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Wednesday, August 25, 2021

The Afghan Refugees: Who Are They?

 This article first appeared in New English Review.


As I write, the US and several Western European countries are scrambling to get their citizens and Afghan allies out of Afghanistan. It’s not only a mess for the US, but a mess for Europe as well. Europe is bracing for a wave of Afghan refugees, by some estimates up to 3 million. Already, many Western European countries are dealing with massive numbers of young, unaccompanied Afghans who have significantly raised the rate of violent crime in Europe. Last month, a 13-year-old Austrian girl was kidnapped, drugged, gang-raped, and murdered in Vienna. Four young Afghan men are charged.

The Europeans, like the Americans, feel the moral obligation to get not just their own countrymen out of Afghanistan, including naturalized Afghans, but those Afghans who worked with our forces and embassies, people who are at extreme risk from the Taliban. At the same time, we need to carefully screen those Afghans we bring to our countries.

This week, I have just finished translating two European news articles, one from Belgium (via a Dutch newspaper) and the other from France. In Belgium, police have been warned that extremist Afghans with Taliban sympathies may well be among the refugees. In France, they have already identified 5 Afghan refugees-already arrived in France- who are members of the Taliban.

President Biden has assured us that Afghans evacuated will be thoroughly screened before they land on American soil. I would like to feel reassured by that, but how do you do an adequate background check on these people (I am not talking about those who assisted us as interpreters, etc)? Do we ask the Taliban to check their databases? That, given all the other assurances Biden has given us, leaves me feeling less than reassured. My gut feeling is that it is going to be just like the Somalis, many of whom have gone back to join al Shabaab, and the Syrians in 2015 who flooded into Europe. Innocent blood is going to be spilled.  This is not to say that all refugees will pose a danger, but there will be some.

One thing I find interesting about the Americans who are still trapped in Afghanistan. Am I wrong in assuming that they are almost all naturalized Afghans with US passports who, perhaps, were visiting their families when the place collapsed? That, of course, does not lessen our obligation to get them out, but I find it interesting that the media never speculates about that.

I pray for the safety of our troops, Afghan colleagues, and all Americans in Afghanistan (naturalized or not). The same goes for our allies. May they all come home safely. They have been badly served by this president and this administration.


Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Belgian Jewish Community Worried About Security

It appears that the Belgian government is scaling back the security measures and personnel assigned to protect Jewish institutions in cities like Brussels and Antwerp. As of September 1, Belgian soldiers will be withdrawn from security duty at Jewish locations. The Jewish community in Belgium is concerned. They expressed their concern in a meeting with Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden, who has announced the withdrawal. With the crisis in Afghanistan and the prospect of large numbers of Afghan refugees arriving in the country, the dangers can only increase.

The below article from the Belgian Jewish site (in Dutch), Joods Actueel, is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://joodsactueel.be/2021/08/24/fjo-diep-ongerust-over-veiligheid-in-joodse-buurt/

FJO "deeply worried" over security in Jewish neighborhood

24 August 2021

Caption beneath photo: Minister Verlinden by visit to Jewish Forum

As a result of the withdrawal of the soldiers from the Jewish neighborhood set for  September 1, the Forum of Jewish Organizations met with Interior Minster Annelies Verlinden

The minister confirmed during the meeting that there would be no federal police, nor extra resources for local forces made available for the security of Jewish institutions.

In the Parliament, however, the minister had announced "no expense would be spared", and she had also confirmed that the Jewish community was under a heightened terror level.

In a reaction, the Jewish Forum  states:

"The Jewish community expressed its deep worry and pointed out that during the meeting with the minister that the government has the duty to provide for the security of citizens and that this should not become a plaything of a political controversy between the local and federal governments.

It was also pointed out again the need for personnel support in the buildings that must be protected. The upgrade in constant protection has been discussed with the government for years.

In light of the fact that  Jewish holidays take place in the month of September, the FJO insists on adequate protection." 

The minister and the Jewish Forum promised to meet again in October.


One Fine Day in London

Hat tip Jihad Watch 


Yes, it was just another day in London. A Jewish man in Jewish garb walking down the street minding his own business on August 20 when he is suddenly punched by the man in the photo below. The victim had to be taken to the hospital with head and foot injuries. You can watch the video of the incident at the below Twitter link (courtesy of Jihad Watch).

 https://twitter.com/i/status/1428763052632068097


The perp.

Of course, in Europe, the media and authorities have all kinds of code words to describe the perpetrator(s). In Germany, they refer to "southerners", you know, pot-bellied Bavarians in funny green hats and lederhosen. In Sweden, they would call them "youths" or "people from non-skiing countries"! In Italy, "people from outside the EU". And so it goes.

In this case, as in virtually every case in Europe, the perp(s) are people like the man pictured above who slugged the Jew on a  London street. It is Muslims who are attacking Jews. Why? Because they hate Jews. Why do they hate Jews? Because they are taught to hate Jews from the time they are children, by reading the Koran and by listening to their imams in the mosques.

This is why anti-Semitism has exploded in Europe. This is largely why anti-Semitism is on the march in the US with all the Palestinian-inspired anti-Israel agitation on our university campuses-which has metastasized into society at large.

And guess what. With the prospect of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Afghans about to arrive as refugees, the problem is about to get worse. The US and Europe, of course, have a moral obligation to rescue those Afghans who assisted us, but we need to be extra careful in screening them. If we just allow every Tom, Dick, and Harry to come in (There won't be many Marys), we will see more scenes like the above-and worse.

*Update-via RT: Of course, the BBC, in reporting the incident, mentioned the victim's Jewish garb but not the Muslim garb of the perp. Typical.

Monday, August 23, 2021

France Identifies 5 Suspected Taliban Members Among Refugees



"He reportedly also, 'largely aided in the evacuation of the French embassy,"

According to the French newspaper, Le Figaro, French authorities have already identified 5 Afghan refugees as being members of the Taliban. One even reportedly helped evacuate the French embassy in Kabul. They are already in France and under some sort of house arrest at some hotel(s). The below article from Le Figaro is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/un-afghan-rapatrie-en-france-soupconne-de-liens-avec-les-talibans-place-sous-surveillance-20210823

5 Afghans repatriated in France placed under surveillance due to their presumed connections with the Taliban

By Jean-Marc LeClerc and Steve Tenre

Posted 6 hours ago, updated 3 hours ago


Caption below photo: Evacuees from Kabul leaving an Airbus A400M, on August 23 at Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Bertrand Guay-Agence France Presse


One of the individuals admitted his belonging to the movement and acknowledged having carried weapons as person-in-charge of a Taliban roadblock at Kabul. 

Several repatriated Afghans in France have been placed under surveillance by French authorities, Le Figaro learned Monday, August 23. The cause: Their alleged closeness with the Taliban fundamentalist movement, which invaded Kabul August 15. Five men have thus, been made the object of an "individual measure of administrative control and surveillance (Micas)", stated the Minister of Interior Gerald Darmanin. 

The cases of two men brought to the attention of Le Figaro particularly drew the attention of the surveillance services: Nanggialay S., born in 1995 at Logar, some 100 kilometers from Kabul, and Ahmad M., born in 1991 in the Afghan capital. According to orders issued by the Interior Ministry, the first, Nangialay S., admitted his belonging to the Taliban and also acknowledged having carried arms as person-in-charge of a roadblock at Kabul. He reportedly also," largely aided in the evacuation of the French embassy," explained Gerald Darmanin to Agence France Presse. The second, Ahmad M., was seen in connection with the Islamic movement, carrying a weapon in the streets of the city.

The two individuals, for whom there "exists serious reasons to think that their behavior constitutes a threat of a particular gravity for the security and public order," have been integrated with the two other Afghan nations also "signaled for their connections with the Taliban movement," during a French repatriation operation taking place on 18 August. As of August 23, almost 2,000 persons have been taken in by France, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian. As for the 5th man, "After an investigation by DGSI, we saw that he had connections with these persons though they came separately," detailed Gerald Darmanin.

Those concerned, who must be "regarded as being in a habitual manner in contact with persons or organizations (who are) inciting, facilitating, or participating in acts of terrorism," have thus, been placed under individual measures of administrative control and surveillance.

Police checks and limited movements

In this context, Ahmad M., isolated 10 days in a hotel residence of a Paris suburb as provided by health measures, is required to present himself every day to the police, "who will go to his domicile to assure themselves of his presence." His movements will be limited to his municipality of residence- though he could ask for a written authorization to leave. A violation of these measures, in effect for three months, exposes the person to a maximum punishment of three months imprisonment and 45,000 euro fine.

As the law authorizes, the alleged terrorist, at the administrative level, has the possibility of "presenting written or oral observations within a maximum period of 8 days from the notification of the present decree". The oral observations will be formulated to the prefect of the competent department. In addition, the decree of Gerald Darmanin "could be the object of an appeal for excess of power before the competent administrative tribunal within a maximum period of 2 months from his notification."

Opposition reactions

The Interior is now required to surveil these individuals within the framework of the law. A lot of energy and resources will have to be deployed to avoid a new blunder in this matter, already heavily criticized by the leading opposition leaders. 

"The government must explain to the French people what would prevent the expulsion of these individuals in absolute urgency," Xavier Bertrand, right-wing candidate for the presidency, reacted on Twitter. "The law must be adapted to the needs of our security. Not the reverse." "The 'duty' of France to welcome takes second seat when the security of French people is threatened. This imperative makes sense except for....the government!" tweeted Marine Le Pen for her part (RN-Rassemblement National).

Tweet of Xavier Bertrand: "Five Afghans connected to the Taliban under administrative anti-terrorist surveillance. The government must explain to the French people what would prevent the expulsion of these individuals in absolute urgency. The law must adapt to the needs of our security. Not the reverse."


Belgian Police Warned About Extremists Among Refugees

Like the US and several countries in Western Europe, Belgium is also trying to evacuate people with Belgian passports and Afghans who assisted their own presence in Afghanistan. The Belgian police, however, are already concerned that among the refugees will be some violent extremists and Taliban supporters.

The below article is from the Dutch daily, De Telegraaf. It refers to a report by the Belgian Flemish newspaper, Het Nieuwsblad. The translation is by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/868362791/interne-mail-waarschuwt-belgische-politiediensten-komst-fundamentalisten-niet-uit-te-sluiten

Internal e-mail warns police services: "Arriving fundamentalists cannot be ruled out"

(Posted and updated this  date (August 23, 2021)

Brussels: There is fear among Belgian police that human smugglers, extremists, recruiters, and violent people will come among the Afghan refugees.  According to the Flemish newspaper, Het Nieuwsblad, that comes from an internal email to the police services.

The Belgian Minister for Internal Affairs, Annelies Verlinden, shares the fear according to the newspaper. The police reportedly sent out an urgent email with the message that they want to know what the "coming significant wave of refugees" will bring with them. The email is directed to the services that have supervision over the asylum-seeker centers. In the email, the police services were called upon to report "all facts on religious recruiting, extreme violence, and human smuggling" to a central email address.

According to Het Nieuwsblad, it may be concluded that a portion of the Afghans who are now in asylum centers do not have the best reputation. "Some of these young Afghans behave very violently. There are groups on Tiktok where the content incites violence. It is disturbing that some persons are doing Islamic religious recruiting and claim to be followers of a strict Islam which they dream will be introduced to Belgium."

A police source says that the asylum centers are clearly part of a much greater problem. "The people in asylum centers, they are under control. But the rest who remain here and there or on the street, we know hardly anything about. And that is not reassuring."

Earlier, the Belgian public prosecutor, Frederic Van Leeuw, stated that "the new regime in Afghanistan will not immediately be a new terror threat". According to him, "the Taliban will first focus on the local situation." However, he added, "A threat may emerge within 2 or 3 years." Van Leeuw also indicated that in Belgium, there are possibly some supporters of the new regime already present. 


Saturday, August 21, 2021

The New Afghan Government

 


White House Press Spokeswoman Jen Psaki refused to comment on reports that the Biden administration has a deep cover infiltrator within the Taliban government.

Friday, August 20, 2021

Sweden: Another Afghan Success Story

Hat tip Nya Riks. Translation by Fousesquawk.

Bearded children

As the West prepares for the next wave of young Afghan men in their 20s, we look once again to Sweden, which has been dealing with Afghan migrants for some time now. Not only do they have to deal with murders, rapes, arsons, and what-have-you, deportation back to Afghanistan is now all but impossible now that the country is under new management.

The conservative Swedish site, Nya Riks has a sarcastically worded article about a young Afghan guy who set fire to an asylum center in Sweden and has just been arrested in Germany. Now he will return to Sweden, be sentenced to a couple of years in jail, and be released back onto the streets of Sweden to commit more mayhem.  

The term "bearded children" refers to young migrant men from Afghanistan and other Muslim countries who claim to be underage-even if they sport beards. Unless the authorities can prove otherwise-often through physical examinations- these criminals have to be treated as children in the courts.

 https://www.nyariks.se/afghanen-sharif-heidari-eldade-migrantboende-tyskland-stanna-sverige/

Afghan Sharif Heidari set fire to migrant housing- Picked up in Germany and now gets to stay in Sweden the rest of his life.

SVT text doesn't mention that arsonist is migrant

by Anders Svensson

Caption beneath photo: Afghan Sharif Heidari now charged with arson: Screenshot-Nya Riks


The mentally-ill Afghan migrant, Sharif Heidari, who during 2017, set fire to the Asarum migrant housing in Karlshamn municipality, has been brought from Germany to Sweden for trial.

For some reason, prosecutor Malin Niklasson lifted the arrest on 16 June 2017, and Heidari then moved to Germany instead of using the special rules for small children from other countries who are completely alone and extradited to the adult world. In Sweden, this is called "bearded child legislation" and often means that adults from other counties are allowed to study and rape for several years because they are never deported since they vote for extreme left parties. The legislation that protects these so-called "bearded children" is constantly being expanded, and the latest is that the Migration Board has decided that murderers and gang-rapists from Afghanistan can not be deported on grounds of the security situation in their home country. No need for protection for the Swedish people has ever been identified in this context.

In an interview with SVT, prosecutor Hedvig Lundblad, who will handle the main proceedings, seems to be satisfied that Heidari has been brought from another country to then be guaranteed lifetime support by the Swedish taxpayers.

It is very unlikely that Sweden will resume deportations to Afghanistan as long as the Taliban is running the country. Thousands of rapists and other criminals from that country will thus, live on Swedish tax money for the rest of their lives. This is because Sweden does not deport people who have lived in the country more than ten years if they have not committed murder.

Swedish Television obscures that arsonist was migrant

SVT text on its site completely obscured that it concerns a migrant who set fire to his own residence.


Above: 115 SVT text Thursday 19 August 2021

Man arrested for fire 2017

A man in his 20s has been arrested for setting fire to an asylum residence in Asarum in Blekinge in June 2017.

The man was arrested shortly after admitting to the crime. But he never showed up for trial in March 2019. The (trial) was therefore canceled.

The man was arrested in Germany after the Blekinge District Court charged him in his absence.

German authorities contacted us and reported that he was arrested. So now the proceedings will be August 30, says prosecutor Hedvig Lundblad to SVT News, Blekinge.

Caption beneath screenshot: SVT text wants people to feel sorry for migrants and believe that "right-wing extremists" set fire to housing. Screenshot: Nya Riks

Nor does SVT News take care to point out that it was migrants themselves who set fire to the residence- instead, it appears in an interview with a defense lawyer. In the few cases in which a "right-wing extremist" is suspected, on the contrary, they take care to point that out. 

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Africa: Another Jihadist Massacre in Burkina Faso

Hat tip Sidwaya (Burkina Faso)

Yesterday, there was yet another terrorist attack in an African country, this time in Burkina Faso. In June, we reported on an earlier attack by ISIS-affiliated terrorists in that former French colony in West Africa. According to South African News-24, this attack is also being blamed on Islamic terrorists. The below news article from the Burkina Faso news site, Sidwaya (in French), is translated by Fousesquawk.

*Update 8-21-21. The death toll has now risen to 80 civilians and troops.  In addition, the death toll among the terrorists is also now listed as 80.

 https://www.sidwaya.info/blog/2021/08/19/attaque-dans-le-sahel-47-morts-et-58-terroristes-abattus/

Attack in the Sahel: 47 Dead and 58 Terrorists killed

by JK. Sidwaya 19 August 2021

A mixed convoy composed of civilians, elements of the defense and security forces, (FDS), and volunteers for the defense of the fatherland (VDP) was the target of a terrorist attack Wednesday (yesterday), 18 August 2021 at Gorgadji, in the Sahel region, according to the government. The same source also indicated that 47 persons lost their lives,  including 30 civilians, 14 elements of the FDS, and 3 from the VDP. 19 other persons were wounded in the attack, according to the (authorities). During the response, informed the government, the FDS and VDP killed 58 terrorists and wounded numerous others. The FDS and VDP were on an escort mission to Arbinda.





Afghanistan From a German Perspective

Hat tip Journalisten Watch. Translation by Fousesquawk.


"Oh, the women and children!"

The German website, Journalisten Watch has an interesting article on the Afghanistan collapse, and what the repercussions will be for Germany in terms of more refugees. This is a disaster not only for the US, but for our allies in Europe as well. Like us, they are scrambling to get their own civilians and Afghan co-workers out of the country, and like us, it is no easy task.

So now, Western Europe, still coping with Covid and still trying to deal with millions of mostly Muslim young males running around their countries, are now anticipating possibly millions of Afghans. How many will be true refugees, marked for death by the Taliban? How many will just be young male freeloaders? How many will be jihadists waiting to carry out a terror attack? How many Europeans will die at the hands of these coming "refugees"?  Austria, just to take one example, is still in shock over the kidnapping, drugging, gang rape, and murder of a 13-year-old girl, allegedly by 4 Afghans.

Here is something else to consider: Remember that scene at Kabul airport of hundreds of Afghans trying to climb onto a US military transport plane as it was departing? How many women and children did you see? It was almost all able-bodied young men.  Men who were leaving behind their women and children. That is the pattern you see all over Europe. It is almost all young men.

This should also be a lesson for our own government. But it won't be as Joe Biden is arranging for thousands, tens of thousands of Afghans to come to the US. I have no problem with saving the ones who collaborated with us. We have a moral duty to do that. But to open the floodgates to any and all Afghans will be a tragic mistake. One wonders which American city will soon have a section called, "Little Kabul", much like Minneapolis' "Little Mogadishu".

And we should not be fooled. Islam is on the march. 

 https://journalistenwatch.com/2021/08/18/triumph-taliban-je/

Triumph of the Taliban: The More Afghan refugees, the more Islamic sleeper terrorists

18 August 2021

The security-political consequences of the Taliban triumph are for Germany, perhaps graver than the refugee crisis in 2015, when the Merkel government, in oath-breaking irresponsibility, out of naive humanitarianism, flooded the country with millions of people, about whose intentions and background were, in the most cases, not known. Because the change of power in Kabul conjures up exactly the horror scenes that were fought there for 20 years and gives jihadists worldwide a tailwind.

After the terror attacks in New York, the West moved to Hindukush- under the motto "War on Terror", contradictory in itself because they were crooked and utopian words from the start. Germany, which under the then-Schröder government, negligently and hastily declared "unconditional solidarity" with the USA, made its contribution. Then the terror was fought; but in the last few years, in which Berlin negotiators dealt with the Taliban in Doha, even more so now after the foreseeable takeover of power, the important lesson from the RAF  (Red Army Faction) "You don't negotiate with terrorists" has become (obsolete). That yesterday, the political leader of the Taliban, Mullah Baradar, was flown to Afghanistan from exactly where Merkel's diplomats chatted diplomatically in air-conditioned luxury offices with the barbarians and where Germany will play in the World Cup next year, could not be more symbolic than the breaches of German morals and consistency.

Actually, the Taliban is now being made socially acceptable: The pseudo-pragmatism of a pathetic and spineless appeasement, which the despondent cowards of the West advise as conflict and confrontation readiness, will mean that the West will serve them just as it did with the Iranian mullahs. And even when Germany "suspends" its development aid payments (which flowed unchecked until last month, especially in the private box of the fleeing ex-president, Ashraf Ghani, who fled with 164 million dollars), one can assume that it will soon bubble up again. The Taliban has made a clever contribution to PR here, the generous promise to protect "women's rights" (in conformance with sharia, you understand) and suddenly under the eyes of the public, make themselves harmless. With the softened political amateurs, something like that resonates.

"Dialogue readiness" with the Taliban as with the Mullahs

This is entirely in the interest of the Holy Warriors, who, due to their own inability, are now using it as an argument to remain "dialogue ready". Because the de-facto hostages, among whom, are still hundreds of German and Afghan ex-Bundeswehr (German army) local forces, as well as diplomats and co-workers of aid organizations stuck in Afghanistan, and in addition, the Taliban also got a huge weapon arsenal free of charge, and have an ideal negotiating position.

In addition: In the future Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Stone Age warriors also have learned since 2001: They don't need open confrontation anymore, rather, thanks to the suicidal naivete of the West, they have long since placed their 5th column in the Western kuffar states, more effective than any military success or any secret intelligence infiltration would have allowed.  Just in Germany, over half a million Afghans are living, a large number of whom are "Merkel guests" for the last 5-6 years. Nobody knows how many of them are submarines in connection with the Taliban or other extremist Islamist groups.

It is their characteristic that these sleepers stay inconspicuous for years, and then can be activated when necessary. And now, with the recent fall of the country, nobody can say how many of the Afghans reaching Germany are terrorist time bombs. This is not about prejudice or general suspicion, rather about a fully objective and sober consideration of the facts, which touches on our direct security interests. The day before yesterday, Interior Minister Seehofer counted about 5 million possible refugees, but even if it is only a tenth of that, this is sufficient to be the final straw for Germany, not only for integration and migration policy, but to become an Islamic high-risk area with 365-day critical terror incident (alert status).

Code Red alarm for internal security of Germany

Even under the assumption that only one in a thousand of those taken in is a Taliban danger, this would mean alarm code red for our internal security. The actual number could clearly be higher- especially (since) the Taliban obviously will send their people among the asylum-seekers to the West who can be turned on and off. Mohammed and company send greetings.

This assessment was recognized by realists worldwide and followed with concern- not, however, naturally, by German policy, which has not only shown the world that they are at the top in their insane and no-upper-limits acceptance of the refugee movement, but also in their production- as was proven in Afghanistan, where a totally failed foreign and security policy reliably helped prepare the next exodus. 

 Colin Clarke from the US think tank Soufan Center in New York points out that the victory of the Taliban will give the jihadists "an enormous boost". "They now believe that the foreign powers can be driven out, even a great power like the USA," the political scientist told N-TV. Clarke anticipates that Islamists will exploit the example of Afghanistan in their propaganda, especially before the approaching 20th anniversary of the attacks of 11 September in New York. "That will strengthen the morale of the jihadists from North Africa to Southeast Asia," says Clarke. And naturally, here in Germany. With every major Afghan (community) according to the number of people who will be accepted here, the acceptance of sharia and jihad also grows more here. And with some "luck", the fight for the next Caliphate will soon be carried out on our streets. The Merkel government has done great work. (DM)

 

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

State Dept. Spokesman Calls on Taliban to Be "Inclusive"


Ned Price


Just a few days ago. we featured State Department spokesman, Ned Price, in true State Department fashion, citing a meeting the US had attended in Qatar in which the participating countries stated loud and clear and "with one voice that a military takeover in Afghanistan would be unacceptable".

Well, now Mr Price, in true State Department fashion, has called on the Taliban to form an inclusive government with lots of women. 

"Price cited a United Nations declaration calling for "an immediate cessation of all hostilities and the establishment, through inclusive negotiations, of a new government that is united, inclusive and representative – including with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women."

 https://news.yahoo.com/state-department-calls-taliban-women-202534014.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

Isn't the world laughing at us enough? I  guess the next thing we will hear from Price is that the Taliban must commit itself to fighting climate change. No doubt, they will establish a cabinet-level Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity.  And I certainly hope they will make good use of that rainbow flag they have no doubt by now seized from the American embassy flagpole.

As I have said many times, based on my ten+ years of dealing with the State Department in my overseas work with DEA, even under the best administrations, the State Department is a world onto itself. If you've been watching White House Press Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, she got her start as State Department spokesperson under Obama.

Someone should remind Mr Price that while he is worried about Taliban inclusivity, there are by some reports, some 10,000+ Americans still unevacuated from Afghanistan.

Monday, August 16, 2021

Biden's Speech to the Nation

 Joe Biden's 20-minute address to the nation in front of a gaggle of reporters at the White House was vintage Biden. He was defiant, and he blamed everybody but himself for the fiasco in Afghanistan. He blamed Trump, and he excoriated the Afghans. At the same time, he stood firm that America had to get out of Afghanistan.

I do not condemn Biden for ordering an end to American involvement in the war in Afghanistan. He is right that Americans should not have to fight and die if the Afghans were not willing to fight. (To be fair, tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers have, in fact, died.) 

It was the manner in which Biden brought everything to a halt that has led to the tragic chaos we saw unfolding at the Kabul airport, not to mention the sudden fall of one provincial capital after another and ultimately, Kabul itself. In addition, it has left our European partners scrambling to get their own civilians and Afghan collaborators out of the country. Whether we will get all of our Afghan partners out is still a question. How this final act will play out at the airport is anybody's guess.

But there was Old Joe refusing to take any blame (or questions from the press, who had plenty), but still ending his speech by stating that "the buck stops here".

What??!!

I watched the speech on ABC, and afterward, there were few words of praise for the way in which the administration has handled this. (That's a stunner in itself. It's virtually the first time I have heard Biden as president being criticized by the mainstream media.) Over at MSNBC, however, Lyin' Brian Williams gave Biden rave reviews for "owning it". Meanwhile, the European press is crucifying Biden.

For one thing, this represents a colossal failure of our intelligence services. They had assured Biden that the Afghans would fight on even after we left. It is painfully clear that this withdrawal, justified or not, was poorly planned.  This is not just on Biden; it is also on the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As with everyone else Biden has appointed, they have proved to be incompetents. This is not to criticize the troops who bravely fought and died in Afghanistan over 20 years. As always, they performed admirably. They were not defeated on the battlefield. As is usually the case, they have been betrayed by their political leaders in Washington.

In almost 50 years in Washington, Joe Biden has never been on the right side of anything. Nonetheless, he has never admitted being wrong about anything. He has always been a loudmouth, empty suit who thinks he's the smartest guy in the room. He never was, and now to compound things, he is going senile. His presidency thus far, has been a complete disaster. I don't know how any presidential biographers are going to be able to clean this up. Maybe Brian Williams can write his bio after it's all over.

Afghanistan: The Perfect Vacation Spot





There's an old saying: "You can't fix stupid". So it is with a Swedish family of five that was taking that dream vacation in Afghanistan when the bottom fell out. No, their timeshare didn't go bankrupt; the Taliban came smokin' into town. So now, our intrepid travelers are stuck in Kabul, and the Swedish embassy can't help!

The below article from Nyheter Idag is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://nyheteridag.se/familj-akte-pa-semester-till-afghanistan-sitter-fast-i-kabul-kanner-oss-ganska-overgivna/

Family went to Afghanistan for vacation-stuck in Kabul: "We feel completely abandoned"

Kabul: Swedish personnel are now being evacuated from Afghanistan due to the Taliban's conquest of the country. But there are still Swedish private persons remaining in the country, like Robina Ansary. She finds herself on vacation in Afghanistan together with her husband and her three children, and now they can't get home, Aftonbladet reports.

"We don't know if the airport will be open or how it will be now that the Taliban has taken over. Even the prime minister has left the country. So we feel completely abandoned," says Robina Ansary to Aftonbladet.

The family had planned the trip for several months and was to return home August 26. Now they are stuck in Kabul where the Taliban has taken over and they don't dare go out to get food, Robina tells Aftonbladet.

"The Taliban go around on the streets and you hear gunfire. We women cannot go out from home. My husband has been out and has seen the Taliban. But he doesn't dare go out now," she says to Aftonbladet.

Robina has contacted Swedish authorities to get help without result.

"The embassy says in an email that they have warned people not to come to Afghanistan since 2006, and since August 5, they would be leaving here. Unfortunately, we have not been able to do that. We didn't think that the situation would become as serious as it has now become," she says to Aftonbladet.

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Fousesquawk comment: Have you tried the American embassy?