Not hard for me at all mate, tbf ... but I can't speak for the incredibly frustrated neighbours wives that would be chomping at the bit and thinking it might just be worth the risk ...
I wouldn't call it cowardice. It's not like either of them was going to be out there fighting, is it?
Good to see the reporter Stuart Ramsey has safely made it to Kabul airport today, and is now in the surroundings of our security forces. I got the impression he had to go into hiding for a few days.
I got my numbers wrong earlier in the thread, so happy to correct. Population of Afghanistan is 48 million, so that bit was ok, between my two estimated figures, but the refugee numbers being allowed immediately to the UK is different to my understanding; I said 20,000 it's not, it's 5,000. An additional 20,000 is long term, but no set period of time on that. It equates to the same total 25,000, but that is not immediately as I first thought. In reality you've got more people who would have crossed the channel in little dinghies this year (8,452) so far, than probably would come here before end of year from Afghanistan. A lot less than I would have been expecting.
Well I expect half of Afghanistan is empty, it's three times the land mass of us, with a smaller population. Sounds like Switzerland are getting tough, it's fook off. Well not quite that, but the toughest stance with this message; Humanitarian visas will be considered for people facing an “immediate, concrete, serious and directly life-threatening threat”, the government said. https://www.news24.com/news24/world...one-refusing-to-help-afghan-refugees-20210818
Swiss flag: please log in to view this image I hope when things inevitably go wrong for Switzerland one day, everyone just tells them to **** off. Sorry Tobleroneland, we're all busy being neutral right now. Shame.
The only cowards I know of were the Afghan soldiers that just rolled over for the Taliban. Once the Americans pulled out, why should we put our own Nationals on the line for people that don't want to defend themselves. They are a country three times the size of us, with a population of 48 million people - they got no men?....well real ones anyway!
I'm happy for us to form a coalition if France, Germany, Spain, Italy and many others want to jump on board. ps. I should have said would have been. Nowt we can do now.
I keep seeing this Duggie and I've got no idea why it's being used. Obviously the Taliban are going to call it a victory, we know that. It wasn't though, was it? On the battlefield the Taliban had their arses handed to them. The rest of the time they hid in their caves and the leaders deserted the country scared to death of being drone striked by Uncle Sam. Once the allies had enough and ****ed off they came out of hiding and claimed victory. They were undefeated, I suppose. Far from victorious, though.
This has been going on for us since the start of the British involvement in India It was then called the North West Frontier The problem is you cannot influence fundamental religious belief by politics or war, Israel is a perfect example We see their version of Islam as detrimental to women, they see us as a force trying to impose our values on them It took 20 years for the USA to pull out of Vietnam and now 20 years to pull out of Afghanistan for essentially the same reason, a war they could not win My post was just a joke I saw somewhere else as a joke at Labours expense
Stuart Ramsey reporting the convey of hard core Taliban have arrived in Kabul, Country boys as he calls them, the ones you don't mess with as they are completely ruthless. Stuart has been reporting on Afghanistan for twenty years, even had meetings with the Taliban during that time in secret locations, so has good knowledge of how they operate. He reported when the Taliban first arrived, that it was not the main core, the gunmen that arrived initially just simply strolled in because the Afghans put down their weapons. The concern is with the hard core arriving, the situation could change at any moment, albeit the leaders in charge are much the same. American and British forces are being left by the Taliban to control the airport. The Taliban are in no hurry to take it, as they don't want to be left with the humantarian issues that would follow. The main problem is the Taliban are actually letting everyone through, who wants to go to the airport, including people that are not entitled to board the flights. It's been reported if the Americans up and leave, if the situation becomes overhwhelming, then the British will have no alternative but to leave as well, because the situation will be impossible to control. Well we saw an incident of that nature when the men chased a plane down the runway. If this occurs then people who are entitled to leave will be left behind.
I've seen German soldiers there and I couldn't see the NATO badges underneath their countries flag. I read a report earlier on this morning saying that the Taliban are now stopping some folk in places from heading to the airport.
All I'm seeing of their efforts at crowd control is shooting in the air. I suppose, as part of their PR exercise they don't want to be seen to be getting physical with people and it be reported by media as them harming them? Or it could just be they're overwhelmed by it, don't know what to do, and just thought fck it... bunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnndle!
The British Army will also turn anyone away that does not have the proper paperwork. The problem here is people have hidden their paperwork for fear of the Taliban seeing it. It appears the Taliban and security forces are now working in some sort of sync to stop people causing mayhem. One good story, British soldiers are being allowed to use some of their discretion, so if a mum has a young child and you plead your case, the soldier can make the decision to wave you through, it don't mean to say you will get on the plane, but it's got you into the section of the airport you need to be. Stuart Ramsey is saying there is huge numbers of children, but they are not allowed to film it, in some holding centre. The story is that some of those children may have to be put back out on the street, which is going to be heart breaking. I think any male adult taking a seat, needs to give his balls a check.
Totally agree, mate. The soldiers and Taliban should wave the men away and let the women and children get through. The Afghan men are getting away with their cowardice, imo. I couldn't live with myself if I was one of those men deserting and leaving kids/women behind. I didn't think this would take long ...there have been reports that the Taliban were not letting people access Kabul’s airport, even if they have travel visas. A confidential UN document, seen by the BBC, said the militants were intensifying their hunt for people who worked for and collaborated with Nato and US forces.
