Afghanistan: that turned out well

[Torquemada 1420]

For the Americans; they had units that were perfectly happy to ignore the conventions of a legal war in Vietnam, & every other war; but it was never across the board & never approved; & there was never any question of dropping down to the level of those they were fighting; & doing what was required; whether it was legal or not.

Like I said, the only solution for victory is the Walter Kurtz one.

[Paddington Bear]

Why so out of curiosity?

They felt the Russians understood that to make the omelette that is a Russian controlled Afghanistan there would need to be a lot of breaking of eggs along the way.

The Russians still lost; despite going, eventually with; "Total War"; but the Russians learnt the lesson; & when it came to Chechnya; they started off with Total War; & won. To this day; the Russians are still assassinating Chechens in exile; to stop any possible insurgency; & anyone who harbors them; knows whats coming their direction.

For the Americans; they had units that were perfectly happy to ignore the conventions of a legal war in Vietnam, & every other war; but it was never across the board & never approved; & there was never any question of dropping down to the level of those they were fighting; & doing what was required; whether it was legal or not.

Essentially if the US invades your country and you can maintain a guerilla organisation, all you really need to do is wait them out.

[Rinkals]

PR oldsters will know who this is:

[laurent]

PR oldsters will know who this is:

He loves trouble. (in a way)

I hope this one does not turn into a shit heap for him.

[Sandstorm]

Essentially if the US invades your country and you can maintain a guerilla organisation, all you really need to do is wait them out.

You'll wait a long time if you have any oil.

[Ymx]

PR oldsters will know who this is:

He loves trouble. (in a way)

I hope this one does not turn into a shit heap for him.

DP??

[Slick]

PR oldsters will know who this is:

He loves trouble. (in a way)

I hope this one does not turn into a shit heap for him.

DP??

Looks like he must still be in the import/export business

[inactionman]

He loves trouble. (in a way)

I hope this one does not turn into a shit heap for him.

DP??

Looks like he must still be in the import/export business

If he's where I think he is, he must have been smoking the whole fecking lot.

[Blackmac]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

[Margin__Walker]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Yep, chartered plane or not, it's a huge sideshow and getting in the way of the evacuation effort.

[robmatic]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Are they prioritising animals over people?

[Paddington Bear]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Are they prioritising animals over people?

It seems that way which is absolutely sick if true. By all accounts MPs have been getting far more letters about the dogs than they have about the people.

No doubt Carrie has overruled the Defence Sec here. Fundamentally unserious country.

[I like neeps]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Are they prioritising animals over people?

It seems that way which is absolutely sick if true. By all accounts MPs have been getting far more letters about the dogs than they have about the people.

No doubt Carrie has overruled the Defence Sec here. Fundamentally unserious country.

Yes it's qwhite strange this country values dogs over brown people. Qwhite strange indeed.

Also, I wonder how many of those writing to their MPs about dogs eat meat? "Honey we need to save this dog" I scream chomping into my bacon roll.

[Paddington Bear]

Are they prioritising animals over people?

It seems that way which is absolutely sick if true. By all accounts MPs have been getting far more letters about the dogs than they have about the people.

No doubt Carrie has overruled the Defence Sec here. Fundamentally unserious country.

Yes it's qwhite strange this country values dogs over brown people. Qwhite strange indeed.

Also, I wonder how many of those writing to their MPs about dogs eat meat? "Honey we need to save this dog" I scream chomping into my bacon roll.

Wouldn't go too far - I have no doubt 99% of these people would prioritise the dogs over white Brits as well.

[tabascoboy]

So, Russia also evacuating staff after initially stating they felt no threat to them from the Taliban. They also seem to be taking the terrorism threat there seriously.

[Chrysoprase]

PR oldsters will know who this is:

I thought he'd given up the journo business

[shaggy]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Are they prioritising animals over people?

Not from what I have heard/read. The plane is privately chartered, animals would go in the hold and any spare seats not used by his team would be offered to other people.

[Slick]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Are they prioritising animals over people?

Not from what I have heard/read. The plane is privately chartered, animals would go in the hold and any spare seats not used by his team would be offered to other people.

But that's not racist at all, you must be wrong.

[Margin__Walker]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Are they prioritising animals over people?

Not from what I have heard/read. The plane is privately chartered, animals would go in the hold and any spare seats not used by his team would be offered to other people.

It's a circus though. How do you get trucks full of cats and dogs past throngs of people crowding every entrance/checkpoint of the airport. You are absolutely going to have to divert resources and attention to make that happen.

[Margin__Walker]

Sounds like some kind of attack has taken place/is underway.

[Slick]

Sounds like some kind of attack has taken place/is underway.

Oh FFS

[tabascoboy]

A US official has told Reuters news agency the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber.

[fishfoodie]

It seems that way which is absolutely sick if true. By all accounts MPs have been getting far more letters about the dogs than they have about the people.

No doubt Carrie has overruled the Defence Sec here. Fundamentally unserious country.

Yes it's qwhite strange this country values dogs over brown people. Qwhite strange indeed.

Also, I wonder how many of those writing to their MPs about dogs eat meat? "Honey we need to save this dog" I scream chomping into my bacon roll.

Wouldn't go too far - I have no doubt 99% of these people would prioritise the dogs over white Brits as well.

They still haven't slotted that diseased llama yet; have they ?

[Marylandolorian]

Last night

Because of security threats outside the gates of Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so," the embassy said in the Wednesday evening

this morning they said they worried about a suicide bomber

It didn’t take long

A US official has told Reuters news agency the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber.

[tc27]

Looks like their were US casualties.

I wonder what the dynamic between the Taliban and the group who committed these attacks is?

[tabascoboy]

Hasn't taken long for the situation to go right down the toilet. Gunfire heard in the area also - if you can believe the Taliban

At least 11 killed in Kabul bombing, Taliban official
A Taliban official has said that at least 11 people have been killed in the attack on Kabul airport.

The official said the number included women and children and that a number of Taliban guards had also been wounded.

There is no confirmation.

[westport]

A second explosion has went off, lots of casualties. Pretty horrific.

Not going to post it ,but if you are that way inclined, for the aftermath Twitter search _FrancescoLeone

[tabascoboy]

Looks like their were US casualties.

I wonder what the dynamic between the Taliban and the group who committed these attacks is?

Said to be "Militants", as if the Taliban aren't militant enough

[Paddington Bear]

Looks like their were US casualties.

I wonder what the dynamic between the Taliban and the group who committed these attacks is?

Said to be "Militants", as if the Taliban aren't militant enough

IS consider the Taliban to be sell outs IIRC

[Openside]

They felt the Russians understood that to make the omelette that is a Russian controlled Afghanistan there would need to be a lot of breaking of eggs along the way.

The Russians still lost; despite going, eventually with; "Total War"; but the Russians learnt the lesson; & when it came to Chechnya; they started off with Total War; & won. To this day; the Russians are still assassinating Chechens in exile; to stop any possible insurgency; & anyone who harbors them; knows whats coming their direction.

For the Americans; they had units that were perfectly happy to ignore the conventions of a legal war in Vietnam, & every other war; but it was never across the board & never approved; & there was never any question of dropping down to the level of those they were fighting; & doing what was required; whether it was legal or not.

Essentially if the US invades your country and you can maintain a guerilla organisation, all you really need to do is wait them out.

As the saying goes - you have all the watches, we have all the time.

[Openside]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Ditto - he has waged an impressive PR campaign but its all shite, he has never been turned away, it has just been pointed out to him that for his staff and animals to be evacuated he needs to be airside and that can take 24 hours plus, whether he has his own fucking plane or not.

[Paddington Bear]

A few years ago I was driving on an A road which has a public footpath on either side. Going at 60 I see two off leash dogs dash through the gate and into the road. Car coming at 60 in the other direction, car up my arse behind me. Split second decision - I stay in lane.
Miraculously and I still don't really know how both dogs got across the road unharmed but it wasn't a difficult decision - human lives are more important than those of animals. I'm delighted the dogs were unharmed but even if they had died it would still have been the right decision.

This is a horrendous situation but I cannot fathom what is going on here. The least worst option would have been to give the dogs some play time, a nice meal and a stroke, then put them to sleep. Chances are now they'll die in hot cages as humans die at the gates from bomb attacks.

Imagine being Defence Secretary and having to deal with this shit.

[Openside]

A second explosion has went off, lots of casualties. Pretty horrific.

Not going to post it ,but if you are that way inclined, for the aftermath Twitter search _FrancescoLeone

What a tragedy, this could get very messy we still have 2 & 3 Para to evacuate before it turns really nasty, not sure who /what will keep the runway clear when the soldiers emplane??



on a lighter note one enterprising Afghan has ensured he is at the front of the queue

[Slick]

A second explosion has went off, lots of casualties. Pretty horrific.

Not going to post it ,but if you are that way inclined, for the aftermath Twitter search _FrancescoLeone

Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with these people

[Margin__Walker]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Ditto - he has waged an impressive PR campaign but its all shite, he has never been turned away, it has just been pointed out to him that for his staff and animals to be evacuated he needs to be airside and that can take 24 hours plus, whether he has his own fucking plane or not.

What ever you do, don't look up #operationark on twitter. These people are all on a completely different planet. And there's thousands of them.

As PB says. Imagine dealing with the most stressful job of your career as Def Sec and having to spend half your time dealing with drama related to this.

[Openside]

Getting pretty tired about the hysteria regarding the ex marine who seems to have hung around to the extreme last minute demanding all the staff and animals at his animal sanctuary are evacuated.

Ditto - he has waged an impressive PR campaign but its all shite, he has never been turned away, it has just been pointed out to him that for his staff and animals to be evacuated he needs to be airside and that can take 24 hours plus, whether he has his own fucking plane or not.

What ever you do, don't look up #operationark on twitter. These people are all on a completely different planet. And there's thousands of them.

As PB says. Imagine dealing with the most stressful job of your career as Def Sec and having to spend half your time dealing with drama related to this.

Armchair experts the lot of them!! Fully conversant with a mass evacuation from a hostile environment. I adore dogs but if things were that bad they should have just put the whole lot down(they should definitely do the cats anyway!!). Ultimately its no different to any other animal culled for health/safety reasons.

[westport]

4 US Marines killed and 3 injured

[Slick]

4 US Marines killed and 3 injured

Interested to know from a military person how Boris’ comments will go down.

“It’s not going to interrupt our progress”

“There was always going to be vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks, but I’m afraid it is something we have to be prepared for”

Sounds a bit General Melchett to me, but maybe you just accept that as part of the job

[Margin__Walker]

Some US networks now reporting the US fatalities rising to 10.

Clearly a huge blast and exactly what had been feared given the chaotic security situation at the airport.

Edit - At least 60 people killed and 140 injured according to health officials.

[westport]

4 US Marines killed and 3 injured

Interested to know from a military person how Boris’ comments will go down.

“It’s not going to interrupt our progress”

“There was always going to be vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks, but I’m afraid it is something we have to be prepared for”

Sounds a bit General Melchett to me, but maybe you just accept that as part of the job

The attacks, there has just been another one, is the last thing TB want, they just want everyone out tout suite. ISIS-K on the other hand are quite happy to cause as much hassle and death as possible. There is no love between TB and ISIS-K and it could get very nasty very soon.