Hours after the last U.S. troops departed Afghanistan and effectively ended America’s longest war, the Taliban triumphantly marched into Kabul’s international airport and declared victory.
In a show of power, the Taliban stood on the Tarmac and pledged to secure the country.
“Afghanistan is finally free,” a top Taliban official said to The Associated Press on the tarmac. “The military and civilian side (of the airport) are with us and in control. Hopefully, we will be announcing our Cabinet. Everything is peaceful. Everything is safe.”
All around the airport were signs of the prior day’s chaos that erupted as the U.S. attempted to evacuate its citizens and allies.
Now that the U.S. has officially completed it’s withdrawal, the Taliban will move forward in governing a nation of 38 million people.
Vehicles carrying the Taliban raced back and forth along the Hamid Karzai International Airport’s sole runway on the military side of the airfield. Before dawn broke, heavily armed Taliban fighters walked through hangars, passing some of the seven CH-46 helicopters the State Department used in its evacuations before rendering them unusable.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid addressed the gathered members of the Badri unit. “I hope you be very cautious in dealing with the nation,” he said. “Our nation has suffered war and invasion and the people do not have more tolerance.”
At the end of his remarks, the Badri fighters shouted: “God is the greatest!”
Military Times
As the final US troops departed Afghanistan, they left behind up to 200 Americans and thousands of desperate Afghans who couldn’t get out and will now be forced to rely on the Taliban to allow their departure.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
Following the Pentagon’s announcement on the withdrawal completion, Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked that the U.S. will still attempt to help the remaining Americans and Afghans trapped in the country.
However, Blinken didn’t elaborate much on how they actually plan to achieve this.
The terror threat in Afghanistan has only gotten worse as the Taliban released a number of ISIS members from prison during the last several weeks.
As a Veteran I will tell you any middle ranked officer could have prepared and executed a better withdraw from Afghanistan. Perhaps the worst military blunder caused by idiots in the White House and their staff! The commander in chief and any of the joint chiefs who accepted and tried to execute this plan should be removed from their positions. Since the president himself admits he is told what to do do and who to take questions from then the people telling the president what to do need to be identified and removed from office! America’s reputation as a country you can depend on was ruined by these idiots!
Better words have never been said. All those American Military lives lost and all
the Equipment just turned over to the Taliban. We need New leadership. As Veteran
I am ashamed of out Leadership.
I totally agree with you Biden should be removed
BIDEN IS A TOTAL DISGRACE TO OUR COUNTRY! COMMITTED TREASON ON THE HIGHEST SCALE AND PUT AMERICA ON ALERT FOR AN INVASION BY TERRORIST. HE MUST BE TRIED AND CONVICTED! I CANT UNDERSTAND HOW ANYONE COULD BE SO STUPID!!
I agreed, we should recall biden. He should be fired. by the people and kick out of office.
You’re so right.
What an embarrassment this country is.
I have been a proud veteran and love my country.
For the first time in my life I am ashamed of America.
We are under attack from within.
God have mercy on this nation
You are right!
As a Vietnam Veteran, This was a total disgrace. Everyone that was involved in this should and hopefully will be removed from any and all offices that there in.
Disgrace from the supposedly
President.
Good show William Murphy when I was in. Vetnan we were always told to distrow equipment and arms we got some real aholes in white house if Trump was still president I would of asked him if I could get back in to help even at my age to protect our country r
Amen for us Vietnam vets I’m proud to have served in Vietnam even though I on disability and scruwed up even with PTS
This has been a Cluster F— from DAY One! In 2022 we need to vote all these self indulged idiots out of office and Impeach Biden, Harris, Pelosi, Schumer and start rebuilding what is left of OUR Country!
I agree 100%
All U people who aided putting Biden and his people in power have blood on ur hands now…….::may God bless ur soul and I hope U can live with ur self!.
Even if Biden was to be kicked out of office who do we have to take over?. Kamala, please she don’t care about America she’s a looser, always has been. We’re just plain screwed!.
For those who voted for Biden/Harris, you got what you voted for. God bless our country and watch over us. Semper Fi.
Same thing when we left Vietnam left a lot of good equipment for them to use WTF
As a veteran and a Civil/Public Servant. I can feel the pain of such an inglorious withdrawal. However, you cannot win a war when you are fighting an Ethnic Group (Taliban) that represents a large percentage of the population.
I am a retired Navy Seabee Senior Chief. Spent 2 years watching this take place in Viet Nam. We built 2 new bases there it was for nothing. We did destroy all our equipment before we left. I totally agree with what is said above. Smart just wasn’t in the cards. Mark my words there will be a lot more killing of our people. The door is open for more 911s.
Thank the people that voted them all in.
I feel sorry fo all the troops under this command.
The end is not even close. Patton Has turned over in his grave. My dad worked for him.Battle of The Bulge.
Good luck.
war in it self is bad in any circumstance. As a retired navy senior chief, short of f…… the whole place up, how much longer should we have allowed our brave men and women to fight for a country in which their own trained military would not sacrifice their lives for their own people. No it was not pretty, but the ending of this BS had to end at some point. and all of those who point the finger at Biden and Harris, should note one thing. Trump was the one who put this bs in operation. we as nation will continue to protect this country as we have in the past by any means necessary. Now lets get down to the business of taking care of the much neglected business of taking care of the problems that are plaguing our own country. It’s a shame that the most affluent country on the planet has so many people living in poverty, yet as tax payers we’ve spent trillions of dollars on a conflict the netted us nothing. Amen!
Very true, also we have not finished and or won a war since WWII. The military could and would win if allowed. Politicians only gain as money is spent and lives unfortunatly lost. Their greatest concern is to leave office rich or to bask in the limelight off the press corp that wont report truthfully. Im an 8 year vet and have 27 total in service with DoD time included. Thank all you former service member for your loyalty to this counytry and all your sacrifices made. God Bless you all.
remember: Biden was left with a lot of “Garbage” to take of. I do not fault him, but the joint chiefs of staff should have been more cautious. When you are dealing with groups like the taliban you are dealing with people who do not value life as we do.
Imagine being a woman in Afghanistan? No rights or privileges.
What do our women say about that?]
I too am a veteran even though I did not see combat I still served.
John Donald Watkins
Biden was left with a growing economy, self sufficient energy, a solid global balance, and a controlled border. No country in this world has open borders allowing in COVID carrying people, drug traffickers, human trafficking activities, and potentially terrorists who have one goal, the death of anyone practicing Christianity. The dumbocrats have ruined everything we have fought and died for. MAGA TRUMP!!
A Marine Corps veteran
The man is in waay over his head. A disgrace to our Nation. Nam Vet 101st Airborne Division
As an ex Marine, Semper Fi, we lost some young men for nothing, I will never forget this, I’m 82.
Wow, I am a retired CW4 USA Veteran and I’ve served combat tours in Vietnam and Iraq, and conducted missions in many other southwest Muslim countries for the US Army. Like my fellow comrades who posted their thoughts regarding the hasty, poor, not well thought thru and planned withdrawal of our military troops out of Afghanistan; I was appalled and disheartened by the disgraceful and illogical decision by our Military higher up command and the current Biden White House Administration to exit Afghanistan the way we did. Military Tactics and Policy 101 dictate we hold ground we have won (at what cost) several thousand of our men and women were killed doing their duty. Many more were wounded, maimed, disabled, and how many more left suffering from PTSD. For WHAT….to leave with our tail between our legs after fighting the Taliban for over 20 years, just because Biden and his cronies wanted to get accolades for pulling the US out of Afghanistan completely. What were our Top Command leaders like the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Defense Ministers, Secretary of the Army, and other top Theater Commanders such as General Millie thinking! Anyone with any common sense with or without an military training or background knows Bagrum Air Base should have been held and the military should not have left until all Americans, Afghan Nationals who assisted and worked side by side the US, like Interpretors and Afghan government officials who wanted a better government system we’re out of the country first. Like I said.It was a huge military and White House BLUNDER. What were they thinking…Leaving Billion dollars of war supplies behind such as Helicopters, weapons, Up armored vehicles, and other high priced military arms and equipment; to arm the Taliban and who knows how many other Terrorist Groups that probably will establish terrorist training camps in Afghanistan again to continue attacking the US and other Western Countries. This was a huge Psychological and Religious victory for the Taliban and terrorist worldwide. This just shows what we initially thought this Biden, Harris, and his crony administration would do! Wake up America and smell the roses. What do you think our allied nations are thinking of us now. Our position as world leaders and the strength we gained back with the Trump Administration has dwindled.. Furthermore, what do all the families that lost loved ones through the past 20 years now think. Their children, husbands, fathers, mothers, and sisters died for what! How many Americans are left stranded in Afghanistan? We all know what the Taliban will do to all who assisted the United States these last 20 years. I pray for our future and Gods Bless the USA 🇺🇸.
Al Suarez Ret. CW4, USA
We’re f***ed, the whole dam nation thànks to the Democratic idiots in office, first in nam and now this. How far are we going to let them sink this country? Let’s get rid of the Democratic idiots in office. Recall Joe biden and all the Democratic idiots in office.
SO YOUR SAYING Trump and his i. do with screwing up this country.what a joke the Republicans have really brainwashed you.