US airstrikes pound Taliban positions as militants threaten key cities in Afghanistan

[Omaha Steve]

Source: CNN

By Nick Paton Walsh and Tim Lister,

(CNN)The United States has ramped up airstrikes against the Taliban in a bid to turn back the militants' advances on a number of key provincial capitals in Afghanistan, a senior Afghan security official said Monday.

Over the past 72 hours, US airstrikes have targeted Taliban positions around the cities of Herat, Kandahar and Lashkar Gah, the official said.

"They strike multiple times when the Taliban try to enter the city," the official said, adding that the three cities were considered "endangered" by Taliban advances.

American officials have recently confirmed that US airstrikes are active in Afghanistan again, yet declined to provide details of the targets.


Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/02/asia/afghanistan-us-airstrikes-taliban-intl/index.html

[NH Ethylene]

1. That doesn't sound like we are pulling out. n/t

[Polybius]

2. Gotta get our last licks in I suppose

n/t

[brooklynite]

4. Or maybe we're trying to protect what remains of Afghan liberty from religious fundamentalists.

[Polybius]

8. Perhaps, but it's pointless

Once we're out, I expect it to go full Taliban.

[oldsoftie]

11. Which is why its a good idea to continue providing air support

Its pretty low risk to our forces & air support could be the difference in having SOME stability. We dont need thousands of troops and it wouldnt costs hundreds of billions

[oldsoftie]

3. A few C130 gunships should be able to hold off a few 1000 taliban

A gunship could rain fire down on them for some time & wipe out a TON of them.
If they know these aircraft are going to respond to major attacks, they MIGHT start to think twice

[maxsolomon]

10. or change tactics to resume bombings and suicide attacks.

they are pretty much engaging in traditional warfare now. it makes them more vulnerable.

[oldsoftie]

12. But they cant take territory with suicide attacks.

And i dont think they ever really stopped the bombings. I just hate to see the country revert right back to where it was in 2000. I think providing air support not only gives the Taliban pause, but also could provide MUCH needed morale to the Government forces. And that can have a positive effect on their performance

[Steelrolled]

13. "they are pretty much engaging in traditional warfare now"

That was my thought at well. I think the US military saw what was going on, and were licking their chops and wanted to get is some final shots. It might be a little soothing.

If the Taliban were a little smarter, would just wait until the Americans are good and gone - but human nature dictates otherwise.

[Slammer]

5. Promises

So far we've evacuated 200 of the estimated 71,000 Afghan interpreters and their families from Afghanistan who we've promised to get out of the country (according to MSNBC and the number not updated by any who might have gotten out yesterday).

The administration has said they'll be flown out on commercial flights out of Kabul's airport. It averages 9 commercial flights a day out of the country and judging by the size of the airport, I doubt if any of the airplanes flying out of it seats over 150 people. In addition, two of the airlines are owned by countries which aren't friendly to the US and the interpreters wouldn't be safe traveling on them.

When we pulled our troops out, we abandoned the interpreters in place wherever they happened to be (and regardless of whether they happened to be near their families). The administration's position is that it is the interpreters' responsibility to collect their families and make their own way to Kabul.

On May 1st the Taliban controlled 73 districts, the government controlled 115 and the others were contested. Today, the Taliban controls 223 districts, the government controls 68, and the others are contested. It's on the verge of taking 17 of the 34 provincial capitals, has set up roadblocks on most of the roads in the country, and is executing interpreters when they're caught.

I don't think the administration wants to bomb things but having mass executions of US allies on video isn't a great legacy either.

[Slammer]

6. Correction

Correction: executing the interpreters and the men, women, and children of the interpreter's family plus anyone who appears to be helping the interpreter to escape.

I didn't mean to imply that the Taliban was limiting the scope of their vengeance fantasies in any manner.

[paleotn]

7. Sounds like 1972

Operations Linebacker and Linebacker II. Of course, the Taliban isn't filling the air with SAMs.

[maxsolomon]

9. The Afghan Govt is likely requesting help.

The Taliban should not be handed the keys to the cities. Fuck the Taliban.