Chaos as thousands flee Afghanistan after Taliban takeover

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By AHMAD SEIR, RAHIM FAIEZ, KATHY GANNON AND JOSEPH KRAUSS

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Thousands of people packed into the Afghan capital’s airport on Monday, rushing the tarmac and pushing onto planes in desperate attempts to flee the country after the Taliban overthrew the Western-backed government. U.S. troops fired warning shots as they struggled to manage the chaotic evacuation.

The Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, bringing a stunning end to a two-decade campaign in which the U.S. and its allies had tried to transform Afghanistan. The country’s Western-trained security forces collapsed or fled in the face of an insurgent offensive that tore through the country in just over a week, ahead of the planned withdrawal of the last American troops at the end of the month.

In the capital, a tense calm set in, with most people hiding in their homes as the Taliban deployed fighters at major intersections. There were scattered reports of looting and armed men knocking on doors and gates, and there was less traffic than usual on eerily quiet streets. Fighters could be seen searching vehicles at one of the city’s main squares.

Many fear chaos, after the Taliban freed thousands of prisoners and the police simply melted away, or a return to the kind of brutal rule the Taliban imposed when it was last in power. They raced to Kabul’s international airport, where the “civilian side” was closed until further notice, according to Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority. The military was put in control of the airspace.



Taliban fighters patrol inside the city of Kandahar, southwest Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Sidiqullah Khan)

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/evacuations-taliban-784681c4400b097cf73b93cec34c5c61

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Watching Morning Joe

The withdrawal is not getting good marks for planning and execution. "Abrupt" seems apropos. Biden is taking heat for 20 years of failed policy, even though it was a Trump & Pompeo initiative a little over a year ago.

[bearsfootball516]

2. Yeah, I'd be surprised if his approval doesn't drop.

Someone on Twitter said it best. Biden ate the shit sandwich that's been sitting there, waiting to be eaten, for 18 years. Bush, Obama and Trump all passed the buck on it because they knew the optics were going to be bad. Biden had the courage to just do it, even though he knew it was gonna hurt short term, because it's what's best long term.

[BonnieJW]

3. Very bad optics

I wish he could have waited until his next term. Like Obama did for the marriage equality act. This is going to hang around his neck wherever he goes

[Tommymac]

5. Bull Crap. President Joe did the RIGHT thing and that always plays well in the end.

The albatross is going to hang on TFG's neck FOR SURE.

Just look at what he and the rethugs are trying to scrape unsuccessfully off the internet now.

Just look at what International leaders such as the Brit's are saying.

The turmoil is to be expected in ANY Civil War.

It's the right wing press and their enablers stirring the pot with defeatist memes.

[Achilles Skye]

4. Sabotaged?!

[hamsterjill]

6. Dems need to get on point with the messaging.

Radio silence does not work. Biden needs to speak. He needs to explain things to the American people. He does that well.

He needs to talk about getting our people out and address the interpreters, etc.

[FBaggins]

7. Of course... but what's the message?

No idea here.

[hamsterjill]

8. That Trump sold out the USA.

n/t

[former9thward]

9. How come Democrats didn't attack the deal when it was made?

If it was a sell out you would have thought Biden would have criticized it. He agreed with it and only adjusted the time table by a few months.

[hamsterjill]

12. Does it matter?

I’m saying we need a counter message. So far…radio silence. I’m anxious to watch Joe’s address this afternoon

[FBaggins]

10. Can't see how that sells

"Well, gee... I figured that Trump fella knew what he was doing. So I just went along" ?

[hamsterjill]

13. Is not the guy who is shown in the Afghan Presidential Suite

The one that Trump got out of prison? Perhaps I’m mistaken?

Oh well. It’s the messaging that we need.

[FBaggins]

15. Don't know, but Trump certainly didn't get him out last week

It might be different if the President had responded to the Saigon question a month ago with "That could very well happen. Trump really screwed things up over there and things could fall apart quickly once we leave if the Afghan army isn't up to the task. But it's time for us to go"

[hamsterjill]

16. Perspective noted.

[Polybius]

11. Better than staying there

Biden could have ignored the deal and stayed, but he didn't because it's time to pull out.

[hamsterjill]

14. Agreed.

But the exit has this far been a calamity. Narrative needs to be changed, and that is done by Democrats speaking out.

I’ll be watching Joe this afternoon and I’m glad he will address the nation.