Beside Americans, Britons and Germans, there are at least Polish, Norwegians and French on the ground in Kabul. I read that Australia has evacuated a small number of people, too, though the text said just "24".



Germans operate with 600 soldiers plus commandos and two helicopters for evacuation of individuals from houses in the city. They say the climate with the Americans is not always cooperative, they had to land three A400M flights at least despite US orders not to land, and collided with US military leadership head on repeatedly. So far the Germans every time prevailed. Its the reason why sometimes the German planes launch again with less people on board than they could load, although the Airbus transports now also try to overload with up to around 250 people (usually the cap is at 140). Fortunately the German general commanding the operation in Kabul is said to be quite assertive, if need be. German defence ministry gave him absolute card blanche, so he must not take dirt from anyone, and will not. On the other hand the commandos in the city operate under US surviellance and air support, so cooperation still seems to work in other fields. Just at the airport the Americans seem to be bullying everybody, or try to. "US mission first".

Evacuation is an fast ongoing process. It's going so fast that they don't have time to check who's getting on board

Following is a German article I don't know how to translate the page.

Following quote has been translated
https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschl...r-gelangt.html

Markus

A cut above. :yep:

https://metro.co.uk/video/taliban-wa.../?ito=vjs-link

No extension to deadline says Taliban spokesman as Biden looks lost and weak and Europeans over reliant on US. The Taliban go from strength to strength looking strong determined and in control . Who is going to back down ? Its going to be a smoke and mirrors affair hiding the tail between legs pull out by all. Or will the Taliban capitalise even further politically by allowing a last minute extension showing their ability to "negotiate" they appear too have all the right moves and vastly underestimated by the "experts" and governments despite the red flags going way back. What a monumental clustermess

Meanwhile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO69xSIBS50

The battle for the last enklave are on its way or may have startet as I write this comment.

Can't remember the name of this enklave only it is the smallest of them all. And the clan who's in charge there is fighting the Taliban.

Now that Taliban got their hands on advanced weapon system I wonder if the other side has any chances.

Markus

What advanced weapons systems?

Black Hawk helicopters. I see them as an advanced weapon system
(Another thing is learning to use them)

Artillery Here I'm uncertain to whether it's ordinary artillery or these advanced type(seen on future weapon)

Markus

Afghan advanced weaponry; pack mules or donkeys to haul mortars and ammo

The Blackhawks are 40 something years old and not equipped with advanced weapons systems.

You're right I made a search and it said in the article that USA toke the advanced weapon system with them and left some old equipment to the Afghan army and some new(didn't say what)

Here is the article
Headline

How Valuable Are The U.S. Weapons The Taliban Just Captured?

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/21/10294...apons-captured

Markus

A female journalist who works for our Danish news channel, wrote this on her wall

"
Yesterday I saw the body of two people, wrapped in white robes. They had been crushed to death in front of the airport. Two out of several.
Again I saw desperate people. Little children. Crying.
And people who are forced to their knees. Disqualified. Degraded.
This is not just a tragedy unfolding. This is a failure without comparison.
I am ashamed. As a Dane. As Europeans. As a woman. Like Mother. As a daughter. As a human being.
This is happening in the name of us all. And it could have been avoided. How I am going to explain to my children sometime in the future that we all let this happen, I have no idea.
The British soldiers I talk to do not know either. Hard-skinned men who have fought the Taliban in Helmand are crying in front of me.
They feel powerless. “This is 1000 times worse. This is a tragedy. I have never seen so much desperation. ”
"

Markus

The Taliban will not extend the 31 August deadline for the current evacuation mission, a spokesman has said.

But the UK is expected to urge President Biden to delay the withdrawal of US forces beyond that date at Tuesday's G7 talks.

France is also calling for the US military presence to be extended..

Thousands of Afghans are trying to flee the country, a week after the Taliban seized control.

The German military says a member of the Afghan security forces was killed by unidentified attackers at Kabul airport on Monday.

The gun battle came as the US said it was stepping up its evacuation effort
Aircraft from Delta, United Airlines and others will help fly those already
evacuated from Afghanistan to final destinations.

US vice-president Kamala Harris - who's visiting Singapore - praised the US military for "doing very hard and difficult work" at Kabul airport.

Maybe but assuming they haven't killed the pilots, the Blackhawks give the Taliban an air-mobile capability they didn't have before.