Tag: afghanistan

According To Classified Documents: Biden Pentagon Knew Of Mass Casualty Event Plot Before Afghan Airport Bombing

According to classified documents obtained by Politico, senior Pentagon leaders discussed plans for a “mass casualty event” at a video meeting the day before nearly 200 died in a Kabul suicide attack, including 13 US Marines.

The outlet described the document as a transcript of high-level military meetings.

Politico claimed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin instructed top leaders in over a dozen departments to prepare for such an event in a meeting on Wednesday, citing the documents.

It also quoted Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley claiming to have “significant” information about a “complex attack” by a terrorist organization.

Commanders frequently identified the Abbey Gate, where the suicide bombing occurred and Americans were gathering, to be the “highest risk.”

“I don’t believe people get the incredible amount of risk on the ground,” Politico quoted Austin as saying.

Politico did not publish the document itself but claimed to have verified its authenticity through an anonymous defense official. The Pentagon itself has neither confirmed nor denied the report at press time.

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Taliban Ban Music and Then Execute Leading Afghan Folk Singer

Roughly 50 years ago, Don McLean released his son song, “American Pie” with its famous line about “The Day the Music Died.” It was a reference to when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson died along with pilot Roger Peterson in an airplane crash. For Afghans, the day the music died coincided with the Taliban takeover of their country. Nothing drove home that fact than the horrific killing of Afghan folk singer Fawad Andarabi, who was executed by the Taliban for playing music.

The singer’s son said that the Taliban came to their farm and shot his father in the head. They targeted him because of his fame for playing the ghichak (above), a bowed lute, and preserving the traditional songs about his country.

While the Taliban told the media it would investigate, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid emphasized that “Music is forbidden in Islam.” Just days before, he announced to the media that music was banned. It was one of the first things the Taliban did after retaking power.  Music was also banned under Taliban rule from 1996 until 2001.

You can see one of the last folk sons of Andarabi here as he sings of “our beautiful valley.”

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‘Death Sentence’: Animal Rights Group Blasts Biden For Allegedly Leaving Contract Dogs Behind In Afghanistan

Animal rights group American Humane has blasted the Biden administration for allegedly leaving U.S. Military contract dogs in Afghanistan, effectively handing down a “death sentence” to the animals.

Dr. Robin R. Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane, released a statement Monday condemning the apparent decision to leave the animals behind.

“I am devastated by reports that the American government is pulling out of Kabul and leaving behind brave U.S. military contract working dogs to be tortured and killed at the hand of our enemies,” Ganzert said. “These brave dogs do the same dangerous, lifesaving work as our military working dogs, and deserved a far better fate than the one to which they have been condemned.”

The CEO said the organization is ready to help these animals escape their fate of death.

“This senseless fate is made all the more tragic, as American Humane stands ready to not only help transport these contract K-9 soldiers to U.S. soil but also to provide for their lifetime medical care,” American Humane said.

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US Drone Attack Kills at Least 10 Afghan Civilians—Including 6 Children

A U.S. drone strike purportedly targeting a suspected ISIS-K vehicle in a residential neighborhood of Kabul, Afghanistan killed at least 10 members of a single family—including six children—as they were getting out of their car on Sunday.

Relatives of the victims told the Washington Post that the strike—which was the second attack the U.S. carried out in Kabul over the weekend—”hit a nearby vehicle” that the Pentagon claims was an “imminent” threat.

The civilian victims of the U.S. strike were all “from a single extended family,” the Post reported.

Samim Shahyad, a 25-year-old journalism student, told the New York Times that the U.S. attack killed his father, his two brothers, four of his young cousins, his niece, and his sister’s fiancé. Shahyad added that three of the victims were girls who were just two years old or younger.

“The American aircraft targeted us,” said Shahyad. “I do not know what to say, they just cut my arms and broke my back, I cannot say anything more.”

One neighbor at the scene of the attack said in an interview with CNN that “not much is left of their house and nothing can be recognized, they are in pieces.” The person estimated that as many as 20 people may have been killed in the U.S. drone strike.

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General Reportedly Cancels Troop Evacuation, Demands Soldiers ‘Clean The Base For The Taliban’ Before Leaving

A viral Instagram post highlights a text message exchange in which a U.S. military servicemember states that the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is being forced to clean a military base for the Taliban in Afghanistan. The report claims that a troop evacuation flight was cancelled by Brigadier General Farrell J. Sullivan so that Marines could sweep up trash in preparation for the Taliban takeover.

The RaidTeamCo Instagram account posted screenshots of the text message exchange on Sunday, accompanied by the caption “Meanwhile on the 24 MEU! 🤡s This was sent to us from one of the homies his wife is currently deployed and they are being told they have to clean before they can leave! WTF SHARE!”

In the messages, the claim is made that “We were supposed to leave last night,” “The general canceled our flight because the base was dirty.” After receiving the response, “What the f**k,” the Marine continues, “Yea I’m not joking,” “We had to clean the base for the Taliban.” The general being referred to is then identified as Brig. Gen. Farrell J. Sullivan of the Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

In another text exchange, a service member states, “Came from higher we had to police call the terminal where the civilians were processed. We didn’t even get rooms to stay in like a lot of the other units. We slept in a gym, then had to clean the gym. We picked up water bottles and mre trash and shit paper. Reflip vehicles to the upright positions.”

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Questions With New Reports That US Forces Gunned Down Civilians After Kabul Blast

A new BBC report shows eyewitnesses at the scene of the deadly Kabul airport explosion on Thursday saying that a significant number of the 170 Afghans killed in the attack actually died from gunfire by the US-led alliance in the chaos following the blast.

“Many we spoke to, including eyewitnesses, said significant numbers of those killed were shot dead by US forces in the panic after the blast,” the BBC’s Secunder Kermani said on Twitter.

There’s another video going around from a popular channel called Kabul Lovers which as of this writing has over 122,000 views. According to a translation posted by Sangar Paykhar of the podcast Afghan Eye, workers at an emergency hospital in Kabul are saying that most of the fatalities from the blast actually died by bullets fired from above, which would track with what the BBC witness said about gunfire coming from the towers where American and Turkish soldiers were.

“Some people have said that victims were shot from behind by Daesh [ISIS],” a man who says he’s a military officer tells Kabul Lovers in the translated subtitles. “However, none of them were shot from behind. All bullet holes came from above. Bullets came from this angle [gesturing to indicate a downward trajectory], striking skulls, necks and chests. No bullet holes from this area below. Which means all these people were pressed against each other. There was no uncovered place for bullets to land, from the chest above. They were all shot by Americans from that area [again gesturing to show a downward trajectory].”

“All victims were killed by American bullets except maybe 20 people out of 100,” the man said.

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Active Duty, Retired Naval Intelligence Members Told They Cannot ‘Disrespect’ Biden Over Afghanistan Debacle

`Top leadership at the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) informed active duty and retired service members that they cannot condemn President Joe Biden amid the chaotic — and now deadly — pullout of American troops from Afghanistan. 

In an email from the ONI’s Chief of Staff, ONI members were reminded that per a Uniform Code of Military Justice and Department of Defense Directive clause they cannot disrespect senior government leadership. This includes the President, Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, and more. 

The email reads: 

Given the heightened political and social atmosphere surrounding Afghanistan, it is important to remind our uniformed personnel (active duty and reservists on temporary active duty) and military retirees of their responsibilities and obligations under Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and Department of Defense Directive 1344.10. While it is vital to protect the constitutional right of freedom of expression for these groups, consistent with mission accomplishment, national security, and good order and discipline, it’s important to remember certain limitations. Namely, uniformed personnel and military retirees are prohibited from disrespecting senior government leadership (e.g. the President, Vice President, Congress, Secretary of Defense, Service Secretaries, etc.).

Per the same uniformed personnel policy, ONI members cannot participate in partisan political activity or distribute partisan political literature. An internal ONI member told The Daily Wire that these policies were more relaxed under the Trump administration and recalled retired officers condemning the former President. 

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As the Left and Right Argue Over Talking Points, They’re Missing The Real Lesson From Afghanistan

No matter how many times a commentary is provided on the subject, it is still nauseating to witness fervent tribalism perpetuated in real time. Weird how the one side of the demographic that was all in favor of finally “Ending the Forever Wars” for 4 years during the last Administration, are now the same ones clutching their pearls and regurgitating talking point after talking point of State Department nonsense to prolong that catastrophe. Where did all that “drain the swamp” rhetoric go?

Vice-versa, the ones that are now presumptuously patting themselves on the back — as if the dementia patient they empowered to currently reside in the Oval Office is in any way cognitively functional enough to do anything other than get out of bed in the morning — didn’t just spend the last four years foaming at the mouth at the dare mention of a withdrawal.

It is the false “Left vs. Right” paradigm on display. Odious and pestiferous as ever.

Neocolonialists are once again saturating the public with the same tired mantras of the Bush era; grandstanding with outdated Ronald Reagan quotes, draped in an American flag with the scent of apple pie. Pitting Americans against each other because “you don’t love your country enough”, “the little people of the world need help and America must save the day!”

Leaving out the fact that they “need rescuing” from the disaster we caused.

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