. As such, they are known to the Taliban and their allies as spies and collaborators with Western “infidels”. Despite this, they have worked fearlessly for a peaceful and better future.

The US, UK and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan has left them and their families in great peril.

One of the educators who is currently in hiding in a regional capital city under near-constant Taliban attack, wrote this:
“Because I work for the British Council I am perceived as promoting Christianity in schools. Many people also see me as a British spy. The mullah in our local mosque preaches that anyone supporting the British Council and teaching its language is an infidel, and he refers to me personally as evidence. I humbly urge the British government to grant me and my family asylum to relocate to the United Kingdom and live peacefully.”

What a shambles. Afghan pm has stood down.

Not as bad as his deputy who vanished abroad days ago after claiming hed personally fight in the streets. Afghan authorities have been a disgrace. Running and still thieving while afghan SF are being execcuted in the streets after fighting to their last bullet. Still be all our fault though.

MorrisZapp

I don't understand. If everyone hates the Taliban, how come they are the majority force?“

Because if you disagree with them they take of your hands, or your head or they hang you. Or all 3.

Would you rise up against them or keep your head down and hope to survive and protect your children?

This is disgusting but no surprise from this government. Afgan interpreters refused asylum as it’s deemed “not conducive to the public good”. It’s worth reading the replies too, as they mention the removal of student visas for Afgan students. Time is seriously running out for so many people. If you can contact your mp in any way, please do. I don’t know what else to do. I’m so angry at the complete lack of support for people who literally saved our soldiers lives, for students (including many women) who were promised a scholarship then dumped by the government.

mobile.twitter.com/Charlie533080/status/1426787567073177602

www.bbc.com/news/uk-58219114.amp

The waste of all those British and American lives fighting in Afghanistan and we are just back to square one.

Also from the change.org link above about the British Council educators, this update gives a template to tweet at Ben Wallace (secretary of state for the defense) and a template you can email to your mp.

www.change.org/p/save-british-council-educators-from-the-taliban/u/29464640

Please tweet or email if you can. It doesn’t feel like enough, but every tweet/email helps.

@BewareTheLibrarians

Also from the change.org link above about the British Council educators, this update gives a template to tweet at Ben Wallace (secretary of state for the defense) and a template you can email to your mp.

www.change.org/p/save-british-council-educators-from-the-taliban/u/29464640

Please tweet or email if you can. It doesn’t feel like enough, but every tweet/email helps.

I read that Parliament is to be recalled to discuss Afghanistan, and the safety of locally employed Afghan staff needs to be front and central in that.

But I fear that it is already too late.

I expect the Taliban will allow foreigners to leave (unless they want to have hostages) but the situation for local staff of foreign governments and international organisations is dire if they are not already out.

One of the redtops is reporting that the SAS has been sent to protect the British Ambassador on his way out

It's awful but then I wouldn't want to risk my life or my loved ones to fight the Taliban so what's the solution?

This is so awful. I'm glad that attempts are being made to remove foreign nationals (inc. UK and US citizens), but mad rush to remove them reminds me of how the people in Rwanda were left to fend for themselves prior to the awful genocide there. I mean - I get this is a different, and maybe non comparable situation, but my heart just goes out to all those poor people being left behind to their fate .

And the thousands of British parents and families who lost their children or relatives during the conflict there, they must be thinking 'what for'? more than ever (I have 2 DS in the forces and know I would be).

Does anyone know what is likely to happen next? And is there anything we can do to help those I poor people stuck there in some way? Being uprooted like they have and now knowing they have nowhere left to run to - it is heartbreaking to imagine how they must be feeling now.

It's a travesty and several issues here

1. do we want us or UK or anyone to endlessly stay there?

Whether anyone says yes or no

2. a safe, orderly exit where anyone who wants to leave can do or

3. utterly mismanaged, panicked mad rush with people fleeing for their lives in sheer and utter chaos

This is a horrendous world pr moment for the US, mato, the un etc.
Awful.
The sheer embarrassment of Biden comments of not being over run by the taliban in days, no repeat of saigon... The promise to save Afghans who helped us...