Taliban offensive of 2021 and collapse of Afghan government.

[PFM]

Opium? Really?

The country has a wide range of minerals, from rare-earth elements to abundant iron ore and copper deposits, lithium, gold, and more — prized possessions in any modern-day economy.

On October 5, the government awarded two major copper and gold exploration contracts to Centar Ltd, a company founded by Ian Hannam, a former chairman at JP Morgan. The firm claims investors from several nations, including the United States. The British company will be digging for gold in Badakhshan and copper in Sar-i-Pul, both provinces located in northern Afghanistan. The signing ceremony at the Afghan embassy in Washington, D.C. was attended by the ministers of finance and mining and petroleum.

Afghan Mineral Wealth: A Double-Edged Sword

Much of Afghanistan’s hope hangs on its natural resources, but only if they can be exploited in a way that benefits Afghans.

thediplomat.com

 

[The Curmudgeon]

Honestly, I can see Washington justifying keeping troops there because they don’t want the place to fall to Russia because they’re stuck in the Cold War. Meanwhile, China’s right there for their initiatives, and when you have people like The Taliban running the show, it’s not a matter of if they’ll make an attack on the US, but when.

What makes you think the Taliban are an existential threat to the United States?

 

[PS1gamenwatch]

A few days late but

 

[Random Internet Person]

What makes you think the Taliban are an existential threat to the United States?

How about the fact that they see the US as invaders and infidelity that their religion instructs them to destroy, upon which you’ll e rewarded with 72 virgins in Heaven? Just pray that they don’t be rumored to have nuclear capabilities like Iran.

 

[The Curmudgeon]

How about the fact that they see the US as invaders and infidelity that their religion instructs them to destroy, upon which you’ll e rewarded with 72 virgins in Heaven? Just pray that they don’t be rumored to have nuclear capabilities like Iran.

They're fanatics, but they're also not evil masterminds bent on conquering the world. You're overthinking it. The Taliban only care about their own backwater shithole that is Afghanistan. You're never going to see legions of Taliban invading the United States or anywhere else. In the 20 years the United States occupied Afghanistan, they were only able to reconquer the country after the United States stood down. They're hardly strong enough to launch invasions on anywhere beyond their own borders. Also, they don't have the resources to even obtain nuclear weapons.

If you're this concerned about them, then how you come never enlisted to go fight them?

 

[Dojima's Dragon]

View attachment 2297201

Ah Rambo 3 or the film that has aged like shit because tali... Mujahideen good

 

[Ancient Pioneer]

Random video of APC burning, no idea whom they belong to, or even who posted it originally.

Check-post in Khogyani area of Ghazni was overrun by Taliban. Taliban officially claimed it.

https://twitter.com/MoDAfghanistan/status/1409863243250741252#m

More videos and claims that the Army is "killing commanders" but I think most Americans should be jaded to this phrase, killing a "commander" or two does nothing when you're losing provinces by the day. A commander in Taliban terms would be little more than a Captain in the US Army.

https://twitter.com/TGhazniwal/status/1409830552388128770#m

A good case study of the regime making big headlines about its counter attacks that fizzle out is this one, Ata Mohammad Noor was a Governor of the Balkh Province in happier times, normally a leader of a political party, now he is something of a militia/hype man for the Kabul regime.

https://twitter.com/Atamohammadnoor/status/1409779665351364612

---

By night time the Taliban counterattack was under way and Noor was put to flight with his troops

Taliban captured some vehicles from Noor, one of the problems with the Taliban is that they reference any armored vehicle as a tank, so often you hear them state they captured "tanks" but in reality its just up-armored humvees.

 

[FAQnews Correspondent]

How far? 1990 where there was still Soviet Union or 1995 when Grunge ended? If it’s 1990 will the Soviets have one last shot this time?

It might've been too late for the Soviet Union by then and they'd (re)collapse.

 

[Adolphin]

Let the White Standard of the Prophet (PBUH) triumph over those the kuffar! Bismillah!

 

[Ancient Pioneer]

https://twitter.com/billroggio/status/1409555506486710273

FDD’s Long War Journal Taliban Control of Terrain map displays an assessment of districts controlled and contested by the Taliban.

public.tableau.com

 

[PS1gamenwatch]

What are the odds

 

[Cpl. Long Dong Silver]

@attractive_pneumonia thank you for all the aggregating. The pictures just keep brining back memories of my youth

 

[PS1gamenwatch]

What will India do if that happens?

 

[Ancient Pioneer]

The son of the late Ahmad Shah Massoud is trying to put the band back together but its highly unlikely this will work. As this article points out, the tribal loyalties have split very much so since the late 90s and the people Massoud once commanded are more likely to ally with the Taliban against his son than fight for him.



Also of note, Bagram Air base is now empty of American forces

Not sure where the video was taken, more ANA troops just glad handing with the Taliban after surrendering.

Security in Afghanistan Is Decaying, U.S. General Says as Forces Leave​

Security in Afghanistan Is Decaying, U.S. General Says as Forces Leave

“Civil war is certainly a path that can be visualized,” said Gen. Austin S. Miller, commander of the U.S.-led forces. “That should be a concern for the world.”

www.nytimes.com

​

This is a rather interesting article in that its entirely backwards, if anything, security is improving because the Taliban is capturing regions and dismissing opposition ANA forces, there is no longer conflict, there is now a controlling faction for most of these districts instead of the two competing forces.


Another interesting article talking about the vast amount of equipment falling into Taliban hands: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sebast...cles-fall-into-taliban-hands/?sh=928a9046c21e

Enlarging the map shows that Taliban forces are a mere 20km from the city of Kandahar.

 

[mr.moon1488]

You gain the most by trying to look at these things from the persons involved perspectives. Put yourself in Tali's shoes. You're not a fighter who has been there from the start, and the original justifications of the war are simply moot points to you. This war has been going on for over 20 years and anyone involved at the start of it is likely either dead or retired. Chances are even your commander doesn't give a shit about what were the Taliban's goals at the start of the war. All you and everyone around you really want is for people not like you to exit the area. After years of fighting, much of which happened before you were born put your forces at a military advantage, some alien to you political change on the opposing side caused them to renege on the white peace which looked certain. The enemy is still pulling back and has left on the field your fellow countrymen. You neither want nor really need to kill these people. You can win your fight by simply letting bygones be bygones.

From the ANA perspective. You were never really a solder. You had no money, but a family to feed, and since you weren't really political, you picked the side of the conflict which paid best. While you were in, you dealt with countless people who simply were not your own kind. Very few of them were really satisfied with the way things were going themselves, which meant you surely weren't. These people with actual military training are now pulling out. You're kind of glad since you just want to return to your simple life, but now you need money. You actually know the people on the other side, and they're willing to not only pay but let things go and to allow you to return to your normal life.

Side note:
A big chunk of the last part is pretty true for many modern westerners.

 

[Ancient Pioneer]

Another dozen or so districts have fallen:

13 Districts Fall to Taliban in 24 Hours: Sources - Balochistan Affairs | News, Analyses and Videos

At least the control of 13 districts – 11 districts in northeastern Afghanistan, one in the east and one in the south – have fallen to the Taliban in the last 24 hours, Tolo News reported on Saturday. The districts include Kishm, Darayim, Tishkan, Tagab, Wardooj, Shahr-e-Bozorg, Raghistan, Jorm...

balochistanaffairs.com

More leaders in the West are openly stating that the Taliban have won as well:

Taliban has won the war in Afghanistan, says Lord Dannatt as UK and US troops pull out

During 20-year conflict, 454 British military personnel have been killed, but as troops depart, country appears destined to slide into chaos

www.telegraph.co.uk

A lot of doom posting by the media now:

'What was the point?' Afghans rue decades of war as U.S. quits Bagram

As American troops left their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, marking a symbolic end to the longest war in U.S. history, locals living in the shadow of the base and in nearby Kabul were left ruing the past and bracing for what comes next.

www.reuters.com

Russians concerned about the vast amount of military goods falling into Taliban hands:

US Military Vehicles Falling Into Taliban Hands at Alarming Rate, Report Finds

The United States and its allies began their withdrawal from Afghanistan in May after over 19 years of war against the Taliban. Washington has promised to complete the pullout by the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks – which...

sputniknews.com

Of note, apparently NATO forces just ditched Bagram and once this was noticed it got looted by locals



Not really sure what I'm seeing here, the Taliban either catapulted some sort of munition onto the fort which was time delayed or they really did make some kind of missile.

 

[Sargon's wife's son]

The filthy Americans tanks are no match Toyota

 

[Cpl. Long Dong Silver]

See you again in 20 years boys

 

[Ancient Pioneer]

Highway linking Herat to Kandahar is entirely severed

I wasn't really sure which major city was going to fall first, but it appears Kandahar city will likely be it. Taliban are a mere 20km from it and most regime forces are just surrendering on contact. This is pumping up the Taliban from mere Toyotas to full armored column. It remains to be seen if Kandahar city will just declare itself an open city or if it will fight the Taliban.

For reference this is the lay of the land and the region highlighted in red is where the prior surrenders occured.

Miller pulling a MacArthur style "I will return" but he almost certainly will not return.

 

[Piss Clam]

you've got it the other way around, the taliban are the ones who put an end to bacha bazi before the US came in to enforce drag queen story hour

No you don't understand. The taliban are out of pakistain in the NW territories and the federally admin territories. The male children are sent to madrasses, where they get ass banged and preached radical islam. The Durand line does not exist for them.

The paki government ignores the millions of people in poverty in those areas until the bombs go off in Lahore or Islamabad. Then they go in with the military and a couple of months later you got a peace deal...rinse and repeat.

If you think the taliban are going to stop that shit, or opium production then you are deluded.