I feel some kind of way seeing all these pictures of Taliban holding AR 15's

Lol, what a delightful representative of the school I love you are. You drunk already at 1 in the afternoon, having some gay fantasies?

UNICEF 'quite optimistic' after Taliban comments on girls' education, official says https://t.co/Np5lznULaH pic.twitter.com/zvzdBPKND9

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 17, 2021

• Summary

• UNICEF has held meetings with new Taliban reps
• Some support girls' education, women's work
• U.N. to keep staff as humanitarian needs grow

GENEVA, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The chief of field operations of the U.N. children's agency expressed cautious optimism about working with Taliban officials following their seizure of power in Afghanistan, citing their early expressions of support for girls' education.

The U.N. children's agency (UNICEF) is still delivering aid to most parts of the country and has held initial meetings with new Taliban representatives in recently seized cities like Kandahar, Herat and Jalalabad.

"We have ongoing discussions, we are quite optimistic based on those discussions," UNICEF's chief of field operations in Afghanistan, Mustapha Ben Messaoud, told a U.N. briefing, adding that 11 out of 13 field offices were currently operational.

"We have not a single issue with the Taliban in those field offices."
The Taliban ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001 following strict Islamic law, forbidding women from working. Girls were not allowed to attend school and women had to cover their faces and be accompanied by a male relative if they wanted to venture out of their homes.

U.N. chief Antonio Guterres warned on Monday of "chilling" curbs on human rights under the Taliban and mounting violations against women and girls and a U.N. official warned on Tuesday that thousands of Afghan rights workers were at risk.

UNICEF cited some Taliban local representatives as saying they were waiting for guidance from their leaders on the issue of educating girls, while others have said they want schools "up and running".
One Taliban health director in Heratwhere UNICEF is the only U.N. agency present had also asked female employees to report to duty, Ben Messaoud said. UNICEF had not yet established a direct communication with the Taliban in the capital Kabul, he added.

Rupert Colville, spokesman for Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the worries of many Afghans about the Taliban were "thoroughly understandable".
"We call on the Taliban to demonstrate through their actions, not just their words, that the fears for the safety of so many people from so many different walks of life are addressed," he said.

Unlike many countries which are scrambling to evacuate their diplomats from the country, the United Nations does not plan staff evacuations and is appealing for additional aid for its operations amid warnings of growing humanitarian needs.

However, U.N. dealings with the Taliban, designated by its Security Council as a terrorist organisation, may raise questions among donors.
More than half a million people have been displaced within the country since the beginning of the year with U.N. agencies warning of a "humanitarian catastrophe" as hunger spreads.

Does anyone here understand that the weapons and military equipment valued at tens of billions of dollars that we left behind will fuel DECADES of terror across the world under black market sales?

riflebear said:

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Thanks Obama

Today's cover: Taliban leader was freed from Guantanamo Bay in 2014 swap by Obama https://t.co/UNpMVMpGVO pic.twitter.com/IzSRd16cYz

— New York Post (@nypost) August 17, 2021

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Also thanks Trump

https://texasnewstoday.com/released-from-prison-with-the-help-of-donald-trump-abdul-ghani-baradar-next-afghan-chief/416168/

Released from prison with the help of Donald Trump: Abdul Ghani Baradar, next Afghan chief

Forest Bueller_bf said:

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This is how crowded that cargo plane filled to the brim was.

Wow.

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Winners!

HuMcK said:

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Lol, what a delightful representative of the school I love you are. You drunk already at 1 in the afternoon, having some gay fantasies?

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Funny, based on your posts, I thought you were a woman.

Doc Holliday said:

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Lots of moves taking place.

Taliban takes over Afghanistan. China makes alliance with Taliban.

I foresee China taking over Taiwan very soon.

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Another very strategic move by China toward controlling natural resources, especially rare earth elements, around the world.

Doc Holliday said:

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Does anyone here understand that the weapons and military equipment valued at tens of billions of dollars that we left behind will fuel DECADES of terror across the world under black market sales?

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That may wind up being pocket change compared to how much Biden will agree to pay to get the 10,000 to 40,000 US citizens past the Taliban checkpoints to the airport in Kabul.

midgett said:

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Jacques Strap said:

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Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said the insurgents seek no revenge and insisted that everyone had been pardoned, even if they worked with the former government or with foreign forces. Many Afghans fear a return to brutal rule under the Taliban. https://t.co/1ZG2snLatH

— The Associated Press (@AP) August 17, 2021

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Key words here:

"BREAKING: Taliban spokesman asserts that women's rights will be honored under Islamic law. The militant group's earlier rule in Afghanistan saw women's lives and rights severely restricted."

They have ZERO rights under Islamic law. There are no rights to honor. They will be forced into sex slavery almost regardless of age.

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You will get no argument from me.

This is exactly how Ayatollah Khomeini answered questions when he first came to power. "Freedom of speech, human rights and women's rights will all be protected...in accordance with Islamic law". That means none of these rights will be protected. https://t.co/XvTzxy0TJc

— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) August 17, 2021

robby44 said:

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riflebear said:

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Thanks Obama

Today's cover: Taliban leader was freed from Guantanamo Bay in 2014 swap by Obama https://t.co/UNpMVMpGVO pic.twitter.com/IzSRd16cYz

— New York Post (@nypost) August 17, 2021

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Also thanks Trump

https://texasnewstoday.com/released-from-prison-with-the-help-of-donald-trump-abdul-ghani-baradar-next-afghan-chief/416168/

Released from prison with the help of Donald Trump: Abdul Ghani Baradar, next Afghan chief

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Did you read the article? He was released to broker peace but when they see cowards in leadership of course they are going to jump at the chance to take advantage of Biden. Obama released all those terrorists for a US traitor with no conditions. If you think the Taliban would have tried to do this under the last administration U r extremely naive.

Defense Officials Sidestep Concerns over Taliban Blocking Off Airport, Beating Would Be Evacuees

It sounds like the White House is telling US Citizens to take their chances and walk to the airport. Man... what a tough spot to be in... having to trust both the White House AND the Taliban.

Quote:

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Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on Tuesday sidestepped questions about how the U.S. plans to respond to reports that the Taliban is stopping and beating people who attempt to acccess the airport in Kabul, where the U.S. military is facilitating evacuations from Afghanistan in the wake of a Taliban takeover.

Kirby said during a press briefing that U.S. military commanders at the Kabul international airport are in communication with Taliban commanders on the ground outside the airport. He declined to further detail those discussions, saying only that he would "let the results speak for themselves."

Asked by a reporter if those discussions include talk of allowing Americans and Afghans through Taliban checkpoints or expanding the perimeter around the airport so more people can arrive at the airport safely, Kirby declined to get into the "sausage-making of communications."

He said that the military is processing American citizens 5,000 to 10,000 of whom remain in country to evacuate and said though it is early on "the results are speaking for themselves."

Some Taliban fighters are beating people who attempt to gain entry to the airport, Fox News and the Wall Street Journal reported. Images have emerged of fighters whipping passers by and kicking a man in the face.

Kirby was met with similar questions during an appearance on CNN on Tuesday. Host John Berman asked what the plan is to get people to the airport and Kirby again replied that the U.S. military's "focus is at the airport, the security and stability at the airport."


"I don't want to set the expectation that we are equipped and able to go out into the countryside and physically move people into Kabul," he added. "Our focus right now the troops that we have there are at the airport."

Berman pushed back, asking "If they can't get to the airport, what does it matter if you have the capability to get them out from the airport?"

Kirby replied: "John, I understand that and we all understand that the security situation in Kabul is not ideal right now. The airport is open and people are able to get through the gates there. There's a processing process that actually has to occur and again our focus is on making sure that continues."

Meanwhile, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said later on Tuesday that the Taliban had guaranteed safe passage for Americans in Afghanistan to the Kabul airport.

When pressed on the reports that would-be evacuees are being beaten en route to the airport, Sullivan replied: "By and large what we have found is that people have been able to get to the airport and present themselves. There have been instances where we've heard that people are being turned back and even beaten. We are taking that up in our channels with the Taliban."

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Nice to see the CENTCOM commander on the ground there.

@CENTCOM commander Frank McKenzie at HKIA

Currently, the airfield is secure and now open to civilian air traffic
operating under visual flight rules. pic.twitter.com/P9RgeNwkSA

— Howard Altman (@haltman) August 17, 2021

TexasScientist said:

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Jacques Strap said:

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nein51 said:

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Doc Holliday said:

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Lots of moves taking place.

Taliban takes over Afghanistan. China makes alliance with Taliban.

I foresee China taking over Taiwan very soon.

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Would love to see China try to take Afghanistan. They might as well have a crack at it. Get mired there for a long time like everyone else has.

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I don't think China will take it, but I do think they will mine the hell out of it. Taliban needs money to fund their plans, China needs the minerals.

Afghanistan may be sitting on one of the richest troves of minerals in the world, valued at nearly $1 trillion, scientists say.

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China has strategically been locking up all of the sources of rare earth elements around the world. Once they get in there, no one, not even the Taliban will cross them, because China will be as barbaric, or more so, than the Taliban when it comes to waging war.

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Can you point to any instance in their 5000 years of history that china has ever come close to doing anything like what your suggesting?

Modern countries dont go from sneaking around to blitz-type invasions in short order.

China depends on keeping the US dollar worth more than the Yuan, because that keeps business profitable for China. The massive amount of debt the US has incurred with them aids this, and its nowhere close to going away.

More on the rare earth angle

One of the biggest US Special Forces firefights of all-time was in Afghanistan in the Shok Valley. The fight was to remove a terrorist warlord who was running illegal rare earth mines to build his own empire in the province. @JoeSquawk @andrewrsorkin @BeckyQuick @CNBC https://t.co/Ouj5zwFGJA

— 🇺🇸Kyle Bass🇺🇸 (@Jkylebass) August 17, 2021

Anybody got more on this story? BS or real?

Biometric data apparently has been seized by Taliban of the Afghans that helped US last 20 years allowing for execution lists and a swift round up.

Isn’t technology wonderful! https://t.co/zJIlMM1OI8

— Ed ☯️ The Obsolete Man...a Free Thinker (@DowdEdward) August 17, 2021

Damn you really do like that gay stuff, huh? Nothing wrong with that per se, but it's weird to keep projecting your personal desires like that at me. I get you're crying out for attention like the mental child that you are, but it's way off topic for the thread.

GoldMind said:

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TexasScientist said:

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Jacques Strap said:

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nein51 said:

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Doc Holliday said:

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Lots of moves taking place.

Taliban takes over Afghanistan. China makes alliance with Taliban.

I foresee China taking over Taiwan very soon.

---

Would love to see China try to take Afghanistan. They might as well have a crack at it. Get mired there for a long time like everyone else has.

---

I don't think China will take it, but I do think they will mine the hell out of it. Taliban needs money to fund their plans, China needs the minerals.

Afghanistan may be sitting on one of the richest troves of minerals in the world, valued at nearly $1 trillion, scientists say.

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China has strategically been locking up all of the sources of rare earth elements around the world. Once they get in there, no one, not even the Taliban will cross them, because China will be as barbaric, or more so, than the Taliban when it comes to waging war.

---

Can you point to any instance in their 5000 years of history that china has ever come close to doing anything like what your suggesting?

Modern countries dont go from sneaking around to blitz-type invasions in short order.

China depends on keeping the US dollar worth more than the Yuan, because that keeps business profitable for China. The massive amount of debt the US has incurred with them aids this, and its nowhere close to going away.

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The problem China has is that they don't have a whole lot of other options if they want to keep their status quo. In order to keep feeding their people and building crap for them, they have to sell us goods and we're happy to trade debt for goods rather than cash for goods. They have to keep feeding the monkey in order to feed themselves.

trey3216 said:

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GoldMind said:

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TexasScientist said:

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Jacques Strap said:

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nein51 said:

---

Doc Holliday said:

---

Lots of moves taking place.

Taliban takes over Afghanistan. China makes alliance with Taliban.

I foresee China taking over Taiwan very soon.

---

Would love to see China try to take Afghanistan. They might as well have a crack at it. Get mired there for a long time like everyone else has.

---

I don't think China will take it, but I do think they will mine the hell out of it. Taliban needs money to fund their plans, China needs the minerals.

Afghanistan may be sitting on one of the richest troves of minerals in the world, valued at nearly $1 trillion, scientists say.

---

China has strategically been locking up all of the sources of rare earth elements around the world. Once they get in there, no one, not even the Taliban will cross them, because China will be as barbaric, or more so, than the Taliban when it comes to waging war.

---

Can you point to any instance in their 5000 years of history that china has ever come close to doing anything like what your suggesting?

Modern countries dont go from sneaking around to blitz-type invasions in short order.

China depends on keeping the US dollar worth more than the Yuan, because that keeps business profitable for China. The massive amount of debt the US has incurred with them aids this, and its nowhere close to going away.

---

The problem China has is that they don't have a whole lot of other options if they want to keep their status quo. In order to keep feeding their people and building crap for them, they have to sell us goods and we're happy to trade debt for goods rather than cash for goods. They have to keep feeding the monkey in order to feed themselves.

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Fair I suppose, but they have many things to consider and my point is that countries are often like people, they don't rapidly escalate their violence unless it's some kind of psychotic break.Which I suppose is possible however not probable

Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen says the US should "withdraw all their forces" by 11 September, but adds "we are committed not to attack them"

Read the latest on the situation in Afghanistan here: https://t.co/qPs0VmYVd5 pic.twitter.com/5NX1MrqzXg

— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 17, 2021

Sky's @marthakelner asks US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan whether the government will save those in Afghanistan who worked with the US👇

He says 'we have identified people who are eligible for visas and are making provisions for them to leave'.https://t.co/lWd6hN8tL0 pic.twitter.com/5EGHflcgPa

— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 17, 2021

riflebear said:

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Thanks Obama

Today's cover: Taliban leader was freed from Guantanamo Bay in 2014 swap by Obama https://t.co/UNpMVMpGVO pic.twitter.com/IzSRd16cYz

— New York Post (@nypost) August 17, 2021

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Wasn't he swapped for that deserter Bergdahl?

Wow, what a colossal screw up

Talk about a lukewarm bureaucrat's answer there.

That a-hole should be forced to work a desk in Kabul

Does anyone know if any of our troops or other Americans have been fired upon?

Taliban saying all the right things (amnesty, women’s freedoms, free media)

They’re telling the world what it wants to hear.

Outside #Kabul, the situation is starkly different.

Taliban have reimposed its repressive laws, oppressing women and banning independent media.

— Frud Bezhan فرود بيژن (@FrudBezhan) August 17, 2021

GoldMind said:

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Does anyone know if any of our troops or other Americans have been fired upon?

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This is the only story I have seen. From yesterday. The airport is now secure, and flights have resumed. Yesterday the airport was chaos. Scroll back thru this thread for video of the mayhem.

US Troops Shoot, Kill Two at Kabul Airport as Flights Are Halted and Chaos Spirals

Quote:

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U.S. troops shot and killed two reportedly armed individuals at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, and all civilian and military flights have been halted amid chaotic scenes of desperate Afghans flooding the airfield.

....

The Pentagon confirmed Monday that troops had killed two at the airport, and Press Secretary John Kirby said there are preliminary indications that a U.S. service member may have been wounded as well, but stressed that he was relying on early reports.

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White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that details about the president's vacation were not finalized and was not able to confirm when he would return to the White House.

REPORTER: "Has the President spoken to any other world leaders since Kabul fell to the Taliban?"

NSA SULLIVAN: "He has not yet spoken with any other world leaders." pic.twitter.com/4Xt9tv1XyG

— Danny De Urbina (@dannydeurbina) August 17, 2021

Biden administration embroiled in internal blame-shifting amid Afghanistan chaos

Quote:

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Washington (CNN)Factions within the Biden administration are embroiled in a blame game over why the US government didn't act sooner to withdraw American citizens and Afghans who helped the US over two decades of war, leading to a rushed and dangerous evacuation.

Military officials have said that for weeks they urged the State Department to move faster in evacuating its diplomatic personnel.

State Department officials have said they were operating based on intelligence assessments that suggested they had more time, but intelligence officials insist that they had long reported the possibility of a rapid Taliban takeover.


Some officials insist that Biden got bad advice from some of his top military and intelligence advisers. One White House official pointed to Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley's comments from three weeks ago, when he suggested the Afghan forces had the capacity to fight for and defend their country, and that a Taliban takeover was not a foregone conclusion.

But CNN reports the military believes they "were actually prepared for the worst" and were "urging the State Department for weeks to begin withdrawing embassy employees in Kabul. Pentagon officials used the words 'frustration"' and 'sh*tshow' to describe their feelings about Washington and Kabul."

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US instructs people to come to Hamid Karzai Intl Airport in Kabul, but says the US govt cannot guarantee their safety as they make the trip

The below note went out this afternoon to American citizens requesting to be evacuated from Afghanistan, @alanacbs reports. It instructs people to come to Hamid Karzai Intl Airport in Kabul, but says the US govt cannot guarantee their safety as they make the trip. @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/rgEyjGup4K

— Sara Cook (@saraecook) August 17, 2021

Jacques Strap said:

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GoldMind said:

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Does anyone know if any of our troops or other Americans have been fired upon?

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This is the only story I have seen. From yesterday. The airport is now secure, and flights have resumed. Yesterday the airport was chaos. Scroll back thru this thread for video of the mayhem.

US Troops Shoot, Kill Two at Kabul Airport as Flights Are Halted and Chaos Spirals

Quote:

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U.S. troops shot and killed two reportedly armed individuals at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, and all civilian and military flights have been halted amid chaotic scenes of desperate Afghans flooding the airfield.

....

The Pentagon confirmed Monday that troops had killed two at the airport, and Press Secretary John Kirby said there are preliminary indications that a U.S. service member may have been wounded as well, but stressed that he was relying on early reports.

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So, they said they wouldn't shoot at us, appears they've kept their word thus far.