Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 34
September 14, 2021
The 9/14/21 dispatch.
News broke (actually HUGE news) just prior to sending this out today that I’m sure will consume the news across the country for the next couple of days.
General Mark Milley worried that former President Trump might start a war with China in the last days and weeks of his presidency, so Milley called the top general in China to calm down any fears of such an event happening. He also told those involved in America’s nuclear program that no nukes could be launched without him being involved in the process.
You can read the full story below, though it’s bound to be across the news in the coming days. And the book that the reporting is based on was written by renowned journalist Bob Woodward, who’s been reporting and writing presidential books going back to Watergate in the 70s. In short, he’s usually dead-on in regards to the facts.
Look for this story to blow up even more in the coming days.
Ken Dilanian @KenDilanianNBCTop general was so fearful Trump might spark war that he made secret calls to his Chinese counterpart, new book sa… 
Top general was so fearful Trump might spark war that he made secret calls to his Chinese counterpart, new book says« Peril, » by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, reveals how Gen. Mark A. Milley, the Joint Chiefs chairman, called his Chinese counterpart before the election and after Jan. 6 in a bid to avert armed conflict.washingtonpost.comSeptember 14th 2021
263 Retweets495 LikesIn other matters, The Washington Post recently wrote about how the CIA secretly assisted in the escape of Americans and Afghan allies from the war-torn country last month.
The story reads almost like a Vince Flynn thriller, with a car pulling up at the corner, an American stepping into it, and the car driving off in the opposite direction of the airport to throw off pursuers.
Link below:
@nakashimae\n\n","username":"DanLamothe","name":"Dan Lamothe","date":"Mon Sep 13 12:57:11 +0000 2021","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":12,"like_count":38,"expanded_url":{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation... American woman’s escape highlights secretive CIA role in Kabul rescues","description":"Shaqaiq Birashk was contacted by a stranger offering to have her picked up and escorted to the airport for evacuation.","domain":"washingtonpost.com"},"video_url":null}">
Dan Lamothe @DanLamotheNEW: Afghan American woman’s escape highlights secretive CIA role in Kabul rescuesWith @nakashimae
Afghan American woman’s escape highlights secretive CIA role in Kabul rescuesShaqaiq Birashk was contacted by a stranger offering to have her picked up and escorted to the airport for evacuation.washingtonpost.comSeptember 13th 2021
12 Retweets38 LikesI’m sure a lot more of this happened than we even know, and if I had to bet, I’d say it’s probably still happening.
I’d even go further with my bet, in fact. I’d even go so far as to say some Taliban members are assisting such efforts, for massive wads of cash: the fuel of most spy endeavors.
Give it some time and I’m confident we’ll read about some pretty crazy escapes someday.
Moving on, in Europe, a big thing (in the grand scheme of things) is happening. The Merkel era in Germany is about to end after 16 years. The Washington Post has a good summary of her time in office.
For more than 16 years, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stood at the heart of European politics. As the country’s first female chancellor, she steered Europe’s largest economy — and, by extension, the rest of the continent — through cycles of crises, from the shock of the global recession to the risk of euro-zone collapse to the 2015 migration surge. She earned a reputation for serious work, stable leadership and having a gift for political compromise. When Donald Trump took presidential office, she was cast briefly as the great defender of the Western liberal order, a reputation burnished by an unforgettable 2018 picture of Merkel glaring across the table at Trump like a stern schoolmaster about to scold a truculent pupil.
But we are now in the deep twilight of the Merkel era. In less than two weeks, Germans will elect a new government and Merkel will have no part in it. Her political party, the center-right Christian Democrats, may for the first time in a generation find itself sitting in the opposition absent its talismanic leader. And for all the respect and admiration Merkel commanded at home and abroad, she is poised to exit the stage with a checkered record.
You can read more about it at the link above.
Finally, I saw the eye-popping story below. I only barely skimmed the highlights, but it’s just staggering to consider that we’ve spent $14 trillion. And that $7 trillion of that went to contractors.
Just seeing those numbers. They’re almost not real. And yet I know they are.
Military.com @MilitarydotcomStudy: Pentagon Reliance on Contractors Hurt US in 9/11 Wars 
Study: Pentagon Reliance on Contractors Hurt US in 9/11 WarsA new study says up to half of the $14 trillion spent by the Pentagon since 9/11 went to for-profit defense contractorsmilitary.comSeptember 13th 2021
4 Retweets13 LikesThat’s it for this post. Stay safe and be kind. As always, please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post some motivation and veteran interviews, when I can schedule them. (Veterans NEVER want to talk about themselves or what they’ve done. If you know a veteran, please reach out to me at stan@stanrmitchell.com. I would love to feature them on my site.)
I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! You can also simply reply to the email you received and I will receive that communication, as well. I always appreciate each and every email that I receive.
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. No, I mean blistering fast. With great suspense & twists. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
September 10, 2021
The 9/10/21 dispatch.
Hope everyone has had a great week.
In Afghanistan news, the Taliban has been cooperating with America and the world, allowing the first of potentially many flights out of the country. The first flight, which had more than 200 on it, had at least 30 Americans on it.
The Washington Post reported that the National Security Council stated, “The Taliban have been cooperative in facilitating the departure of American citizens and lawful permanent residents on charter flights. They have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. This is a positive first step.”
While there was also news that the Taliban has beaten some Afghan journalists, I think it’s still important for the U.S. to work with the Taliban for as long (and as much) as we can.
Russia, in a classic Russian move, is trying to throw around its weight again. It recently held a massive 200,000-man exercise near the border with NATO.
The Washington Post @washingtonpostRussia begins major military drills with Belarus after moves toward closer integration 
Russia begins major military drills with Belarus after moves toward closer integrationRussia’s Vladimir Putin plans to unify Russia’s military space with Belarus, but offered no details on what it means.wapo.stSeptember 10th 2021
29 Retweets60 LikesRussia and Belarus have been growing closer since President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has faced Western complaints and sanctions. Lukashenko remains in power after a disputed vote last year. After initial protests, he has tightened his grip on the country.
As the Post reports:
Sandwiched between Russia and NATO, Belarus, like Ukraine, is seen by Moscow as a buffer zone and vital to its security interests. Putin stepped in as Lukashenko’s only major ally last year when Lukashenko faced massive post-election protests.
Western countries imposed tough sanctions on Belarus over the violent crackdown on protesters, the jailing of opposition figures and journalists, and the forced landing of a Ryanair passenger jet in May with an anti-Lukashenko journalist on board. The journalist was arrested.
In other matters, I have to share the latest technology news.
As some of you know, who follow me on Twitter, I still have this nightmare from time-to-time (probably from watching too many 90s movies) that we will all be hunted down and killed by roving, driving, jumping robots someday. Robots that use artificial intelligence and weapons without an ounce of emotion.
Well, the robot/drone journey continues, and we’re now arming them.
trib.al/BELqpKd ","username":"defense_news","name":"Defense News","date":"Fri Sep 10 13:28:10 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/E-7V-F...
Defense News @defense_newsIsraeli, British firms to deliver unmanned vehicles for UK experimental program trib.al/BELqpKd 
September 10th 2021
8 Retweets27 LikesI’m so going to be pissed if we’re running from these things someday! lol
Just kidding. In reality (as long as these things have kill switches), robots and drones will help give Western countries an edge, not to mention reduce casualties in future conflicts. They’re a good thing, even if the weak part of my brain worries sometimes. hahaha
Moving along, I came across this cool video the other day. It was pretty impressive and a reminder that deck guns on ships are still nothing to mess with, even though this one is a relatively small one.
George Allison @geoallisonHMS Kent, HMS Defender and HNLMS Evertsen joined F-35 fighters from HMS Queen Elizabeth and U.S. Marines ashore for a coordinated Naval Gunfire Support exercise aimed at delivering shore bombardment from the sea. August 20th 2021
10 Retweets37 LikesAnd finally, I only barely caught the first part (and highlights) of the Alabama game last week. But to me, it seemed a blowout against Miami. The score ended 44-13, after all.
But if you want some motivation, and a reminder of how hard you have to chase greatness if you actually want to achieve it, then listen to this clip below.
This video below was a GREAT reminder to me that we should all be pushing ourselves harder, demanding higher standards and expectations for ourselves, even if we’re already “winning.”
SEC Mike @MichaelWBrattonNick Saban opens up his Wednesday presser leading up to the Mercer game going off on all the rat poison surrounding Alabama. Saban notes the Crimson Tide played “basically one half of one game” before the rat poison started this season September 8th 2021
12 Retweets119 LikesThat’s it for this post. Stay safe and be kind. As always, please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! You can also simply reply to the email you received and I will receive that communication, as well. I always appreciate each and every email that I receive.
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. No, I mean blistering fast. With great suspense & twists. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
September 8, 2021
The 9/8/21 dispatch.
Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend.
In the world of foreign policy, the topic of Afghanistan retreated off the front pages, returning to where it’s been for most of the past twenty years. (Much to my — and many other’s — frustration.)
Following the evacuation of more than 124,000 people from Kabul, the Department of Defense is now housing more than 26,000 in the United States. You can read about that work below.
#OperationAlliesWelcome: ","username":"DeptofDefense","name":"Department of Defense 🇺🇸","date":"Wed Sep 08 10:00:00 +0000 2021","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":51,"like_count":224,"expanded_url":{"url":"https://go.usa.gov/xMgcR","... Creates","description":"The Defense Department has set up “mayor cells” at each of the eight installations housing Afghan civilians to better understand their needs and address their concerns of living there, the commander","domain":"go.usa.gov"},"video_url":null}">
Department of Defense 🇺🇸 @DeptofDefenseFollowing the evacuations in Afghanistan, eight military facilities in the U.S. worked quickly to set up facilities to house Afghan civilians and families. Learn more about #OperationAlliesWelcome: 
DOD CreatesThe Defense Department has set up “mayor cells” at each of the eight installations housing Afghan civilians to better understand their needs and address their concerns of living there, the commandergo.usa.govSeptember 8th 2021
51 Retweets224 LikesIn the wake of the U.S. departure from Afghanistan, former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough posted a message for those doubting our resolve.
Just a reminder to those nattering nabobs of negativism who have been predicting America’s collapse for 50 years, let me say again what I’ve said for decades: If you bet against the United States of American, you lose. Every. Single. Time.
a.image2.image-link.image2-900-579 { padding-bottom: 155.440414507772%; padding-bottom: min(155.440414507772%, 900px); width: 100%; height: 0; } a.image2.image-link.image2-900-579 img { max-width: 579px; max-height: 900px; } He added:
Joe Scarborough @JoeNBCWe are the strongest country economically, technologically, militarily, and culturally. Measured by hard power or soft power, America remains the world’s dominant superpower. Washington, DC is broken. The rest of America is doing pretty darn well.September 3rd 2021
44 Retweets722 LikesI’ve got to say (as one of America’s biggest fans) that I agree with him.
Moving to other topics, Russia conducted a massive exercise recently in Crimea, which is the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine. (See below.)
@DefTechPat buff.ly/3jF3qIF ","username":"DefenseOne","name":"Defense One","date":"Fri Sep 03 19:23:03 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/E-YkET...
Defense One @DefenseOneWas Russia’s April Exercise a Practice Run for a Ukraine Invasion? | @DefTechPat buff.ly/3jF3qIF 
September 3rd 2021
4 Retweets11 LikesThe exercise comes at a time when the United States has been showing much more support for Ukraine, including a visit by Ukraine’s president to the United States.
@ZelenskyyUa and Minister of @DefenceU Taran to reiterate the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine. We also signed a Strategic Defense Framework to enhance our defense partnership and advance shared priorities. ","username":"SecDef","name":"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III","date":"Tue Aug 31 21:48:39 +0000 2021","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{"full_text":"A new stage in 🇺🇦🇺🇸 defense cooperation. An agreement on the strategic foundations of the defense partnership was signed in @DeptofDefense. For us, 🇺🇸 support for 🇺🇦's territorial integrity, gaining @NATO membership and joint opposition to Russian aggression are very important. https://t.co/SebG2PIQjd","u... Зеленський"},"retweet_count":200,"like_count":759,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null}">
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III @SecDefToday, I met with Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa and Minister of @DefenceU Taran to reiterate the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine. We also signed a Strategic Defense Framework to enhance our defense partnership and advance shared priorities. Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa
A new stage in 🇺🇦🇺🇸 defense cooperation. An agreement on the strategic foundations of the defense partnership was signed in @DeptofDefense. For us, 🇺🇸 support for 🇺🇦's territorial integrity, gaining @NATO membership and joint opposition to Russian aggression are very important. https://t.co/SebG2PIQjdAugust 31st 2021
200 Retweets759 LikesAs the AP reported:
The United States is promising up to $60 million in military aid to Ukraine in advance of a White House meeting on Wednesday between President Joe Biden and his counterpart in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
…
The U.S. says it has committed more than $2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine since its conflict with Russia began in 2014.
And finally, in under-reported news, the Dept of Defense has wrapped up its recent aid mission to Haiti, which was struck by a massive earthquake. In total, the Dept of Defense provided:
#JTFHaiti provided aerial imagery of damaged areas; flew 671 missions to deliver aid and response personnel; delivered almost 600,000 pounds of humanitarian cargo, including food, water, medical equipment, and other critical relief supplies, and assisted or rescued 477 people. ","username":"USNavy","name":"U.S. Navy","date":"Mon Sep 06 17:37:38 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/E-nooM...
U.S. Navy @USNavy#JTFHaiti provided aerial imagery of damaged areas; flew 671 missions to deliver aid and response personnel; delivered almost 600,000 pounds of humanitarian cargo, including food, water, medical equipment, and other critical relief supplies, and assisted or rescued 477 people. 
September 6th 2021
67 Retweets359 LikesThat’s it for this post. Stay safe and be kind. As always, please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! You can also simply reply to the email you received and I will receive that communication, as well. I always appreciate each and every email that I receive.
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. No, I mean blistering fast. With great suspense & twists. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
September 3, 2021
The 9/3/21 dispatch.
Just a few quick scattered shots for this post.
In Afghanistan, a force to the north is still fighting the Taliban. (I first mentioned this group in my 8/24 post.)
BBC News (World) @BBCWorldAfghanistan Panjshir: Fighting intensifies over holdout Afghan valley 
Afghanistan Panjshir: Fighting intensifies over holdout Afghan valleyThe Panjshir Valley, near Kabul, is the only area of Afghanistan that has not fallen to the Taliban.bbc.inSeptember 3rd 2021
87 Retweets292 LikesIn other matters, I had predicted in my last post that America might team up with the Taliban. At that time, I wrote:
a.image2.image-link.image2-135-744 { padding-bottom: 18.11023622047244%; padding-bottom: min(18.11023622047244%, 134.74015748031496px); width: 100%; height: 0; } a.image2.image-link.image2-135-744 img { max-width: 744px; max-height: 134.74015748031496px; } It turns out I was right about that.
@TaraCopp buff.ly/3kJm1me ","username":"DefenseOne","name":"Defense One","date":"Fri Sep 03 02:07:03 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/E-U28e...Defense One @DefenseOne‘It’s Possible’ US and Taliban Will Target ISIS-K Together, Milley Says | @TaraCopp buff.ly/3kJm1me 
September 3rd 2021
7 Retweets7 LikesAnd I’ve got to say, thank goodness that I was right about that. Not because I care one way or the other about the policy of us working with the Taliban or not, but because I was so wrong about the Afghan Army and how long it might hold out, that it nearly shook my confidence as a long-time watcher of foreign policy and conflict.
While we’re discussing that withdrawal (thanks to no real resistance), Jonathan Alter writes that we need to look at the withdrawal in a different light. Not only should we honor the incredible work of those involved in it, he also said we should change how we view it. He posted:
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a.image2.image-link.image2-141-670 { padding-bottom: 21.00271002710027%; padding-bottom: min(21.00271002710027%, 140.71815718157183px); width: 100%; height: 0; } a.image2.image-link.image2-141-670 img { max-width: 670px; max-height: 140.71815718157183px; } You can read Alter’s full piece here: A Ballsy President and His Historic Airlift. It’s honestly a great piece and helped challenge and persuade me on a couple of things.
Moving along still, while the U.S. is now out of the country (except for probably the CIA), the Taliban is still trying to desperately become a functioning country, making frantic preparations for commercial flights to come into the country.
@qatarairways C17 landed at HKIA earlier today. While this is the first non-military flight landing at Kabul, the status of the airport able to handle commercial traffic is still unknown. ","username":"NaveedAJamali","name":"Naveed Jamali","date":"Thu Sep 02 00:09:46 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://cdn.substack.com/image/upload...
Naveed Jamali @NaveedAJamali.@qatarairways C17 landed at HKIA earlier today. While this is the first non-military flight landing at Kabul, the status of the airport able to handle commercial traffic is still unknown. September 2nd 2021
16 Retweets58 LikesAnd my final point about Afghanistan for this post. Our withdrawal and exit continue to frustrate some Europeans to no end. And right on time, this has come up again:
The Washington Post @washingtonpostDoes the European Union need its own army? Afghanistan withdrawal revives an old debate. 
Does the European Union need its own army? Afghanistan withdrawal revives an old debate.Significant obstacles exist, however, including people’s appetite for casualties and member states all agreeing on foreign policy.wapo.stSeptember 3rd 2021
37 Retweets91 LikesBefore ending this post, let’s end on a good note. With so much bad news of late, and so much division as well, let’s end on an incredibly touching moment. (And I cannot confirm nor deny whether this one might have caused a tear or two.)
I dare you to watch it.
Chicago White Sox @whitesoxThe real winning moment of the night. 😭U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Daniel LaCosse surprised his wife and two kids with an early return from his deployment in Kuwait. Welcome home! September 2nd 2021
280 Retweets1,945 LikesThat’s it for this post. Stay safe and be kind. As always, please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! You can also simply reply to the email you received and I will receive that communication, as well. I always appreciate each and every email that I receive.
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. No, I mean blistering fast. With great suspense & twists. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
August 31, 2021
The 8/31/21 dispatch.
The final U.S. troops departed Afghanistan yesterday.
susannah george @sgreportsAfter 2 weeks of chaos & 20 years of war, U.S. troops depart Afghanistan 
U.S. troops depart a dramatically changed Afghanistan after 2 weeks of chaos and 20 years of warThe threat of more terrorist attacks like last week’s suicide bombing could undercut the finality of the U.S. withdrawal.washingtonpost.comAugust 31st 2021
2 Retweets3 LikesAnd in the perfect example of leadership, the commanding officer on the ground was the last to leave.
@82ndABNDiv, @18airbornecorps boards an @usairforce C-17 on August 30th, 2021, ending the U.S. mission in Kabul. ","username":"DeptofDefense","name":"Department of Defense 🇺🇸","date":"Mon Aug 30 23:57:48 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/E-E8l8...Department of Defense 🇺🇸 @DeptofDefenseThe last American soldier to leave Afghanistan: Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue, commanding general of the @82ndABNDiv, @18airbornecorps boards an @usairforce C-17 on August 30th, 2021, ending the U.S. mission in Kabul. 
August 30th 2021
13,314 Retweets57,415 LikesThere is so much to discuss and cover regarding what comes next, but I’m emotionally not really in the place to dig into the weeds on it all.
I recently read a long piece in The Washington Post about how the Afghan government just completely collapsed under former President Ashraf Ghani. It’s pretty disgusting to read. The man didn’t organize defenses. He didn’t even ensure checkpoints and defensive positions were set up inside Kabul when it was the last city still standing.
Instead, he was talking about the economy and how the government paid its employees. From the article:
Even as a cascade of provincial capitals fell — starting with Zaranj in the far southwest on Aug. 6, and continuing through two dozen others over the nine days that followed — the president appeared distracted.
“Ghani would want to talk about digitization of the economy,” said the official, referring to the president’s plan for a government salary payment system. “It had nothing to do with the dire threat.”
If you read that entire article, you will walk away absolutely infuriated. Here’s just a snippet of it:
Ghani’s lack of focus on the threat that the Taliban posed mystified U.S. officials, in particular, Marine Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, and Ambassador Ross Wilson.
In a July meeting with Ghani in Kabul, the two men told the Afghan president that his team needed a “realistic, implementable and widely supported plan to defend the country” and must drop the idea of defending all 34 provincial capitals, said an official familiar with the meeting.
“They had to focus on what they could actually defend,” said the official. “All provinces are important, but some were integral to the defense of Kabul.”
Ghani appeared to agree, but there would be no follow-through, the official said.
The entire article is more than worth the read, but you find yourself almost cussing at Ghani by the end of it. Of course, by that point, he had already fled without telling anyone, even those under him.
It’s simply STILL shocking to read that a capital of more than 4 million people collapsed without a shot fired. Even the Taliban were surprised by how events unfolded in Kabul. Police simply abandoned their checkpoints because the government essentially abandoned them.
Okay, breathe Stan. Try to let that go.
Moving on, reluctantly…
Now, the Taliban controls the country, but they have a host of problems to deal with. Including, trying to defeat ISIS-K.
The Washington Post @washingtonpostGlobal Opinions: ISIS-K is ready to fight the Taliban. Here’s how the group became a major threat in Afghanistan. 
Opinion | ISIS-K is ready to fight the Taliban. Here’s how the group became a major threat in Afghanistan.ISIS-K emerged in 2015 from disgruntled members of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as some of members of al-Qaeda.wapo.stAugust 30th 2021
65 Retweets177 LikesInterestingly, the Taliban released more than 2,000 ISIS-K fighters from prison, without fully thinking through what they had done. Initially, they wanted the men to help them fight the Afghan government. But now, those same men are loose and often dressed the same as the Taliban.
Two final quick things.
First, the Taliban has shown some signs of moderation. They requested that a bookstore owner re-open his bookstore. They haven’t banned television yet. And they’ve clearly worked with the Americans on several things.
I wouldn’t be surprised if America and the Taliban don’t team up against ISIS-K, using American drones and Taliban foot soldiers. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Taliban doesn’t help continue to evacuate Americans and other Aghan interpreters that we want to evacuate.
While some pro-U.S. Afghans have been hunted down and killed (some of these were killed by ISIS-K), it seems the Taliban itself is desperate for the billions in foreign aid that the U.S. is holding over its head.
This dance between the United States, the Taliban, and ISIS-K will be interesting to watch in the coming days and weeks.
I’m sure I’ll have more on that as it emerges.
The final thing I wanted to do in this post was honor those who gave their lives last week.
James LaPorta @JimLaPorta
August 28th 2021
1,248 Retweets4,843 LikesAll right, gang. That’s it for this post.
I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts below, if you feel like sharing them. This has definitely all been heavy the past couple of weeks.
As always, please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! You can also simply reply to the email you received and I will receive that communication, as well. I always appreciate each and every email that I receive.
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. No, I mean blistering fast. With great suspense & twists. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
August 28, 2021
Meeting some heroes here on the homefront
This is a bit of an unexpected, unplanned post, but something pretty cool happened to me tonight.
Out of the blue, and completely unexpectedly, a long-time reader (fan, maybe?) messaged me and said they would be passing through Knoxville and would love to meet up if I had a moment.
I have been tweeting and messaging with Joshua McGuoirk for years now, and it turned out that the Fire Battalion Chief from Philadelphia was passing through my city on his way to respond to Hurricane Ida, which is projected to hit Louisiana.
McGuoirk was just one of 90 strong from Pennsylvania Task Force 1. They are part of the National Urban Search & Rescue Response System, established under the authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 1989. Essentially, the federal government teams up with states to provide federal disaster response task forces.
a.image2.image-link.image2-464-662 { padding-bottom: 70%; padding-bottom: min(70%, 463.4px); width: 100%; height: 0; } a.image2.image-link.image2-464-662 img { max-width: 662px; max-height: 463.4px; } Pennsylvania Task Force 1, stopping for fuel in Knoxville, on its way to LA. McGuoirk said his task force was activated late last night (08/27/21), and after pre-mission work up and briefing, they rolled out at 0330 hours today, 08/28/21.
It was quite a convoy, which included 3 tractor-trailers, 2 box trucks, 2 vans with trailers, 4 pick-ups with trailers (including 2 gators), a command and control vehicle (suburban), and even a massive passenger bus (people mover).
McGuoirk said they take so many vehicles because with natural disasters, there typically is no infrastructure to support such a large group. And since the areas hit by a disaster have enough problems, the task force arrives completely self-sufficient. Essentially, they have enough food, water, shelter, comms, etc., for a minimum of 14 days. If necessary, he said they can stretch to 21 days before a resupply.
I learned a lot by talking with him, and my step-son (who currently wants to be a MLB player) was pretty impressed by these heroes he got to see heading toward harm’s way. When I told him I was running out to meet McGuoirk, and he could come with me and meet some firemen, he jumped up as excited as I’ve seen him in some time.
McGuoirk said the task force deployed when Hurricane Katrina hit and was deployed for 28 straight days. That was almost exactly 16 years ago and now the task force is headed back.
I know we have a lot of people in harm’s way in Afghanistan right now, but let’s remember we have first responders running toward approaching dangers right here at home, as well.
Thank you, Josh, for reaching out, and for all you and all the other first responders do!
a.image2.image-link.image2-617-640 { padding-bottom: 96.40625%; padding-bottom: min(96.40625%, 617px); width: 100%; height: 0; } a.image2.image-link.image2-617-640 img { max-width: 640px; max-height: 617px; } Of course I had to hand out some books for the dead time on the drive there. By my math, they had at least a solid nine more hours on the road. That’s it for this post. Stay safe and be kind. As always, please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! You can also simply reply to the email you received and I will receive that communication, as well. I always appreciate each and every email that I receive.
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. No, I mean blistering fast. With great suspense & twists. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
August 27, 2021
The 8/27/21 dispatch.
America suffered a horrific attack in Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. service members and dozens of civilians. There are tons of places online that you can read more about this attack, and all its gruesome details, but the emotional pains I feel about this are too raw and real to dig deeply into it.
If you want to do so, I invite you to do so. I, however, cannot do so.
The service members that died were doing the exact same mission my unit did in 1997 in Albania. They are called NEO’s, or Noncombatant Evacuation Operations.
Missions such as these are brutal and dangerous, and not only do you have to tell some folks “no,” they can’t come, but you’re also in exposed positions from which you can rarely defend yourself.
Either from suicide bombers, as happened in this instance, or from multi-story buildings in densely populated areas. We took fire in several instances from crowded apartment complexes and were unable to precisely determine the point of fire in order to respond responsibly (without wounding far too many civilians in the process).
It’s a tense, scary situation, and it’s not fun to basically be a target and be unable to defend yourself (in most instances).
But that’s what the terrorists do. They use the civilians as shields and cover. And it’s horrific and despicable.
As I said, I’m too close to what’s happening there to talk much about it. But from a policy perspective, I don’t think much will change. I think we will exit on (or about) the August 31 timeline.
Prior to the attack, one vocal member of Congress, who had wanted to stay longer, had already changed his mind.
Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), who recently visited Kabul on an unauthorized trip, said he had changed his views on Afghanistan. The Washington Post reported that Moulton “had hoped to press President Biden to extend the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline.” But that idea changed completely after his trip on Tuesday reversed his thinking.
“There’s no way we can get everyone out, even by Sept. 11. So we need to have a working relationship with the Taliban after our departure. And the only way to achieve that is to leave by Aug. 31.”
The group that attacked us, ISIS-K, is actually an enemy of the Taliban. So in a weird turn of events, the U.S. could end up working (somewhat) with the Taliban to target ISIS-K members.
This is proof of the old proverb that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."
The Washington Post @washingtonpostISIS-K, the group behind the Kabul airport attack, sees both Taliban and the U.S. as enemies 
ISIS-K, the group behind the Kabul airport attack, sees both Taliban and the U.S. as enemiesTerrorism experts say the Islamic State offshoot will try to ramp up attacks with U.S. leaving Afghanistan.wapo.stAugust 27th 2021
103 Retweets271 LikesThe jockeying between China and America for allies continues. China pulled a sneaky move over the U.S. this week in Vietnam. (You have to give them props on this one.)
Learning that America planned to donate 1 million coronavirus vaccine doses as part of a visit from Vice President Harris, China topped America.
A three-hour delay in her schedule handed China a window of opportunity.
Beijing quickly sent its envoy in Hanoi to meet with Vietnam’s prime minister and pledged a donation of 2 million vaccine doses, undercutting the subsequent U.S. announcement. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, thanking the envoy, said Vietnam “does not ally with one country to fight against another,” according to state media.
An analyst in that story stated, “Beijing likes to remind Hanoi who of the two giants is closer to it,” said Huong Le Thu, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
This was another heavy post, so I wanted to end on something lighter. I love technology stories, such as the one below. I hope it helps give you some hope for a better world, as it did for me when I first saw it.
cnn.it/38fHSMk ","username":"CNN","name":"CNN","date":"Thu Aug 26 10:01:05 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://cdn.substack.com/image/upload...
CNN @CNNThese beach-cleaning robots are being tested to minimize coastal pollution by using trained algorithms, automation and remote controls to remove litter. cnn.it/38fHSMk August 26th 2021
166 Retweets702 LikesThat’s it for this post. Stay safe and be kind. As always, please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! You can also simply reply to the email you received and I will receive that communication, as well. I always appreciate each and every email that I receive.
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. No, I mean blistering fast. With great suspense & twists. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
August 24, 2021
Afghan evacuations continue, Saudi Arabia tilts toward Russia, and some cool technology that could change the world.
Evacuations continue in Afghanistan, with the U.S. having now evacuated more than 58,000 people. President Biden plans (as of now) to hold to the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline, but he’s facing tremendous bi-partisan pressure on that, as well as pressure from many European countries. Biden has asked the Pentagon to prepare contingency plans, in case he decides to extend beyond it.
One thing that hasn’t gotten a lot of news in Afghanistan is that the Taliban hasn't captured all of the country yet. One province has vowed to resist. It’s in the Panjshir Valley, which is just over 90 miles north of Kabul. You can read more about this resistance in the article below from CNN.
CNN @CNNAs the Taliban firms up its grip on Afghanistan, there is one remote region whose resistance to the militant group goes back decades. Now, the last major holdout is under threat. 
The Taliban hasn’t captured all of Afghanistan yet. One province has vowed to resistA general view of Panjshir valley as seen from Ahmad Shah Massoud’s grave, on the 10th anniversary of Massoud’s assassination, in Saricha, on September 9, 2011.cnn.itAugust 24th 2021
70 Retweets287 LikesOne pretty big piece of news from one of the men who led the effort in Afghanistan barely made the news this week. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mike Mullen, said he was wrong to support encouraging former President Obama to train up the Afghan Army. Given the sudden collapse of the Afghan Army, Mullen said that Biden had been right to want to withdraw troops more than ten years ago.
The interview is only four minutes long and well worth the watch. (It has certainly helped sway my views some.)
youtu.be/L6S66UNqrGI via @YouTube","username":"Robt_Gibbs","name":"Robert Gibbs","date":"Tue Aug 24 02:18:00 +0000 2021","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":15,"like_count":56,"expanded_url":{"url":"https://youtu.be/L6S66UNqrGI",&q... was wrong’ to boost U.S. troops to build Afghan army: Fmr. Joint Chiefs chair | ABC News","description":"Martha Raddatz interviews former Joint Chiefs chair Admiral Mike Mullen on “This Week.”#ABCNews #ThisWeek #Afghanistan","domain":"youtu.be"},"video_url":null}">
Robert Gibbs @Robt_GibbsWorth the watch. This interview didn’t get the type of coverage it deserved this weekend. Give Admiral Mullen a lot of credit for this type of reflection and honesty.'I was wrong' to boost U.S. troops to build Afghan army: Fmr. Joint Chie... youtu.be/L6S66UNqrGI via @YouTube
‘I was wrong’ to boost U.S. troops to build Afghan army: Fmr. Joint Chiefs chair | ABC NewsMartha Raddatz interviews former Joint Chiefs chair Admiral Mike Mullen on “This Week.”#ABCNews #ThisWeek #Afghanistanyoutu.beAugust 24th 2021
15 Retweets56 LikesOne final point about Afghanistan, before moving on to other topics. This point made below is something that will be worth watching, especially now that the Taliban is saying it doesn’t want doctors, engineers, and other professional Afghans to leave the country.
Michael McFaul @McFaulAfghan army-building failed. Afghan state-building probably failed. But Afghan society-building did not. Afghan urban societies, in part because of US assistance and engagement, are vastly different from the last time the Taliban ruled there.August 23rd 2021
672 Retweets3,770 LikesThe Taliban will have to be more modern this time or it will face some kind of resistance from the urban areas.
In other foreign news, I was startled to see the news below.
David Ignatius @IgnatiusPostSaudi Arabia, notably absent as Qatar, UAE and other Gulf allies assisted US evacuation from Kabul, has now decided to strengthen defense ties with Russia. As with most moves by MBS, this is impulsive and potentially dangerous. Saudis depend on US weapons and support. Khalid bin Salman خالد بن سلمان @kbsalsaud
Met with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu to explore ways to strengthen the military and defense cooperation between our two countries. We discussed our common endeavor to preserve stability and security in the region, and reviewed shared challenges facing our countries. https://t.co/T7lVdITZPtAugust 23rd 2021
292 Retweets496 LikesWe probably should have seen this coming. America has increasingly been at odds with Saudi Arabia. It’s way too early to know if this is some kind of major re-alignment, but it’s certainly not welcome news to a country we’ve been allied with for at least 30 years.
Finally, I thought I’d end this post with some good news I came across on Twitter. Way too many negative things going on, so let’s end on a positive note!
Check out this story below for something that will give you some hope.
cnn.it/3sm49B2 ","username":"CNN","name":"CNN","date":"Tue Aug 17 07:45:07 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://cdn.substack.com/image/upload...CNN @CNNThis fleet of drones aims to plant a billion trees to fight deforestation, wildfires and climate change cnn.it/3sm49B2 August 17th 2021
425 Retweets1,516 LikesThat’s it for this post. Please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! (Please be kind in the comments. I’m a proud moderate, who wants to unite the country. So if you attack someone or say something out of line, I will delete your comment.)
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
August 20, 2021
Three quick points about Afghanistan
In today’s post, all I really want to do is make three short points about Afghanistan. (Clearly, you can find all the Afghanistan news that you want online right now, but I personally have found it has to be taken in small doses.)
For point one comes the foreign damage. The Washington Post detailed the righteous anger emanating from Europe in its WorldView newsletter today.
“Let me speak clearly and bluntly. This is a catastrophe,” said Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, in an address Thursday to the European Parliament. He echoed the widespread dismay felt by policymakers and politicians across the continent over the sudden Taliban takeover in Afghanistan — and the Biden administration’s military withdrawal that preceded it. Many of the United States’ NATO partners in Europe had invested considerable manpower and resources in the American-led war and nation-building project in Afghanistan, though on a smaller scale than Washington. For some, participating in the U.S.-led mission conferred a significant degree of post-Cold War prestige.
Now, European onlookers are shocked to see the fruits of their labor seemingly vanish in the space of a few harrowing days. Across the pond, a defiant White House has doubled down on its decision-making, showing little contrition for its role in the chaotic scenes unfolding in Kabul.
Moving on to the second point I wanted to make about what’s happening here at home, I was talking with a military friend, and he summed it up best. Asked how he was doing, he said, “Not that great,” but added that he knew he wasn’t alone. And after asking about my mental state, he added:
I watched the news for a couple of days then stopped. Just can't do it anymore. I know a couple of Air Force Chiefs who are leading crews of airmen who are flying 24-hour ops to get people out of there. Real heroes, all of them. I hope you're doing okay. The big tragedy is happening over there. But there are small tragedies happening in veteran's homes all over the country as we watch 20 years and so many deaths washed away in a matter of days.
I think he is absolutely right. I’d say we’ll see a spike in suicides among Afghan vets in the coming weeks and months. (Sadly, suicides among military personnel are 4x higher than deaths from operations, with more than 30,000 service members paying the ultimate price after returning home safely from our two major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.)
Let’s pray these numbers don’t go up. And if you know an Afghan vet, reach out to them. The Marine Corps actually released a message about this from its top commanding officer and sergeant major:
@USMCSgtMaj and I would like to offer our thoughts so you know where your senior leaders stand. ","username":"CMC_MarineCorps","name":"David H. Berger","date":"Wed Aug 18 21:01:36 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/E9Gg6h...
David H. Berger @CMC_MarineCorpsMarines, @USMCSgtMaj and I would like to offer our thoughts so you know where your senior leaders stand. 
August 18th 2021
1,064 Retweets3,132 Likes(If that is too small to read, you can also read it online here.)
My final point I wanted to make is that while we’ve botched the exit to date, we need to continue to get out as many Afghans and Americans as possible. That is the best hope that Biden has to reduce the damage that has been done.
That’s it for this post. Please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! (Please be kind in the comments. I’m a proud moderate, who wants to unite the country. So if you attack someone or say something out of line, I will delete your comment.)
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
August 17, 2021
Afghanistan falls without a fight
I wrote several weeks ago, at the end of July, that Afghanistan needed its George Washington. We learned, with the fall of the capital city of Kabul just a few days ago, that Afghanistan had no George Washington.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the capital before trouble even arrived, and Taliban fighters entered the city of 8 million people with barely a shot fired. No hardened positions fought for hours. No checkpoints slowed them down. No one seemed to even resist.
It seemed the perfect, pathetic end to a fiasco that had been unraveling for weeks.
Ghani said he left in order to avoid bloodshed. I have no idea what he was talking about. There hadn’t been fighting in days.
The weakness of Afghan resistance to the Taliban made a mockery of the tremendous sacrifices our country has made these past twenty years.
2,448 military members killed.1
3,846 American contractors killed.
1,144 NATO members killed.
And more than $2 trillion spent, which will equal more than $6 trillion by 2050 since we debt-financed everything. (That is, we didn’t ask for a tax increase. We just went into debt the whole for the entire affair.)
And with the collapse of Kabul without a single shot fire, the lack of resistance made all the American assistance through the years seem a total waste.
President Biden is right about one thing: if the men and women in Afghanistan were unwilling to fight for their own country, I see little reason why we should.
Granted, as my readers know, I didn’t start in this position. I argued for days on social media that America should recalibrate. Send in more troops. Try to save some of the cities before it was too late. But it was abundantly clear online (and in polls) that Americans were done with this war.
And so we are.
Republicans immediately tried to use the horrific scenes at the airport (of Afghans hanging onto planes) as a cudgel against Biden. But it’s all a farce. Trump and most of the Republican Party wanted out as badly as Biden did.
Trump had already cut U.S. assistance in the country from 15,000 troops to 2,500. He also released 5,000 Taliban prisoners, many of whom rejoined the fight. And last month, he bragged about how he had forced Biden into a deal that couldn’t be stopped.
Parker Butler @parkerbutler101 month ago, Trump claimed full, unequivocal credit for the withdrawal in Afghanistan. "I started the [withdrawal] process. [Biden] couldn't stop the process." August 16th 2021
4,498 Retweets6,695 LikesBut this isn’t all on Trump. No, not even close.
Biden botched the withdrawal, without question. And he could have (and should have) altered how we exited the country. More interpreters should have been saved. The Visa program should have been streamlined. And I would even argue he should have altered the withdrawal plans given how fast the situation deteriorated.
But it goes back to the point made above. In the end, if the Afghans won’t fight, then why should we?
And if Americans don’t support the war effort, what could he really do?
Perhaps the Afghan people sensed correctly that our own willpower had dissolved. And when the U.S. said we were done, the Afghan forces simply collapsed, retreated, or melted away in secret deals made with the Taliban.
Biden doesn’t seem to be taking this nearly as hard as most veterans I know. Frankly, he seems to feel no responsibility on what has happened, as this mostly overlooked video from a year ago made clear.
@margbrennan exchange the most illuminating/honest in how Biden thinks about Afghanistan \n“Don’t you bear some responsibility for the outcome if the taliban ends up back no control & women end up losing the rights—-“\n\n“No I don’t!”\n\n ","username":"AlexThomp","name":"Alex Thompson","date":"Thu Jul 08 21:15:56 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://cdn.substack.com/image/upload...
Alex Thompson @AlexThompI still find this @margbrennan exchange the most illuminating/honest in how Biden thinks about Afghanistan “Don’t you bear some responsibility for the outcome if the taliban ends up back no control & women end up losing the rights—-““No I don’t!” July 8th 2021
2,022 Retweets7,075 LikesIn many ways, Biden’s position on this is almost the ultimate Republican, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps position. For Biden, the man who shows so much empathy in most situations, his attitude appears far too callous. It seems uncaring, almost. And in my mind, it is NOT a good look.
With the previous administration, Trump could get by with being the hard-edged jerk. It was his character. It was what people expected (and many wanted).
But to see Biden not speaking about this for days (until yesterday), and seeming so detached to the incredible suffering happening in Afghanistan, it has been hard to stomach (at least as a vet).
I think this entire mess could affect views on him, if he’s not careful. Even the staunchest Democrat would say that he has looked completely incompetent on this withdrawal. But on the other hand, 70 percent of Americans favored the exit. So, perhaps there will be little harm.
Biden will now need to work hard to overcome the incompetence narrative, which wasn’t even a thing before this, given how he had tackled Covid vaccinations and pulled together a strong, bipartisan infrastructure bill. (Nineteen Republicans supported that, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., even though Trump threatened any GOP member who supported the bill with a primary.)
Besides beating back the incompetence narrative, Biden will also have to work hard to assure allies that America will stand with (and support) our partners.
Only time will tell how this plays out. As I told a friend, most Americans couldn’t name three Afghan cities, much less find the country on a map. So Biden may come out of this okay, given how split the country is into partisan tribes.
The ones who WON’T come out of this well are veterans; particularly Afghan veterans. If you know anyone who served there, check on them.
While I will always hold onto the belief that we gave Afghanistan the greatest gift, for many, it all seems such a waste. Like a city that surrenders without a shot fired. Or a cause that neither party even supports.
That’s it for this post. Please share this post if you enjoyed it.
And if you haven’t already, please subscribe for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. You can cancel at any time.) Every Tuesday and Friday, I write about conflicts and military matters that are happening throughout the world. Such as what’s happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. How we’re aligning ourselves to counter China’s growing influence. Updates on new military technology that we’re fielding.
I also post veteran interviews on Sundays.
And I do all of this from a moderate perspective that focuses on unity in our country. I also don’t believe in clickbait, over-the-top headlines, or other tactics to drive web traffic. You will always get the sober, mature view, with a slight bit of my optimism peering through.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I love having conversations on here! (Please be kind in the comments. I’m a proud moderate, who wants to unite the country. So if you attack someone or say something out of line, I will delete your comment.)
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please consider becoming a paying subscriber. It’s only $5 per month and you can cancel at any time. Another way to help support the channel is to share or tell a friend about it. Finally, don’t forget to check out my books. I write really fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. I’ve had thousands of reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and all of my books average 4+ stars on Amazon. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.
1All stats are current as of 8/17/21 and from the AP.
