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The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan back with a bang -- The US 'loss' of Afghanistan is a repositioning and the new mission is not a 'war on terror,' but Russia and China
asiatimes.com ^ | August 16, 2021 | Pepe Escobar

Posted on 08/16/2021 11:47:11 AM PDT by elpadre

In the end, the Saigon moment happened faster than any Western intel “expert” expected. This is one for the annals: four frantic days that wrapped up the most astonishing guerrilla blitzkrieg of recent times. Afghan-style: lots of persuasion, lots of tribal deals, zero columns of tanks, minimal loss of blood.

August 12 set the scene, with the nearly simultaneous capture of Ghazni, Kandahar and Herat. On August 13, the Taliban were only 50 kilometers from Kabul. August 14 started with the siege of Maidan Shahr, the gateway to Kabul.

Ismail Khan, the legendary elder Lion of Herat, struck a self-preservation deal and was sent by the Taliban as a top-flight messenger to Kabul: President Ashraf Ghani should step out, or else.

Still on Saturday, the Taliban took Jalalabad – and isolated Kabul from the east, all the way to the Afgan-Pakistan border in Torkham, gateway to the Khyber Pass. By Saturday night, Marshal Dostum was fleeing with a bunch of military to Uzbekistan via the Friendship Bridge in Termez; only a few were allowed in. The Taliban duly took over Dostum’s Tony Montana-style palace.

By early morning on August 15, all that was left for the Kabul administration was the Panjshir valley – high in the mountains, a naturally protected fortress – and scattered Hazaras: there’s nothing there in those beautiful central lands, except Bamiyan.

Exactly 20 years ago, I was in Bazarak getting ready to interview the Lion of the Panjshir, commander Masoud, who was preparing a counter-offensive against … the Taliban. History repeating, with a twist. This time I was sent visual proof that the Taliban – following the classic guerrilla sleeping cell playbook – were already in the Panjshir.

And then mid-morning on Sunday brought the stunning visual re-enactment

(continued at link - excellent read)

(Excerpt) Read more at asiatimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia; US: California; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; backwithbang; california; europeanunion; germany; islamicemirate; nancypelosi; russia; unitedkingdom; waronterror

1 posted on 08/16/2021 11:47:11 AM PDT by elpadre
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To: elpadre

“Iran is about to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a full member – another game-changer. Even before resetting the Islamic Emirate, the Taliban have carefully cultivated good relations with key Eurasia players – Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran and the Central Asian ‘stans. The ‘stans are under full Russian protection. Beijing is already planning hefty rare earth business with the Taliban.

On the Atlanticist front, the spectacle of non-stop self-recrimination will consume the Beltway for ages. Two decades, $2 trillion, a forever war debacle of chaos, death and destruction, a still shattered Afghanistan, an exit literally in the dead of night – for what? The only “winners” have been the Lords of the Weapons Racket.”


2 posted on 08/16/2021 11:49:55 AM PDT by elpadre ( )
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To: elpadre

leaked pelosi talking points

https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/1427325804611096579


3 posted on 08/16/2021 11:51:54 AM PDT by RummyChick (Bagram was the most logical exit point. Stand up and justify your decision (hat tip Larrytown))
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To: elpadre

After COVID and hundreds of thousands of Americans murdered by the PRCs you think we’ll NOW go to war with China? With the resident in office? Calling Hunter Bidden, you need to set this person straight on a few things.


4 posted on 08/16/2021 11:53:05 AM PDT by Harpotoo (Being a socialist is a lot easier than having to WORK like the rest of US:-))
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To: elpadre

“the most astonishing guerrilla blitzkrieg of recent times. Afghan-style: lots of persuasion, “

Persuasion? LOL


5 posted on 08/16/2021 11:59:40 AM PDT by plain talk
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To: elpadre

He thinks the Tollybon actually did something. They didn’t. The Afghanistan army turned tail and ran. Biden essentially said F you guys, you’re on your own. They weren’t ready for that. The Tollybon doesn’t deserve credit for a guerilla war they did not fight.


6 posted on 08/16/2021 12:03:03 PM PDT by webheart (I thought I was helping by getting vaccinated but they say I didn’t help at all. )
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To: elpadre
As we watch the pieces rapidly fall into place and the plan gets executed , we will soon realize the fall of Afghanistan and it's post American future was carefully planned in advance to the benefit of of interests hostile to the US with an eye on doing maximum damage to America, Europe, Non Chinese Asia and the rest of the free world.

This is going to be much worse than most people realize and executing young women on the 50 yard line as half time football entertainment and beheading, crucifying and the rest of the brutal tortures perfected by ISIS in Syria and Iraq are going to be the least of the disaster and nothing more than collateral damage of the Jihad and other revolutionary violence coming our way.

The Biden Admin was a major player in implementing this plan and part of the plan was knocking America off it's throne as world leader and destroying our economic power, our monetary system and our status as reserve currency to the world.

The stolen election coup we saw in 2020 was just the opening shot in a world wide play to take over

The entire Biden Admin needs to tried for treason

7 posted on 08/16/2021 12:03:42 PM PDT by rdcbn1
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To: RummyChick

Wow.


8 posted on 08/16/2021 12:10:27 PM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear (RIP my "teddy bear". )
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To: RummyChick

The corrupt media received their copy as well I noticed.


9 posted on 08/16/2021 12:15:49 PM PDT by NWFree (Somebody has to say )
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To: elpadre

Asia Times writes like the Bee.


10 posted on 08/16/2021 12:17:07 PM PDT by shanover (...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.-S.Adams)
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To: elpadre

That’s quite a JUMP.

Taliban are religious fanatics.

Russia and China hate religious fanatics.

If anything they will hate each other more.


11 posted on 08/16/2021 12:18:42 PM PDT by Maris Crane
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To: webheart

After Biden announced the exit, they turned the Afghan Army over to Afghan government to pay salaries which the US had been paying. The Afghan troops had gone for a period of time with no pay and not happy campers. At each city, the Taliban set up a meeting with the local Afghan commanders and offered a sizable sum for them to leave the city. The commanders all took the money and turned the city over to the Taliban.


12 posted on 08/16/2021 12:23:09 PM PDT by elpadre ( )
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To: Maris Crane

the enemy of my enemy...


13 posted on 08/16/2021 12:23:38 PM PDT by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. P144:1)
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To: rdcbn1

Your analysis is the same as mine....


14 posted on 08/16/2021 12:40:35 PM PDT by RedMominBlueState
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To: Chode

Not in this case...

Hatred is a strong emotion.

Taliban will have Russia for breakfast and Chinese for dinner.


15 posted on 08/16/2021 12:43:08 PM PDT by Maris Crane
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To: Maris Crane

they will all three deceive each other while using each other
to our detriment...


16 posted on 08/16/2021 1:01:46 PM PDT by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. P144:1)
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To: elpadre

Ahh, yes. We spent 20 years on Chinas back door atop a pile of rare earth elements that we would need to fight a war with China as China is the source for so many of those elements.

We bided our time not building bases or trying to help to develop those resources and use that economy to try and bring Afghanistan into the modern world.

At the last moment we would spring our attack by pulling our troops and running away.

The master plan all along was to lull them into a false sense of security.

After giving China easy access to control the remainder of earths easily accessible REE and hobbling ourselves the Chinese generals would tell XI that we couldnt possibly be dumb enough to attack...and then WE DO!

BWAHH HA HA HA HA! THAT IS SO ABSOLUTELY BRIL...stupid.


17 posted on 08/16/2021 1:07:46 PM PDT by gnarledmaw (Hive minded liberals worship leaders, sovereign conservatives elect servants.)
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