Posted on 08/20/2021 12:37:45 PM PDT by Red Badger
Questions Abound on Abandoned Black Hawks
Congressman Dan Meuser said on Newsmax there are many questions the administration must face, including the decision to leave behind expensive U.S.-made weaponry including Black Hawk helicopters.
The Pennsylvania Republican said 158 Black Hawks were left behind for the Taliban to seize.
“That is a billion dollars worth of Black Hawk helicopters left behind,” said Meuser. “Speaker Pelosi refers to this as leaving some stuff behind. These people are thinking in an inverse manner compared to how my constituents certainly feel about this issue, and I believe, most rational members of Congress.”
The actual amount of equipment seized by the Taliban, or even whether any Black Hawks or the other aircraft is still operable, is not yet being reported by the federal government, reports Defense One.
According to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, as of June 30, the Afghan Air Force had just over 200 planes and helicopters, the site reports. Of that, just 167 was available for missions, with most operating from Kabul and Kandahar, the special inspector report indicates.
Not all of the Afghan military’s aircraft came from the United States. According to the report, the Afghan government had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, and its Air Force had been flying the Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, among other planes.
According to the report, the United States gave the Afghan Air Force more than 130 aircraft over the last 20 years, and in July the Defense Department said it would be providing the Afghan Air Force with 35 more Black Hawks and three A-29 Super Tucanos, but just three of the new Black Hawks were delivered last month.
Continue reading…
https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/meuser-black-hawks-afghanistan-taliban/2021/08/19/id/1032994/
UH-60s can made into pretty good gunships for the time being. Eventually the maintenance will ground them all. It would not have been hard to wipe out and destroy the left behind equipment and facilities but it was all left intact by purpose and lack of will/dithering NOT negligence. The Biden military knew exactly WTF was going on and what would happen.
I wouldn’t use that adjective but otherwise agree.
The black hawk actually has a civilian variant so only the military hardware would of interest to them
Somehow, Iran is still operating 1970’s Shah era vintage F-14’s after 50 years and several wars.
I would like to see the Taliban transfer their donkey riding skills to helicopters.
Iranians have a pretty good university system, despite the ayatollah, and are a magnitude more intelligent than Afghans.
150 Blackhawks, no pilots, no mechanics, no spare parts, no tech support.
Really neat paperweights.
The equipment was in the hands of the Afghan military not the U.S. military. How do you take it back? Especially when all your troops are long gone from the country?
============================================================
As stated, that was what Trump said ("That's exactly what Trump mentioned a few days ago."). If you didn't hear/read what he said during his interview with Hannity...this is the gist of that statement. Trump had an "agreement" with the Taliban (and of course, the Afghan government). If the Taliban so much as hurt an American, or did something to violate the terms of their agreement, the agreement would be null and void but the pull out was still on. Civilians out first. Then the "equipment" comes out next (he alluded to *everything*). Then the military.
Of course, this OP isn't about what Trump did....it's what Xiden did (or didn't do). Xiden = cluster F. Trump = do it our way, or you become the next salami splatter.
"Whatever had to be left behind after that, could have been destroyed either by specials forces on their way out...or airstrikes."
Special forces were long since out of the country so it's hard to see how they destroy it on the way out.
==================================================================
Again, this is comparing what Xiden did vs what Trump said his plan was. It what *should* have been done. Yes, "we should have taken them all back" and would have if Trump was in office & the Taliban/Afghan govt went back on the commitment.
If Xiden had left Trumps plan in place, and executed it like Trump would have...we wouldn't be talking about 158 Black Hawks being left for the Taliban.
Although, the Taliban doesn't = Iran, it's a great point (re being able to maintain American military hardware without direct support).
How Iran Has Kept Its Aging American-Made F-14 Tomcats Flying
"...For the next five decades, the United States would do everything in its power — short of war — to ground the ayatollah’s Tomcats. But the Americans failed. Through a combination of engineering ingenuity and audacious espionage, Iran kept its F-14s in working order — and even improved them. The swing-wing fighters took to the air in several conflicts and even occasionally confronted American planes.
Today Iran’s 40 or so surviving F-14s remain some of the best fighters in the Middle East. And since the U.S. Navy retired its last Tomcats in 2006, the ayatollah’s Tomcats are the only active Tomcats left in the world.
..."
won’t last long unless he left spare parts and mechanics too
How the Hell can someone be that STUPID ?
I heard that too and I thought maybe there was someone standing off the side out of sight. I thought to myself..nah he couldn’t be calling Kamala that, could he?
Trump had an agreement with the Taliban. The Afghan government was never a part of the discussions.
If the Taliban so much as hurt an American, or did something to violate the terms of their agreement, the agreement would be null and void but the pull out was still on.
And I may be wrong on this but I'm pretty sure that the Taliban did not harm an American and there were no reported violations of the agreement I'm aware of before Biden finished his pull out on July 1st.
Civilians out first. Then the "equipment" comes out next (he alluded to *everything*). Then the military.
Say for the sake of argument that the Taliban didn't hurt anyone and there were no reported violations of the agreement before May 11. So the troops are out and then the current situation happens for him - Taliban takes the provinces, the Afghan military folds, and Kabul folds. Would Trump then send the troops back in to take back the military equipment, now in the hands of the Taliban, and evacuate the civlians?
Of course, this OP isn't about what Trump did....it's what Xiden did (or didn't do). Xiden = cluster F. Trump = do it our way, or you become the next salami splatter.
I can't imagine any way that Biden could have screwed things up worse than he's already done that, it's true.
It what *should* have been done. Yes, "we should have taken them all back" and would have if Trump was in office & the Taliban/Afghan govt went back on the commitment.
Take it back how? That's my question.
How about Congress subtract the cost of all the equipment, buildings, and any other expense the military incurred during the war, from the upcoming defense budget? That would include all the monies and benefits given to military personnel and contractors for the years we were there..
I think we should drop rangers in there and fly those things out….
How about Congress subtract the cost of all the equipment, buildings, and any other expense the military incurred during the war, from the upcoming defense budget? That would include all the monies and benefits given to military personnel and contractors for the years we were there..
If troops are not consistent in how they destroy equipment, the enemy may find that they can create one working piece of equipment from two "destroyed" pieces. That is why the manual specifies how to destroy the equipment. You don't just make things up as you go along.
Yes he was.
Hey, the Taliban took command and control of the entire country in 11 days. They are not that incompetent or unsophisticated.
It would only take one Afghani Taliban with an IQ over a hundred to come up with a plan to disable and/or booby trap every piece of equipment left behind. Could be a dangerous mission with little chance of success.
The eggs broken by Biden can't be put together again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.