IT: U.S. troops leave Afghanistan as evacuations end, and... Pentagon releases names of 13 fallen service members

Check out the new docuseries, “Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror” on Netflix. It is an expansive and detailed historical study about HOW & WHY we got to 9/11, with an almost complete history of WHEN & WHY Afghanistan became a focal point for the American government and the American people. This 5 episode series explains so much and in such detail, afterwards you’ll know EXACTLY WHY we left Afghanistan, and WHY we should have left much sooner than August of 2021! It’s ALL there. And it’s ALL the TRUTH! The main idea I got out of it is this: Never go to war without a clear exit strategy that leaves the invaded country better than you found it. NOT doing so will be catastrophic!

In an ever-changing, incomprehensible world the masses had reached the point where they would, at the same time, believe everything and nothing, think that everything was possible and that nothing was true. Hannah Arendt

Yes B.R., I said ‘unfortunate’. If the US military violated our agreement with the Taliban, any hope of getting Americans out that did not want to leave at this time or could not get to the airlift site would be lost. Think! There are considerable other factors involved beyond a one dimensional grunt response. … … … I also think that it is unfortunate that over 200,000 children have contracted the delta variant because our so-called Americans would rather ingest horse de-worming medicine than get vaccinated. ‘Personal freedoms’ are only valid when exercised with ‘personal responsibility’ and ‘personal accountability’. Those Americans who feel free to ignore the need to get vaccinated are putting our youngest live’s at risk. … … … Those Americans in Afghanistan who did not heed earlier calls to leave Afghanistan are putting others at risk to retrieve them. … … … The fact that the Republican Faction’s cult will use any event whatsoever to discredit Biden is unfortunate. How they can began to compare Biden’s actions with the trump’s is beyond incredible. I do not see any ability for Biden to enrich himself in any way by any of his actions; I can see how almost everything that the trump thing did as being a clear opportunity to enrich himself directly and indirectly. Yet the cult, so in need of a perceived ‘strong man’ to guide them, ignores all of that. Unfortunate! … … … The fact that the Republican Faction is willing to sacrifice their own cult members to Covid for political expediency and that so many cult members are willing to sacrifice themselves is unfortunate. If it were just themselves that they were killing it would simply be seen as a Darwinian correction. But when they are sending our youngest to ICU’s and put on ventilators, their exercise of their ‘personal freedoms’ are not only unfortunate - they unfortunately are also ‘personally irresponsible’ and should be ‘personally accountable’ with criminally liablity as well.

B.R.: It is unfortunate that you apply your biases to my words instead of just reading them. Republican cultists like to hold others accountable while accepting no accountability for themselves or their own. My comment addressed the requirements of ‘personal responsibility’ and ‘personal accountability’ to be granted ‘personal liberty’ - and the moronic actions of Republican Faction cultists to not get vaccinated puts others at risk- just like the American’s who did not leave earlier when they were advised to. … … … The military planners screwed up by not having a contingency plan in place for the rapid dissolution of the Afghan government and the Afghan military, and required a rapid escalation of airlift operations. And yes, the August 31st was arbitrary with the understanding with the Afghan government that if more time was needed, it would be granted. The US expected the Afghan Army to keep access roads open, help Americans and SIV applicants get to the airfield and provide a security perimeter. The Taliban takeover required a lot of changes and changed our status from being in a friendly country to that of being an enemy in an occupied country. The deadline for us to leave was frozen by agreement with the Taliban in return for safe passage of Americans up to that agreed to date. In fact, the Taliban secretly and in coordination with the US State Department and CIA retrieved hundreds of Americans and brought them safely to the airport. That is why the date was frozen and not extended - we needed and will need safe passage for Americans and SIV applicants. If we broke our commitment to leave when agreed, we put those needing to leave at much greater risk than they are now. … … … The reasons evacuations did not start earlier were three fold; there were concerns that Americans and SIV applicants in remote regions would be at risk of summary execution by the Taliban if there was not an agreement with them for safe passage, the expectation that the Afghan governance and Afghan Military would be available to assist and the intentional bureaucratic catch 22 to prevent SIV applications as well as the fact that the trump stopped processing SIV’s before even signing our surrender to the Taliban. The Republican Faction’s Senate refused to pass legislation to expedite SIV applicants until mid July. … … … The reason we did not stay past August 31st also includes the increasing threats from ISIS-K. A suicide bomber killed 13 and severely wounded 20 service people as well as one to two hundred Afghans seeking transport. The Intel was good enough to take out an ISIS vehicle loaded with explosives before it got to the airport. Certainly ISIS commanders would have increased security for their operations and there was a great risk of another suicide bomber showing up in the crowds surrounding the gates. … … … How many of hundreds of people would be put at risk after August 31st if we decided to stay a few more days while also fighting off the Taliban for not honoring our commitment to leave on the agreed to date? How many US citizens and SIV applicants would have faced summary judgement instead being offered safe passage in the future as part of the Taliban’s commitment to the United States, neighboring countries and US allies? How many ISIS-K attacks might we have had to endure? How many more needless deaths. … … … The trump agreed to release 5,000 Taliban and ISIS-K fighters. It is known that ISIS-K operatives have been melting into the ranks of the Taliban which is now attempting to govern a very large territory - and that as well re-enforced the need to leave. … … … Bye now!

I commend our President for ending this horrific journey of unending war in the most expeditious and thoughtful manner possible considering the losing hand he was dealt and the restrictions placed upon him. I am equally proud of our service members and governmental staff that waged this conflict and achieved our initial mission and provided twenty years of security and civic gains for women and girls and others. I am thankful to God that we have rational, competent and empathetic men and women in charge during difficult times such as this, so that reason and love of country may prevail.

Jeffery J: Great comment, well said. Thanks!

To all the Republicans that are now complaining about the withdrawal from Afghanistan where were they when Donald Trump negotiated this deal that we now have with the Taliban totally excluding the government of Afghanistan. And Donald Trump’s negotiations the government of Afghanistan wasn’t even allowed to voice an opinion, trump negotiated this withdrawal date directly with the Taliban and only the Taliban. Biden was stuck with it. Is a sad reminder of the intellectual lack of capacity and the Republican party to even remember back three years ago when Trump did this. It was fine with them then but they seem to not have the mental capacity to remember 3 or 4 years ago. What more would you expect out of a party that believes in fantasy land realities and conspiracy theories galore.

For the life of me, I can not understand why some are complacent in saying that this is over. Would you be saying the same if a loved one of yours was left behind? People like JimK said "I know that there are still a few hundred Americans who could not get out and that is unfortunate." Unfortunate???????? How heartless can one be. Would you be saying the same if this happened under the Trump administration. I am sure other words would have been said. # No Objectivity, No Consistency, No Credibility. >>>>>>>>NO HEART.

Biden’s arbitrary deadline is what ultimately caused the abandonment of these few hundred Americans in Afghanistan. I see people commenting and spinning this to everyone else’s fault except Biden but you can’t deny that his orders to be out by August 31 took precedence over these lives. The war is not over we retreated now the terrorists have US in check…hopefully it doesn’t get to checkmate.

So after 8 years of Bush, eight of Obama, four of Trump, Biden closed the war down in seven months but it’s all his fault? Makes perfect sense (to Trumpers, anyway). Are you aware some Americans were left behind because they have dual citizenship and are living with family? There is much more I could point out but since Trumpers can’t understand complex issues or think for themselves, I won’t bother!

@jimK: Last comment. I am very clear on how you feel about those who have decided not to take the vaccine, i.e.: risks to others. What I don't understand is how you can compare this to those left behind in Afghanistan. You make an assumption that they presented a risk to others because they did not leave earlier when they were advised. Reports do not support what you are saying. The bottom line: Biden promised he would not leave anyone behind. He lied.

Jim K. Sounds just like the same things did to Trump before he entered office and through his whole term in office. Most of all of it was bull. I.E. the fake Russian dossier two impeachment’s that should have never happened. Yes I supported Trump. They hasn’t been a true Democrat in the White House since Truman.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also told ABC News in an interview Tuesday the U.S. effort to evacuate the remaining Americans had “shifted from a military mission to a diplomatic mission,” and he insisted the United States held “considerable leverage over the Taliban to ensure that any remaining American citizen will be able to get out.” Sullivan went on to tout the administration’s successful evacuation of “97 or 98 percent” of the total number of Americans in Afghanistan since Aug. 14. Of those who were not evacuated, “we contacted [them] repeatedly over the course of two weeks to come to the airport, to come to a rally point,” he added. “The small number who remain, we are committed to getting out,” Sullivan said. “And we will work through every available diplomatic means — with the enormous leverage that we have and that the international community has — to make that happen.” https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2021/08/31/pentagon-concerned-americans-afghanistan-507955

Right wants McCarthy to go after Biden for Afghan War. Do they think the American public is so ignorant and forgetful that we don’t remember what party got us into this war and what party negotiated it’s ending….Seriously???

I think some folks need to read the reports on why it had been so difficult to get folks out. The backlog of SIVs created during the previous administration. Our military did an amazing job getting out the numbers of people that it did. Hopefully all those we have gotten out will be welcomed by our communities as they try to adapt to another country and culture. Hopefully we will all be welcoming.

JimK: nice job squashing fake outrage intellectuals like B.R. and Freethinker. Nice job.

An ugly end to an ugly war in an ugly country that we should not have been in. I applaud Joe Biden and his administration for having the courage and competency to get us out. My son has sacrificed (Purple Heart) in Afghanistan. I am so proud of him and all the military serving there, fighting for our country, however misguided the enterprise. We should honor our hero’s, learn from our mistakes and move on from this to the more important task of rebuilding our democracy and economy.

@JimK: Your logic is flawed. Making a comparison between Covid vaccinations and evacuation from Afghanistan, in no way, are the same. Covid vaccinations were made available to all. Each had the freedom to choose whether they wanted to take the shot or not. This decision was and is not dependent upon any conditions, or at least, not yet, whereas Americans in Afghanistan have no choice but to depend upon the US to get them out. Additionally, I noticed that you keep referring to the constraints put on Biden because of Trump's plan, especially the timeline of the evacuation. Perhaps you can answer a couple of questions: 1: The timeline for evacuation in Trump's plan was May1st. At first, Biden set a date of September 11th, but when he was critercized for this, he changed it to August 31. How was this possible if he was so constrained? 2: Let's assume Biden was constrained, why did he wait for the last minute to evacuate? He could have started much earlier. All this aside, your use of the word "unfortunate" in this particular case, is despicable.

Conflict in the world is from the being of time, when people use force as the only means to negotiate or try to justify it. There is a difference between heartless and reality, you can’t save the world or keep people from dying, you can only try, but at some point it is over! The line needed to be drawn, even on life support! It is never the way anyone ever wants. It’s just reality, all you can do is plant seeds and hope something grows. There are no winners in a war, just looser. The people that are against Biden, just want more people to die, as lone as it’s not them!

We leave in disgrace. An air strike that killed 6 children and we leave hundreds of trained service dogs that will be tortured and killed. Biden and his liberal party have disgraced this country. Impeach Biden!