You guys and gals all know me. I’m a big mouth Mick with a platform. But I also tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. And a month or so ago, it was Teri who caught the brunt of my righteous outrage, along with an uncaring television screen.
What engendered my wrath was a stupid, unnecessary ceremony. The US commander in Afghanistan ceremoniously turned over Bagram Air Force base to the Afghan military. I screamed and yelled, and almost threw the remote through my television screen. Why in the fuck would the US military give up their most valuable remaining asset in Afghanistan more than 2 months before the final withdrawal
Look, I have no problem with removing all non essential equipment and material from the base, that only makes common sense. But what makes no sane sense whatsoever was turning over the physical asset of the bas itself to the Afghans!
Just look at the current scenario. The entire remaining US forces are consolidated at the Karzai airport, with the Taliban controlling access to the airport, cutting off thousands of Afghan interpreters and other aides from getting to safety. And now we’re struggling to get the ones who could get there out of Afghanistan while the Taliban take pot shots at the aircraft.
Bagram air base was secure. We could have easily removed all unnecessary assets from the facility, and still retained control of the base. Afghan friendlies could have been routed there weeks ago, of even transported by US troops to the base for processing. There was plenty of housing there. And they and their families would have been safe from the Taliban advance, and ready for transport from a secure military base.
But instead, the government chose to make a futile ceremonial gesture of turning over a secure air base to forces that would not defend it. And as a result, they may have subjected thousands of loyal Afghan allies to death. And if that’s the case, then shame on us. Because it could easily have been avoided.
Follow me on Twitter at @RealMurfster35
ANY group of people who EVER believe the United States’ empty fucking promises, deserves what happens to them. We don’t deserve them.
I think the general belief at the time was that the government would not roll up like a carpet. For example why start evacuations when there would be no reason to leave. The population of Kabul was living a normal life just a week ago. If the us started evacuations two months ago it would be a sign of lack of faith in the government. Of course only now do we realize that the government, army etc were a puptent ready to fold.
Sad but true.
Barbara Lee for President 2024. She was right all along.