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JoanofArgh
JoanofArgh's Journal
JoanofArgh's Journal
August 17, 2021
Looks like EVERYBODY'S getting vaccine booster shots! Breaking from WaPo
The Biden administration is planning to announce that all Americans who have received the coronavirus vaccine will need booster shots to combat waning immunity from the immunizations and the highly transmissible delta variant that is sparking a surge in covid-19 cases throughout the nation, according to four people familiar with the decision.
The administration’s health and science experts are coalescing around the view that people will need the boosters eight months after they are fully vaccinated, according to the people who requested anonymity to discuss a decision not yet public. The decision is likely to be announced as soon as this week.
The actual administration of the boosters would not occur until mid- or late September, after Pfizer’s application for additional shots for the general public is cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, the individuals said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/08/16/booster-shot-coronavirus/
August 16, 2021
https://twitter.com/NickKnudsenUS/status/1427390450483089408?s=20
Lake Mead - the nation’s largest reservoir - is at only 40% capacity, triggering a declaration of water shortage for the first time ever.
Arizona will lose 18% of its annual water apportionment and Nevada will lose 7%.
Lake Mead -the nation's largest water reservoir - is only at 40% capacity
https://twitter.com/NickKnudsenUS/status/1427390450483089408?s=20
Lake Mead - the nation’s largest reservoir - is at only 40% capacity, triggering a declaration of water shortage for the first time ever.
Arizona will lose 18% of its annual water apportionment and Nevada will lose 7%.
August 16, 2021
Some in the military are speaking out, blaming Biden. Anonymously , of course.
Trumpers have been calling for Gen. Milley to resign. Probably him.
https://twitter.com/idreesali114/status/1427345899152453636?s=20
Nearly a half dozen U.S. officials (across the administration) tell Reuters that there is increasing frustration and even anger with the way Biden has handled the evacuation from Kabul, saying his White House wasted too much time in the months leading up to last week.
Officials say the military for weeks had been telling the White House that they were ready to do more, in terms of basing and flights from evacuating Afghans, but a decision didn't come until it was too late.
Officials tell Reuters that an address from Biden today, well after the Taliban military advances began, is far too late. They added that some of the defenses given by the White House, including NSA Sullivan earlier today, are baffling.
https://twitter.com/arianapekary/status/1427350548341198850?s=20
August 16, 2021
1/The collapse of the Government in Afghanistan this past week was so swift and complete - it was disorienting and difficult to comprehend.
This is how the events seemed to proceed from my perspective as Central Bank Governor.
2/Although much of the rural areas fell to the Taliban over the past few months, the first provincial capital to fall was just 1 week and two days ago!
On Friday August 6th, Ziranj fell. Over the next 6 days, a number of other provinces fell - particularly in the north.
3/There were multiple rumors that directions to not fight were somehow coming from above.
This has been repeated by Atta Noor and Ismael Khan.
Seems difficult to believe, but there remains a suspicion as to why ANSF left posts so quickly. There is something left unexplained
4/Currency volatility and other indicators had worsened, but DAB were able to stabilize the macroeconomic environment relatively well during the last week - given the deteriorating security environment.
Then came last Thursday
5/I attended my normal meetings. Ghazni fell in the morning.
I left work, and by the time I went home - Herat, Kandahar, and Baghdis also fell. Helmand was also under serious attack
6/Friday - we received a call that given the deteriorating environment, we wouldn’t get any more dollar shipments.
People spread rumors that I had fled on Friday.
On Saturday, DAB had to supply less currency to the markets on Saturday, which further increased panic.
7/Currency spiked from a stable 81 to almost 100 then back to 86. I held meetings on Saturday to reassure banks and money exchangers to calm them down. I can’t believe that was one day before Kabul fell
8/On Saturday night, my family called to say that most government had already left. I was dumbfounded.
A security assessment accurately forecast Taliban arrival to Kabul within 36 hours and its fall within 56 hours
I got worried & purchased tickets for Monday as a precaution
9/On Sunday I began work. Reports throughout morning were increasingly worrisome. I left the bank and left deputies in charge. Felt terrible about leaving staff.
But arrived at airport & saw that Mohaqeq, Rahmani, Massoud, etc were already there! Head of parliament seems content
10/Saw VP Danish leaving - reportedly for Qatar. By then it was rumored that VP Saleh had left.
Ministers + others were waiting for a Fly Dubai & Emirates flights. Both were cancelled
I secured a Kam Air flight Sunday 7pm. Then the floor fell: the President had already left
11/I knew right then my flight would be cancelled and there would be chaos.
As expected employees & military left posts. Everyone ran through gates to on Kam Air flight. 300+ passengers boarded for a 100-seat plane.
The plane had no fuel or pilot. We all hoped it would depart
12/However, I decided to disembark and spotted another military plane. It was surrounded by people trying to board, while the guard forces held people back and boarded their embassy staff.
There was a rush. Some shots were fired. Somehow, my close colleagues pushed me on board.
13/It did not have to end this way. I am disgusted by the lack of any planning by Afghan leadership. Saw at airport them leave without informing others.
I asked the palace if there was an evacuation plan/charter flights. After 7 years of service, I was met with silence
14/During last days, I feared not only risks related to Taliban, but fear of transition period once there is no chain of command.
Once president’s departure was announced, I knew within minutes chaos would follow. I cannot forgive him for creating that without a transition plan
15/ I did not criticize them until now, but key figures Fazly & Mohib were too inexperienced in their roles, & was President’s failure that he never recognized such weaknesses.
He himself had great ideas but poor execution. If I contributed to that, I take my share of the blame.
And this. I will be trying to support any requests for assistance, but worry that given my personal experience at airport that any support for friends and colleagues be limited
Did I have a reason to worry? This is the text someone sent me:
“Taliban come to and were looking for you. They were asking about Ajmal Ahmady DAB Governor.”
Whatever their personal views, I also had many personal enemies. Or maybe they just wanted to greet me
Interesting Twitter thread from Ajmal Ahmady, Central Bank Governor of Afghanistan
https://twitter.com/aahmady/status/1427265049668636674?s=201/The collapse of the Government in Afghanistan this past week was so swift and complete - it was disorienting and difficult to comprehend.
This is how the events seemed to proceed from my perspective as Central Bank Governor.
2/Although much of the rural areas fell to the Taliban over the past few months, the first provincial capital to fall was just 1 week and two days ago!
On Friday August 6th, Ziranj fell. Over the next 6 days, a number of other provinces fell - particularly in the north.
3/There were multiple rumors that directions to not fight were somehow coming from above.
This has been repeated by Atta Noor and Ismael Khan.
Seems difficult to believe, but there remains a suspicion as to why ANSF left posts so quickly. There is something left unexplained
4/Currency volatility and other indicators had worsened, but DAB were able to stabilize the macroeconomic environment relatively well during the last week - given the deteriorating security environment.
Then came last Thursday
5/I attended my normal meetings. Ghazni fell in the morning.
I left work, and by the time I went home - Herat, Kandahar, and Baghdis also fell. Helmand was also under serious attack
6/Friday - we received a call that given the deteriorating environment, we wouldn’t get any more dollar shipments.
People spread rumors that I had fled on Friday.
On Saturday, DAB had to supply less currency to the markets on Saturday, which further increased panic.
7/Currency spiked from a stable 81 to almost 100 then back to 86. I held meetings on Saturday to reassure banks and money exchangers to calm them down. I can’t believe that was one day before Kabul fell
8/On Saturday night, my family called to say that most government had already left. I was dumbfounded.
A security assessment accurately forecast Taliban arrival to Kabul within 36 hours and its fall within 56 hours
I got worried & purchased tickets for Monday as a precaution
9/On Sunday I began work. Reports throughout morning were increasingly worrisome. I left the bank and left deputies in charge. Felt terrible about leaving staff.
But arrived at airport & saw that Mohaqeq, Rahmani, Massoud, etc were already there! Head of parliament seems content
10/Saw VP Danish leaving - reportedly for Qatar. By then it was rumored that VP Saleh had left.
Ministers + others were waiting for a Fly Dubai & Emirates flights. Both were cancelled
I secured a Kam Air flight Sunday 7pm. Then the floor fell: the President had already left
11/I knew right then my flight would be cancelled and there would be chaos.
As expected employees & military left posts. Everyone ran through gates to on Kam Air flight. 300+ passengers boarded for a 100-seat plane.
The plane had no fuel or pilot. We all hoped it would depart
12/However, I decided to disembark and spotted another military plane. It was surrounded by people trying to board, while the guard forces held people back and boarded their embassy staff.
There was a rush. Some shots were fired. Somehow, my close colleagues pushed me on board.
13/It did not have to end this way. I am disgusted by the lack of any planning by Afghan leadership. Saw at airport them leave without informing others.
I asked the palace if there was an evacuation plan/charter flights. After 7 years of service, I was met with silence
14/During last days, I feared not only risks related to Taliban, but fear of transition period once there is no chain of command.
Once president’s departure was announced, I knew within minutes chaos would follow. I cannot forgive him for creating that without a transition plan
15/ I did not criticize them until now, but key figures Fazly & Mohib were too inexperienced in their roles, & was President’s failure that he never recognized such weaknesses.
He himself had great ideas but poor execution. If I contributed to that, I take my share of the blame.
And this. I will be trying to support any requests for assistance, but worry that given my personal experience at airport that any support for friends and colleagues be limited
Did I have a reason to worry? This is the text someone sent me:
“Taliban come to and were looking for you. They were asking about Ajmal Ahmady DAB Governor.”
Whatever their personal views, I also had many personal enemies. Or maybe they just wanted to greet me
August 15, 2021
We must focus on saving lives in Afghanistan. As the US works to evacuate those at special risk from the Taliban, I am grateful to Albania, Canada, Kosovo and North Macedonia for offering refuge to Afghan allies, esp women & civil society leaders. I hope & expect others to follow
"We must focus on saving lives in Afghanistan " Madeline Albright
https://twitter.com/madeleine/status/1426927201803440131?s=21We must focus on saving lives in Afghanistan. As the US works to evacuate those at special risk from the Taliban, I am grateful to Albania, Canada, Kosovo and North Macedonia for offering refuge to Afghan allies, esp women & civil society leaders. I hope & expect others to follow
August 14, 2021
WASHINGTON — With a stockpile of at least 100 million doses at the ready, Biden administration officials are developing a plan to start offering coronavirus booster shots to some Americans as early as this fall even as researchers continue to hotly debate whether extra shots are needed, according to people familiar with the effort.
The first boosters are likely to go to nursing home residents and health care workers, followed by other older people who were near the front of the line when vaccinations began late last year. Officials envision giving people the same vaccine they originally received. They have discussed starting the effort in October but have not settled on a timetable.
While many outside experts argue there is no proof yet that the vaccines’ protection against severe disease and hospitalization is waning in the United States, administration officials say they cannot afford to put off figuring out the logistics of providing boosters to millions of people until that tipping point is reached. The spotty nature of the nation’s disease-reporting network makes the question of timing even trickier.
Among other indicators, officials say, the administration is carefully watching Israel, where some data suggests an uptick in severe disease among older adults who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine early in that nation’s campaign, according to people who have reviewed it. Some officials are concerned that even if a decline in protection merely results in mild or asymptomatic infections, those infected people could still spread the virus and prolong the pandemic.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/14/us/covid-vaccine-third-shot-booster.html
Booster shots are coming for nursing home residents, healthcare workers, seniors this fall
Biden Administration Plans for Vaccine Boosters, Perhaps by FallWASHINGTON — With a stockpile of at least 100 million doses at the ready, Biden administration officials are developing a plan to start offering coronavirus booster shots to some Americans as early as this fall even as researchers continue to hotly debate whether extra shots are needed, according to people familiar with the effort.
The first boosters are likely to go to nursing home residents and health care workers, followed by other older people who were near the front of the line when vaccinations began late last year. Officials envision giving people the same vaccine they originally received. They have discussed starting the effort in October but have not settled on a timetable.
While many outside experts argue there is no proof yet that the vaccines’ protection against severe disease and hospitalization is waning in the United States, administration officials say they cannot afford to put off figuring out the logistics of providing boosters to millions of people until that tipping point is reached. The spotty nature of the nation’s disease-reporting network makes the question of timing even trickier.
Among other indicators, officials say, the administration is carefully watching Israel, where some data suggests an uptick in severe disease among older adults who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine early in that nation’s campaign, according to people who have reviewed it. Some officials are concerned that even if a decline in protection merely results in mild or asymptomatic infections, those infected people could still spread the virus and prolong the pandemic.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/14/us/covid-vaccine-third-shot-booster.html
August 14, 2021
NEW: Border Protection officers in Memphis stopped a HUGE shipment of fake COVID vaccine cards heading to New Orleans, from China. @wdsu
MORE: Memphis border protection officers said the cards had 'typos, unfinished words & misspelled some of the Spanish verbiage on the back.' Officers also said the package was imported by a non-CDC or medical entity & this was not the first time they had seen this shipper. @wdsu
MORE: From Memphis border protection officers: "The recipients of this ubiquitous contraband are unfortunately all over the United States. This fiscal year to date, Memphis has made 121 seizures totaling 3,017 of these vaccination cards." @wdsu
MORE from Michael Neipert, Area Port Director of Memphis: "These vaccinations are free & available everywhere. If you do not wish to receive a vaccine, that is your decision. But don’t order a counterfeit, waste my officer’s time, break the law & misrepresent yourself." @wdsu
Border Protection Officers/ Memphis stopped a huge shipment fake vaccine cards
https://twitter.com/cwatkinswdsu/status/1426261946773483525?s=21NEW: Border Protection officers in Memphis stopped a HUGE shipment of fake COVID vaccine cards heading to New Orleans, from China. @wdsu
MORE: Memphis border protection officers said the cards had 'typos, unfinished words & misspelled some of the Spanish verbiage on the back.' Officers also said the package was imported by a non-CDC or medical entity & this was not the first time they had seen this shipper. @wdsu
MORE: From Memphis border protection officers: "The recipients of this ubiquitous contraband are unfortunately all over the United States. This fiscal year to date, Memphis has made 121 seizures totaling 3,017 of these vaccination cards." @wdsu
MORE from Michael Neipert, Area Port Director of Memphis: "These vaccinations are free & available everywhere. If you do not wish to receive a vaccine, that is your decision. But don’t order a counterfeit, waste my officer’s time, break the law & misrepresent yourself." @wdsu
August 14, 2021
And Scottsdale , AZ
https://twitter.com/steve_irvin/status/1426319248591261700?s=21
After just 2nd day of school, 440 students quarantined in Palm Beach County
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1426151557897224192?s=21And Scottsdale , AZ
https://twitter.com/steve_irvin/status/1426319248591261700?s=21
August 13, 2021
Fox News just reported that 63 people tested positive at Obama's birthday party
I googled it and found this from the Daily Mail: A total of 63 people on Martha's Vineyard have tested positive for Covid- 19 since former President Barack Obama's 60th birthday extravaganza last Saturday, more than any week since April.
However, health officials note it's still too early to know whether the hundreds of guests and workers gathered for his weekend of maskless parties have contributed to the surge in cases.
'At this time we're not aware of any cases connected to the Obama party,' Tisbury health agent and boards of health spokesperson Maura Valley told DailyMail.com. 'It's a little too early and the only way we're going to know is through comprehensive contact tracing.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9891873/63-people-Marthas-Vineyard-tested-positive-Covid-Obamas-60th-birthday-bash.html
They need to be sued. I assume there were a lot of people at their summer homes that weekend.
August 13, 2021
US policy in Afghanistan has been 20 yrs of bad decisions & bad execution in the face of an insoluble challenge. Our local allies were very flawed, our enemy was resolute & the last 3 US presidents have wanted out & knew what's happening now would happen. But sure, it's on Biden.
The original sin and greatest blame goes to George W. Bush who got us involved in a protracted mission when the only right mission was to go in, get Al Qaeda & leave. That was compounded by the catastrophic decision to enter Iraq--an enormous distraction.
Obama and Trump compounded the problem by failing to find a way to exit. Why didn't they? Because their advisors knew that the center (the Afghan gov't and forces) couldn't hold and that ultimately collapse would follow the exit. Those advisors were right.
Those who recommended staying indefinitely did so in the full knowledge that 20 years of massive expense and effort could not produce a stable central government or a secure Afghanistan. There is zero evidence any outside force ever could do that. None ever has.
There are profound human rights issues--particularly women's rights issues--that should be of great concern and a priority for the international community. But the answer is not a costly U.S. & allied military Band-Aid.
The military is not the only tool in what Madeleine Albright would call our diplomatic toolbox. Moreover it is one that has proven wholly ineffective to produce lasting change in Afghanistan. We must shift to other tools--at the top of the list being multilateral diplomacy.
Bringing together all the major powers with a stake in Afghanistan and institutions to communicate to the effective leaders of the country that if they respect the rights of women they will benefit and if they do not they will be severely penalized.
Letting them know that they will be subject to military strikes if they harbor terrorists is also fair. The notion that the only path is continuing to do what hasn't worked to date is ridiculous. And the costs & pitfalls of alternative paths aren't worse than what hasn't worked.
Some suggest that Biden could have planned this better. First, Bush, Obama and Trump could have and should have planned and executed this better. Next, there is plenty to suggest that whenever the US decided to leave, what is happening would happen.
The Taliban want to embarrass us and claim victory. They have known all along they would not get much resistance in most of the country from the central government. This was so predictable everyone predicted it--and no one, no one offered a viable alternative solution.
Only one president has had the courage to do the right thing in Afghanistan. It is the same man who advised we do this in 2009 when he was Vice President. It takes courage because he knows that he will receive the critiques his opponents are heaping on him now
But doing the right thing even when it is likely to be politically controversial and even when it reveals uncomfortable realities is what strong leadership is about.
Biden & his team have already committed to using other means to advance US interests in Afghanistan-as we should have done long, long ago. It's fascinating that so many who opposed nation building, who do not believe the US should be the world's sheriff are now criticizing Biden.
America's war in Afghanistan will rank alongside Vietnam as one of our great modern failures of strategy and execution. Many are to blame for that. Whatever arguments might be made that the US departure could have been better executed, one thing is absolutely clear.
The bulk of the responsibility for that failure lies with past administrations and with the leadership in Kabul (and to some extent with Taliban enablers beyond the country's borders). Biden is doing what is right and what must be done. It is time to turn the page.
David Rothkopf: US policy in Afghanistan has been 20 yrs of bad decisions & bad execution
https://twitter.com/djrothkopf/status/1426164809804959748?s=20US policy in Afghanistan has been 20 yrs of bad decisions & bad execution in the face of an insoluble challenge. Our local allies were very flawed, our enemy was resolute & the last 3 US presidents have wanted out & knew what's happening now would happen. But sure, it's on Biden.
The original sin and greatest blame goes to George W. Bush who got us involved in a protracted mission when the only right mission was to go in, get Al Qaeda & leave. That was compounded by the catastrophic decision to enter Iraq--an enormous distraction.
Obama and Trump compounded the problem by failing to find a way to exit. Why didn't they? Because their advisors knew that the center (the Afghan gov't and forces) couldn't hold and that ultimately collapse would follow the exit. Those advisors were right.
Those who recommended staying indefinitely did so in the full knowledge that 20 years of massive expense and effort could not produce a stable central government or a secure Afghanistan. There is zero evidence any outside force ever could do that. None ever has.
There are profound human rights issues--particularly women's rights issues--that should be of great concern and a priority for the international community. But the answer is not a costly U.S. & allied military Band-Aid.
The military is not the only tool in what Madeleine Albright would call our diplomatic toolbox. Moreover it is one that has proven wholly ineffective to produce lasting change in Afghanistan. We must shift to other tools--at the top of the list being multilateral diplomacy.
Bringing together all the major powers with a stake in Afghanistan and institutions to communicate to the effective leaders of the country that if they respect the rights of women they will benefit and if they do not they will be severely penalized.
Letting them know that they will be subject to military strikes if they harbor terrorists is also fair. The notion that the only path is continuing to do what hasn't worked to date is ridiculous. And the costs & pitfalls of alternative paths aren't worse than what hasn't worked.
Some suggest that Biden could have planned this better. First, Bush, Obama and Trump could have and should have planned and executed this better. Next, there is plenty to suggest that whenever the US decided to leave, what is happening would happen.
The Taliban want to embarrass us and claim victory. They have known all along they would not get much resistance in most of the country from the central government. This was so predictable everyone predicted it--and no one, no one offered a viable alternative solution.
Only one president has had the courage to do the right thing in Afghanistan. It is the same man who advised we do this in 2009 when he was Vice President. It takes courage because he knows that he will receive the critiques his opponents are heaping on him now
But doing the right thing even when it is likely to be politically controversial and even when it reveals uncomfortable realities is what strong leadership is about.
Biden & his team have already committed to using other means to advance US interests in Afghanistan-as we should have done long, long ago. It's fascinating that so many who opposed nation building, who do not believe the US should be the world's sheriff are now criticizing Biden.
America's war in Afghanistan will rank alongside Vietnam as one of our great modern failures of strategy and execution. Many are to blame for that. Whatever arguments might be made that the US departure could have been better executed, one thing is absolutely clear.
The bulk of the responsibility for that failure lies with past administrations and with the leadership in Kabul (and to some extent with Taliban enablers beyond the country's borders). Biden is doing what is right and what must be done. It is time to turn the page.
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Current location: Charlotte, NC
Member since: Fri Sep 14, 2012, 01:15 AM
Number of posts: 14,971