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Original poster

Explosion at kabul Airport

106 replies

Meltinthemiddle · 26/08/2021 15:09

Just absolutely devastated for all those people. I could cry for them. Not sure of the extent of damage.

OP posts:
FlowerPower3110 · 26/08/2021 15:49

It's truly horrific. I can't imagine how scared everyone in the area must be Sad

I heard that Belgium and Canada have ended their evacuations, I imagine more countries will follow.

FrancescaContini · 26/08/2021 15:51

@MyGrassIsBrowner

It's just awful. I am so anxious about the potential terror threats the UK could face from all this 😩
Jesus.

What about the poor souls in Afghanistan??

TheFairyCaravan · 26/08/2021 15:54

It’s horrendous.

Those poor people who’ve been there for days have just been a siting target. It’s heartbreaking. And the troops too, their families here and abroad must be going out of their minds.

worksleep · 26/08/2021 15:54

Predictable and so utterly devastating.

HoppingPavlova · 26/08/2021 15:56

I heard someone (can’t remember who) saying that it would have only needed a very small number of troops to stay to keep the peace over the next couple of generations. If all the countries contribute why couldn’t we do that in the long term. Wouldn’t that be a good use of our resources? Genuine question

Nope. The issue being that to maintain peace would require ramping up of numbers. Essentially, no one was keen to commit even further troops. The answer was to ‘equip’ Afghanistan to do this themselves and withdraw. Pretty obvious wouldn’t work but short of everyone committing extra troops for a situation that was going indefinitely, options were limited!

MyGrassIsBrowner · 26/08/2021 15:57

@FrancescaContini Apologies. My comment was not meant to come across how it did. Not disregarding what has happened over there at all, it's horrific. I'm just very worried about the backlash. I blame that on my pregnancy hormones though. Sorry if I came across disrespectful it wasn't my intention.

PamDenick · 26/08/2021 15:57

Where is the UN in this?

CaMePlaitPas · 26/08/2021 15:59

The "war" in Afghanistan had nothing to do with securing the country and rolling out democracy and "rights" to the people, it had everything to do with the West having stategic bases in the region and lining the pockets of the arms industry.

OhSmellyCatSmellyCat · 26/08/2021 16:02

[quote MyGrassIsBrowner]@FrancescaContini Apologies. My comment was not meant to come across how it did. Not disregarding what has happened over there at all, it's horrific. I'm just very worried about the backlash. I blame that on my pregnancy hormones though. Sorry if I came across disrespectful it wasn't my intention.[/quote]
@MyGrassIsBrowner no need to apologise, most of us understood your intent
We are all worried
I'm not a particularly religious person but I'm praying for those poor people

VeryLongBeeeeep · 26/08/2021 16:03

I'm no particular fan of Biden (or Trump for that matter) but so far as I'm aware, his only intervention in a process already in train was to bring the withdrawal date forward by a couple of weeks to the end of August. Not that that hasn't had an effect and made the last few days even more of a desperate scramble, but he wasn't the instigator.

arcof · 26/08/2021 16:03

Anyone saying "trump was the better option" etc, clearly have no idea what you're talking about. He negotiated the withdrawal with the Taliban, and the draw down. The pull out date was May 1st. Do you think they would have continued to not attack civilians and military targets forever after that date with only 2.5k troops, a number that trump himself brought it down to? No it was only a matter of time, it was get out or else, and that's the deal Trump made with the Taliban. . and the alternative for Biden was to send thousands of troops back, something which 70% of the US electorate opposed. If you're looking to blame anyone, blame Trump ffs!!

arcof · 26/08/2021 16:06

@leftbutcameback the notion that all we needed was a small no of troops is false, it was going ok with that up to now because of the promise of complete withdrawal. Had that not happened, god knows what would have occurred but we will never know.

Norugratsatall · 26/08/2021 16:08

@arcof

Anyone saying "trump was the better option" etc, clearly have no idea what you're talking about. He negotiated the withdrawal with the Taliban, and the draw down. The pull out date was May 1st. Do you think they would have continued to not attack civilians and military targets forever after that date with only 2.5k troops, a number that trump himself brought it down to? No it was only a matter of time, it was get out or else, and that's the deal Trump made with the Taliban. . and the alternative for Biden was to send thousands of troops back, something which 70% of the US electorate opposed. If you're looking to blame anyone, blame Trump ffs!!
Yep. This!
MyGrassIsBrowner · 26/08/2021 16:08

@OhSmellyCatSmellyCat Thank you, I too am praying for them. X

EyebeIbewe · 26/08/2021 16:10

@gardeninggirl68 shots were not fired at an Italian aircraft; they were fired to disperse the crowd because of the bomb threat intelligence.

@PamDenick UN are there on the ground, including their female staff. Countless reports have come out of Afghanistan in recent days from their staff.

Boredsillyathome · 26/08/2021 16:20

This is just horrific

Brighterblighter · 26/08/2021 16:25

Biden couldn't care less.

He said he thought any pull out would be hard Confused so that's that.

I'm horrified in this day and age it wasn't implemented in a better way..
With proper support from soldiers before staff left I just don't buy a single flimsy excuse

He was caught with his trousers down and now the west is paying the price and those poor people.

I cant fathom how his flimsy supporters are saying.. But it was trump... He had to leave.

Yes!! But not in this fashion.

MyLifeNow20 · 26/08/2021 16:26

So awful, those poor people

Brighterblighter · 26/08/2021 16:26
  • Biden. Has over turned about 60 things trump did.

Biden has sent thousand of troops back, just too fucking late.

Brighterblighter · 26/08/2021 16:28

I have have not heard a single commentator say it was a binary choice.

dreamingbohemian · 26/08/2021 16:32

Islamic State have claimed responsibility (the Afghan branch, IS-Khorasan Province)

The Taliban have been fighting ISKP for years and have actually been executing ISKP prisoners since coming to power. This is a blow to them as well.

TartanJumper · 26/08/2021 16:32

They shouldn't have pulled the troops out until all the foreign citizens and Afghan helpers had had the chance to leave.
The whole situation is heartbreaking.

Amboseli · 26/08/2021 16:32

This is just so horrific, I hope Biden can't sleep at night but somehow I think he'll sleep just fine.

PollyPepper · 26/08/2021 16:32

Watching the news now. So awful. But yes, predictable. How is this ever going to get resolved??? My heart breaks for them.

TartanJumper · 26/08/2021 16:32

@dreamingbohemian

Islamic State have claimed responsibility (the Afghan branch, IS-Khorasan Province)

The Taliban have been fighting ISKP for years and have actually been executing ISKP prisoners since coming to power. This is a blow to them as well.

Yes. Taliban and ISIS are not allies. They disagree on some pretty fundamental issues.