The Fall Of Kabul To The Taliban #2

[KALI]

These horrific stories happen all over the world.
I am proud of our Western Nations who have helped to eliminate these horrible situations.
I think that all of us who are fortunate to have been born and raised in a freedom loving country should appreciate that fact.
Today on September 11th, even more so.
My heart goes out for Afghanistans.
And all the other countries that cannot, or are unwilling to fight for their freedom and prosperity.
On this day, September 11th. I, honor and send my love, to All, who stood up and ran into serious danger, to save total strangers.
These were Americans.
I think, these Americans, are what makes us strong as a nation.
America is a wonderful place to live. Because of it's amazing people.

So sad that the maternity hospitals will lose the aid they receive, it must be difficult for women to be encouraged (or raped) into have so many children to feed. imo, speculation.
May 6 2021 rbbm.
Interview: In Afghanistan, Buying the Scalpel for Your Own Child’s Birth
''The announcement of a full withdrawal of US troops by September 11, 2021, made this research very timely. Along with the images of foreign flags being lowered and bases closing, Afghans hear a lot about casualties from the war. But what few people talk about is how many women are dying preventable deaths due to problems related to childbirth and how many babies are dying preventable deaths.

What we have seen over and over is that as troops draw down, so does aid. More than 75 percent of the Afghan government’s budget comes from foreign aid, which keeps schools and hospitals open. But because of declining assistance, many healthcare facilities have seen their budgets decrease every year.''

''When you show up at a government hospital and need care, either you or a family member usually has to go to a pharmacy to buy everything the hospital will need to treat you. Now, if someone is giving birth in a government hospital, for example, they typically have to buy the gloves, gauze, and serum needed for it. I saw people who had to buy the tubes that connect the port on their hand to an IV drip. And I was told repeatedly that if you need a cesarean section, you may have to buy the scalpel.''

2012
Family planning: one Afghan woman's struggle to access contraception
''The average fertility rate in Afghanistan – 6.6 children per woman – is the highest in Asia and the second highest in the world. Frequent pregnancies, along with poor access to healthcare and inadequate nutrition, have also led to a very high maternal mortality rate. Currently 1,400 die for every 100,000 live births, the highest rate in the world.

Only 54% of the Afghan population live within an hour's walk of a health facility, according to figures from the Afghan health ministry. This lack of access is compounded by many other factors, such as a lack of qualified female medical staff, poverty and a lack of awareness.

Fariba is lucky because her family has agreed that she can use condoms and she hopes she can now stop having children.''

 

[Dontknow?]

Alexander Marquardt
@MarquardtA
· Sep 6
Hundreds of Afghan Air Force pilots and maintainers fled the country with their aircraft, across the borders into Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. They are now in limbo, trying to get to the US. One pilot told me he was shot down by the Taliban on the way out.

Alexander Marquardt
@MarquardtA
6m

A first group of these Afghan pilots have now left Uzbekistan for the UAE. A pilot onboard the charter flight told me approx 175 AAF personnel (& 1 family) are on the charter flight, an Uzbekistan Airways 757.

 

[worldwatcher]

"The 36-second video, which was obtained by the Washington Examiner, was posted a week ago. It’s unclear when it was made, but on Aug. 17, Taliban leaders promised amnesty for government workers and protection for women."

Taliban celebrate beheading of Afghan soldier in grisly video

 

[worldwatcher]

These horrific stories happen all over the world.
I am proud of our Western Nations who have helped to eliminate these horrible situations.
I think that all of us who are fortunate to have been born and raised in a freedom loving country should appreciate that fact.
Today on September 11th, even more so.
My heart goes out for Afghanistans.
And all the other countries that cannot, or are unwilling to fight for their freedom and prosperity.
On this day, September 11th. I, honor and send my love, to All, who stood up and ran into serious danger, to save total strangers.
These were Americans.
I think, these Americans, are what makes us strong as a nation.
America is a wonderful place to live. Because of it's amazing people.

From the latest news,I have read,it seems that the USA completely withdraws from the Middle East (or a least attempts to do so?)

FBI releases files on Saudi Arabia's involvement in 9/11. Why? | Kelly

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/homenews/administration/571736-families-of-9-11-victims-hope-for-answers-about-saudi-involvement-in?amp

 

[dotr]

Sept 12 2021
'I thought this was the end of my life:' Afghan journalists describe savage beatings by Taliban
"They were using such violence that one was holding me by my head and face and another one was holding me by my waist. My hands and feet were tied and one of them was pushing my legs like a sling. I had a feeling that my neck may break, or my back may break," Naqdi added.

"When the Taliban forces arrested us and took us to the police station, they continuously tortured me for approximately 10 minutes even though I was not in state to remember the exact time. They hit me with whatever they could grab hold of," Daryabi said.

"It is possible that from now on the Taliban threaten and torture journalists. The continuation of their activities will be deemed as a danger to their government," Daryabi added.

"They declared to the journalists in a press conference that they will be granted permission to continue with their activities but only under the Islamic rules. I believe those threats are still present. The journalists will not stop, they are a different sector of the society, and they are people who convey the voice of the population," Daryabi added. "They become the voice of the people."

 

[LadyL]

Afghanistan: Taliban announce new rules for female students

 

[KALI]

After 20 years of living without the fears of being enslaved, beaten, made a "bride", (haha), or beheaded.
Have the Afghanistan people learned anything?
I, living in a Western world learned a lot.
I am curious what fellow websluthers think the lessons to be learned from today's country of Afghanistan are? Truly.

 

[dotr]

After 20 years of living without the fears of being enslaved, beaten, made a "bride", (haha), or beheaded.
Have the Afghanistan people learned anything?
I, living in a Western world learned a lot.
I am curious what fellow websluthers think the lessons to be learned from today's country of Afghanistan are? Truly.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink?

 

[KALI]

Yes. Agreed. Damn, there sure were a lot of horses who would not drink. Sad.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink?

 

[worldwatcher]

After 20 years of living without the fears of being enslaved, beaten, made a "bride", (haha), or beheaded.
Have the Afghanistan people learned anything?
I, living in a Western world learned a lot.
I am curious what fellow websluthers think the lessons to be learned from today's country of Afghanistan are? Truly.

Okay here it goes..
(moo)
Maybe the horses didn't drink because the water was poisoned??
I find it "funny", that Saudi Arabia wasn't hold accountable with the attacks on 9/11, to begin with..


Beside that, the former president, who started a war Mr Bush, hold off his war crimes, through Belgium court.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/belgium-to-lift-threat-of-bush-war-crimes-trial-110129.html?amp
Nothing to be proud of, imo.
Search for yourself bush+war crimes+Belgium.

I know that because in Europe it was in the news, unlike USA,
I was a member of a yahoo group at that time, was the only EU member in that group, and USA members were speachless, when I asked about it.
Also, it was a war that never should have started to begin with. Most 9/11 were connected by Saudi Arabia/Pakinstan.

The middle East has never been stable, so in the end, we left it - no other wise-
I am sorry for all the heart sorrow, we left there, who went on duty and left behind.

So,with all this said, slam me with my reply, I truly don't care.
We left and we have to deal with the aftermath.
This is my perspective, only!

 

[dotr]

One might almost wonder if the men do not like the competition, imo, speculation
Sept 13 2021
Afghan women are sharing photos of dresses to protest the Taliban's black hijab mandate - CNN
"This is how Afghan women dress," responded Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi.
Sana Safi, a prominent BBC journalist based in London, posted a picture of herself in colorful traditional dress, with an additional comment saying: "If I was in Afghanistan then I would have the scarf on my head. This is as 'conservative' and 'traditional' as I/you can get."

Sana Safi added: "If I was in Afghanistan then I would have the scarf on my head."
Sodaba Haidare, another BBC journalist, said: "this is our traditional dress. we love lots of colour. even our rice is colourful and so is our flag."

"We love lots of colour," said Sodaba Haidare.
And Peymana Assad, a local politician in the UK who is originally from Afghanistan, said in a post that: "Our cultural attire is not the dementor outfits the Taliban have women wearing."

Veiled students hold Taliban flags as they listen a speaker before a pro-Taliban rally at the Shaheed Rabbani Education University in Kabul on September 11.

2019
Taliban fighters in makeup: Barbican to show rare pictures
''Photography was banned by the Taliban but a handful of photo studios were allowed to remain open, not least because passport photographs were still needed.

Dworzak was in Kandahar for the New Yorker a few weeks after remaining Taliban fighters had been chased away. He came across the photographs in the backroom of a studio and offered to buy them.

“They were more than happy. They said ‘look they’re not going to come back to pick them up.’”

He said the photographs could be seen as an extreme form of hypocrisy. But he also found them “incredibly touching”.

“I’m almost envious of the photographer that they could take these portraits of these guys … the Taliban then were the absolute personification of evil and you have them holding hands with plastic flowers. It is very confusing but I like that.”

Thomas Dworzak came across the photographs in the backroom of a studio and offered to buy them. Photograph: Collection T Dworzak/Magnum

 

[LadyL]

The Taliban were once inmates in Kabul’s prison. Now they’re in charge - National | Globalnews.ca

 

[coffeeandacig]

Very unhappy that there is still no official numbers of American citizens that are still trying to get out of Afghanistan?
Any updates on the school kids from San Diego?

 

[shotgun09]

Family of U.S. hostage held by Taliban calls for envoy's firing

"WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The family of Mark Frerichs on Monday urged U.S. President Joe Biden to fire his chief Afghanistan peace negotiator, charging that the envoy has done little to win the release of the last American believed to be held hostage by the Taliban."

Family of U.S. hostage held by Taliban calls for envoy's firing

 

[shotgun09]

Very unhappy that there is still no official numbers of American citizens that are still trying to get out of Afghanistan?
Any updates on the school kids from San Diego?

I watched the congressional hearing on The Afghanistan Withdraw today with Secretary Blinken. As previous, he gave no official number on U.S. citizens remaining in Afghanistan. He was questioned repeatedly by some members in Congress, but still did not give a number. Most I heard was " around 100".
Many congress critters asked about specific American citizens that they themselves were and are involved with trying to get rescued. Blinken did the "political dance" around those questions. No satisfactory answer was ever given, IMO.

WATCH: Secretary of State Blinken Testifies Before Congress on Afghanistan Withdrawal

ETA: Added link

 

[shotgun09]

One of the surprising aspects of this hearing linked above ^, was when a Congress person asked Blinken about specific instructions given to some Americans that were stranded. They had been told by the State Department to " destroy their documents' !!!! (So as to not be caught by the taliban). But, in so doing, now they are unable to prove who they are, because they did as they were told! Their situation is perilous at best. Just shameful! These poor people!!

 

[shotgun09]

Opinion
Blinken’s evasive Afghanistan testimony proves he must resign

"Secretary of State Antony Blinken, testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, tried his best to defend the Biden administration’s chaotic, mismanaged debacle of an Afghanistan withdrawal. As with all other things Blinken has touched over the course of this sordid affair, he failed.

The proper remedy for such a failure, and the gobsmacking dereliction of duty and stain on America’s reputation such a failure represents, remains Blinken’s prompt resignation.


"Blinken, much like his doddering boss, has no intellectually defensible ground to stand on. This administration stranded Americans behind enemy lines — nay, jihadist lines. This administration let the Taliban, Afghanistan’s ruling extremists, break out of detention thousands of terrible prisoners, including many senior-level al-Qaeda operatives. This administration allowed the Taliban to acquire tens of millions of dollars’ worth of high-tech aircraft and armored vehicles — including a whopping 70 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, which cost $1 million apiece and are designed to withstand blasts from improvised explosive devices.

This is a bona fide scandal. It is perhaps the most embarrassing diplomatic fiasco in American history. And any secretary of state worth his salt would resign posthaste.

Antony Blinken appears to be no such man. "

Blinken evasive Afghanistan testimony proves he must resign

 

[shotgun09]

From Lucas Tomlinson, Fox News Covering the Pentagon:

https://twitter.com/LucasFoxNews/status/1437513170441150468

"State Dept. has refused for weeks to say how many Afghan interpreters and other special immigrant visa holders were left behind."
Quote Tweet

Nick Kalman
@NickKalmanFN
· 5h
.@SecBlinken says there are about 100 Americans still in Afghanistan who may want to leave, plus "several thousand green card holders," and the number of SIV applicants is something State is still working to get fidelity on.
3:27 PM · Sep 13, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/NickKalmanFN/status/1437512290975326212



"The “about 100” has been the consistent line from the WH for the last couple of weeks."

From Josh Kraushaar, National Journal Columnist on Twitter

https://twitter.com/HotlineJosh/status/1437512263108284424

 

[mickey2942]

Growing fears child brides brought to US in Afghan evacuation

This is disturbing. Polygamy and child marriage is something that the United States has been trying to abolish. It is not "cultural" or "religion" to accept child rape.

 

[KALI]

I doubt that we will hear what's really going on in Afghanistan for a very long time. The journalists have either evacuated, or, are in hiding.
I do not expect the Taliban to turn over a new leaf and become the New and Improved Taliban.
What? Did they take classes in their caves about how to be nice to their fellow countrymen?
Don't think so.
Unless the middle east threatens us, it seems to me that we should let them live the lives they choose to and work it out for themselves.
It is not up to us "to fix them".
It is up to the people in the middle east, to stand up or, not.