Way Up North: Afghanistan

Showing posts with label Afghanistan. Show all posts

20 August 2021

Updates on Afghanistan

Tuesday, we discussed the turning over of Afghanistan to Taliban forces, those, along with Al Qaeda, responsible for 9/11. This happened very quickly and left America and most of the rest of the world stunned. It has been described in a number of news sources as the greatest intelligence failure in our history. Others believe our intelligence sources weren’t wrong, just ignored.

“David Grantham, a national security expert, senior fellow at the Center for a Secure Free Society, and former officer in the Air Force, said the turmoil in Afghanistan is a stain on the U.S. Military, the intelligence community, and the Biden administration.”(1)

“Grantham noted that there was “surprisingly little violence amid the takeover, and the speed at which it was executed tells me the Taliban had plenty of provincial leaders in their pocket or had negotiated their stand down prior to their invasion.

“‘The fact that the intelligence community didn’t know these circumstances, or that the Biden administration ignored those warnings, is the greatest failure I’ve seen in my lifetime,’ he said.

“National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told ABC News on Sunday that Biden ‘did not think it was inevitable that the Taliban were going to take control of Afghanistan.

“‘He thought the Afghan National Security Forces could step up and fight because we spent 20 years, tens of billions of dollars training them, giving them the best equipment, giving them support of U.S. forces for 20 years,’ Sullivan said. ‘And when push came to shove, they decided not to step up and fight for their country.’

“But Schmidt noted that the Pentagon did provide warnings about what could go wrong if the U.S. pulled troops out too quickly.

“‘There are plenty of people who said this thing can go south within a week,’ he said.

“Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tweeted that the Biden administration ‘was specifically told Afghan forces would surrender faster than our ability to exit.’

“‘They decided to ignore these warnings and smugly tell everyone how smart and brilliant they are.’ Rubio wrote.”(2)

“Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., issued a statement saying White House bureaucrats should be ‘ashamed.’

“While on a Sunday call hosted by Secretary of State Blinken, General Milley, and Secretary of Defense Austin, Cammack said all three officials reiterated ‘more than six times’ that the U.S. was ‘engaging in an orderly and safe withdrawal’ and has ‘planned for all contingencies.’

“She said they noted that the Taliban ‘isn’t in Kabul’ and ‘cut off questions from members, leaving us with few - or no - answers.’”(3)

Though the cost of this unconscionable decision, in terms of human life and America’s ability to lead the world, are incalculable, it will be seen as one of the most foolish and despicable decisions ever made by a world ruler.

Life is precious and to be protected. With the handover of Afghanistan, we have dishonored the immeasurable value of 2448 Americans, over fifty thousand Afghans, and other coalition lives since 2001. The current sweep of the Taliban through the country, taking city after city, has also resulted in a loss of lives. This will now escalate. People are being slaughtered. Christian missionaries and other religious groups know they will not be safe under Taliban rule. Martyrdom is already occurring. In a confidential email I received, a leader shared:

“Pray for the local believers who are now under immense pressure. If the Taliban finds out that they are believers, they will definitely kill them and possibly torture them to get more information about others. Pray also for us for wisdom and how to deal with our local staff and local believers we are in contact with.”

Spiritually speaking, we may be watching the closing of a significant door to a harvest field. Operation World says Afghanistan has the second-fastest-growing “church” in the world, right behind Iran.(4) In fact, The Gospel Coalition says, “Afghans are being reached in large part by Iranians.”(5) Many American missionaries have also been working there to bring Christ to Afghanistan. We must pray that just as occurred in China, the persecution causes even further growth in the number of salvations. A number of Christian media organizations are broadcasting the gospel daily into this desperate country.

Our U.S. military leaders helped create this debacle - at least they are “woke” and teaching our soldiers socialism’s Critical Race Theory. Our honorable soldiers are working hard to get as many of our citizens out of the country now as quickly as they can. “Some 6,000 U.S. troops are expected in Kabul with the objective of keeping the airport open to achieve that goal.”(6) There has been some confusion over how many Americans are still in Afghanistan. Earlier this week, Biden’s spokesperson said 11,000. There are also huge challenges for people trying to get to the main airport in Kabul. Taliban forces and protestors are blocking the way in and some, sadly, have had to turn back. Our government is saying they can fly them out, but can’t help them get to the airport: “Top Pentagon officials said Wednesday that the U.S.military does not ‘have the capability’ to retrieve all Americans who have been unable to reach the U.S.-secured airfield in Kabul.”(7) In a confidential email I received, one Christian humanitarian organization working in the country said, “The Taliban are all over the city and have started to already search through the houses. They have also been at our office and accommodations of our expats. They are checking everybody who wants to go into the airport.”

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed, “We’re going to get everyone that we can possibly evacuate, evacuated. And I’ll do that as long as we possibly can until the clock runs out or we run out of capability.”(8) The U.S. government says they will try to get all citizens out of the country by August 31st. We will not be able to extricate all Afghan citizens who helped us in the war. They are in great peril now under Taliban rule. These are matters for continued prayer.

Military Bases to House Afghan Refugees

Fox News has obtained documents showing the U.S. government is planning to house up to 30,000 Afghan refugees on military bases. “The bases include Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, and Fort Bliss in Texas.”(9) Some churches are already planning how they might support government efforts and assist the refugees when they arrive.

China and Russia See an Opportunity

With Afghanistan being given to the Taliban, they and others in the world see this as a defeat of America. Our geo-political rivals, Russia and China, are looking at how they can take advantage of the situation. The Financial Times quotes Zhu Yongbiao, a Chinese government adviser on central Asia as saying:

“China has benefited from the irresponsible behavior of [the US], which has deeply undermined the international image of the US and the relationship between Washington and its allies.

“Arkady Dubnov, a political analyst and central Asia expert in Moscow had a similar take, ‘We can align our interests [with China] in opposing the US. What is good for us is bad for Americans, what’s bad for us is good for Americans. Today the situation is bad for Americans and so it is good for us.’”(10)

Both countries will now be bolder. Pray for Taiwan, Ukraine, and other places that are now in great danger. China and Russia will also support the Taliban government and look for other ways to benefit from the change in leadership there. Terriorism, curbed somewhat for the last 20 years, is now, once again, unbridled and armed with billions of dollars worth of U.S. weapons, drones, etc. The ultimate victory for them will be using them on us.

Pray with me:

Father, we repent for the sins of our leaders. We ask You to forgive America for broken promises and hardened hearts toward people in Afghanistan. Forgive us for the lies of our leaders. Forgive us for electing ungodly, dishonorable leaders to rule our nation, and for allowing those not truly elected to rule. Corruption abounds in our government. Please forgive us and deliver us.

Father, situations on the earth seem hopeless but this isn’t true. We can ask You for miracles and we can expect them. We pray for our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan. We pray for American citizens, government workers, missionaries, and those who supported our military efforts. Extend Your grace to them, Lord. Hide them from those who would harm them. For the Afghans who come here, give government and civic leaders plans that work well. May all who come, Christian or not, find the love of Christ in America.

And Father, we ask for the great harvest of souls in Afghanistan and Iran to continue. We ask for it to be many millions - a stunning revival. We ask for this in other nations, as well. Push back the evil forces of darkness and open the heavens to the light of Your revelation. May Your angel armies be released to war aggressively against the evil powers! Lord of Angel armies, dispatch them to battle! Show Yourself strong!

Please continue exposing the evil in our government. And please send America the greatest revival in our history. May it be exceeding abundantly beyond what we could even ask or think! We ask these things in the matchless name of Jesus, amen.

Our decree:

The harvest will continue in Afghanistan! The zeal of the Lord of hosts will see to this!

18 August 2021

The Afghanistan Tragedy

(Because of the severity of the content, this post will be a little longer than most.)

The Tragic Consequences

“Images coming out of Afghanistan on Monday morning showed large numbers of people running in front of US military cargo planes that were taking off, forcing the military to use helicopters to clear people off the tarmac so the planes could take off.

“Other disturbing images showed objects falling from the cargo planes once they were hundreds, if not a couple of thousand feet, above the ground after takeoff. Various news reports, including Newsweek, the Daily Mail, and Hareetz reported that the objects falling from the planes were people, clinging to the planes, trying to escape.”(1)

Having watched some of this I can only say it was gut-wrenching. The people of Afghanistan know what is coming. It will be pleasant for no one, except the men in the Taliban, but for some, it will be worse than unpleasant. There will be rapes, beheadings, torture, forced marriages of young girls, and more. One report claims the Taliban is going door to door in conquered territories, forcing girls as young as 12 years of age to enter into “marriages” with Taliban soldiers. In other words, sex slavery.

CNN, not known for criticizing their own, reports that many who worked with our troops as interpreters and in other non-fighting positions are now in great peril. Our government stated that it would not abandon them but this is now happening. One man they referred to as Haji, said, “‘If [the Taliban] find me, they will kill me and they will kill my family because I was an interpreter with the U.S. Marines.’

“The danger Haji and his family face grows every day as the Taliban claims more territory across the country, yet his repeated efforts to reach safety through a U.S. visa program for interpreters keep hitting a brick wall, despite support from a half dozen U.S. Marines.

“Haji was what you might call a ‘combat interpreter.’ Stationed in Helmand province - the heart of the insurgency - he lived and patrolled with the Marines and Army, translating as they searched vehicles, talked to locals, and interviewed suspected Taliban members.

“He has been paying for his loyalty to the U.S. ever since. He and his family have been in hiding for five years, scared for their lives - his fear of retribution compounded with news of every province that falls into Taliban hands.

“The insurgents are known to murder Afghans who help coalition forces, and, like Haji thousands of interpreters have become targets for the militant group.”(2)

“In a statement issued in June, the Taliban said it would not harm those who worked alongside foreign forces. But this summer, one former interpreter for the U.S. Army was reportedly beheaded by the Taliban.”(3) Many more will now die; some tortured.

The Epoch Times states that “Many Afghans fear the Taliban will return to past harsh practices with their imposition of sharia. During [the Taliban’s]1996-2001 rule, women could not work and punishments such as public stonings, whippings, and hangings were administered. Both the United Nations and the United States said last week they had received reports that Taliban fighters were executing surrendering government soldiers.”(4)

Beyond the benefit of now controlling an entire Nation, from which they can wage their Jihad on the rest of the world, the Taliban was left billions of dollars worth of military equipment and weaponry by our rapid, poorly planned withdrawal. This weaponry will now be used on us. For the global jihadist movement, the Taliban victory will be incredibly significant. The humiliation it has caused America will motivate thousands of foreign fighters to pour into Afghanistan to join the “holy warriors.” Even liberal CNN acknowledges: “When the 20th anniversary is memorialized at the World Trade Center and elsewhere in the U.S., the Taliban will surely be celebrating their great victory in Afghanistan. For the global jihadist movement, the victory of the Taliban will be as significant as ISIS victories were in Iraq and Syria. Just as they did after those ISIS victories, many thousands of foreign fighters are likely to pour into Afghanistan to join the victorious ‘Holy Warriors’ and receive military training.”(5)

General David Petraeus, former commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, made the following statements in describing the situation: “Catastrophic...for the United States and the world...an enormous national security setback...tragic, regrettable...going to be a complete meltdown of a country...it is a blow to our credibility around the world.”(6)

President Trump said, “After I took out ISIS, I established a credible deterrent. That deterrent is now gone. The Taliban no longer has fear or respect for America or America’s power. What a disgrace it will be when the Taliban raises their flag over America’s Embassy in Kabul. This is a complete failure through weakness, incompetence, and total strategic incoherence.”(7)

And then there is the persecution coming to our brothers and sisters there. The Taliban hates Christians with a savage, demonized hatred. Many believers will now be murdered, raped, and tortured. One quote I saw spoke of Christians there telling friends in other parts of the world they would no doubt be seeing Jesus face-to-face within a couple of weeks. Another said the Taliban has told Christians there, “We know who you are and we are coming for you.” We must pray for them during this very tragic time.

Biden’s Role

While this has been unfolding, Biden has been hiding in a basement - or rather, a suite at Camp David - just as he did during the campaign. Former Trump and Obama White House physician Ronnie Jackson, now a congressman from Texas, said, “‘OUTRAGEOUS! Biden needs to address the nation TONIGHT.” (Though he finally did so yesterday, completely exonerating himself, he waited a week.) Jackson went on to say, “If he’s not mentally capable of handling this crisis, he needs to resign IMMEDIATELY. America deserves better than this - OUR VETERANS DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS! Come out of hiding at Camp David and do your damn job!”

“Jackson’s remarks come after the Taliban moved with lightning speed through Afghanistan, recapturing provinces and cities that they lost 10 years ago when the U.S came in to hunt down those responsible for 9/11. The Taliban seized Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city, on Sunday and did so while many Taliban extremists took U.S. weapons that had been given to the Afghan military to fight the Taliban.

“Where are the people in our academic medicine that were out there calling for President Trump to have a cognitive test? Where are these people?” Jackson wondered.(8)

Even Democrats are criticizing the Biden administration for how it has handled this debacle. “As a Gold Star son of the Vietnam War listening to the White House briefing on the Afghanistan War withdrawal, my heart particularly aches for the thousands of Gold Star families of an eerily similar and painful episode forty-six years later,” wrote Rep.Dean Phillips (D-Minn), referring to the fall of Saigon that capped the end of the Vietnam War.

“Added another Democrat, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas): ‘There’s no way to hide it. The situation in Afghanistan is another shame on this administration. The withdrawal was never going to be easy but it didn’t need to come to this,’ He wrote. “The U.S. must do everything in its power to help our partners and allies to safety and protect our national security.’”(9)

Biden and his administration, of course, blame Trump and the Afghanis for what is happening, saying Trump made agreements with the Taliban that he had to honor and that the Afghans have no will to fight. Trump’s agreement, however, was conditional, conditions the Taliban did not meet. Biden announced an “unconditional” pullout letting the Taliban know they could do whatever they want. All they had to do was wait a few weeks, which they did.

And as far as the Afghan military being unwilling to fight, the Daily Wire explains what really took place:

“The Afghan military collapsed because they relied heavily on U.S. air support, and it could not function after Biden pulled U.S. support.” They reference ,the Wall Street Journal as saying:

“The Afghan army fighting alongside American troops was molded to match the way the Americans operate. The U.S. military, the world’s most advanced, relies heavily on combining ground operations with airpower, using aircraft to resupply outposts, strike targets, ferry the wounded, and collect reconnaissance and intelligence.

“In the wake of President Biden’s withdrawal decision, the U.S. pulled its air support, intelligence, and contractors servicing Afghanistan’s planes and helicopters. That meant the Afghan military simply couldn’t operate anymore. ‘The same happened with another failed American effort, the South Vietnamese army in the 1970s,’ said retired Lt. Gen. Daniel Bolger, who commanded the U.S.-led coalition’s mission to train Afghan forces in 2011-2013.

“‘There is always a tendency to use the model you know, which is your own model,’ retired Lt. Gen. Daniel Bolger said. ‘When you build an army like that, and it’s meant to be a partner with a sophisticated force like the Americans, you can’t pull the Americans out all of a sudden, because then they lose the day-to-day assistance that they need.’”(10)

A question that must be asked is, does Biden even care about the coming tragedies regarding this decision? Statements from his past would suggest that he does not:

The Atlantic journalist shared, “By the time Biden became vice president in 2009, the disastrous war in Iraq, the endemic corruption of the Afghan government, and the return of the Taliban had made him a deep skeptic of the American commitment. He became the Obama administration’s strongest voice for getting out of Afghanistan. In 2010, he told Richard Holbrooke, Obama’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, that the U.S. had to leave Afghanistan regardless of the consequences for women or anyone else. According to Holbrooke’s diary, when he asked about American obligations to Afghans like the girl in the Kabul school, Biden replied with a history lesson from the final U.S. withdrawal from Southeast Asia in 1973: “F--- that, we don’t have to worry about that. We did it in Vietnam, Nixon and Kissinger got away with it.”(11)

Sadly, America and others around the world are about to pay another installment on the price of what took place in 2020. Even so, I still believe we will see the full restoration of America to her purpose and destiny. I believe the corruption and evil in our land will continue to be exposed. I fully believe we have entered into the beginnings of a great revival that will awaken our nation to righteousness and break deception off us. And I believe a billion or more souls are about to come into God’s family. He uses tragedies like the one unfolding. My heart hurts, but my faith is strong.

Pray with me:

Father, Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out.” (TPT) Even as we grieve over this tragic situation in Afghanistan, we remind ourselves of Your all-sufficient grace and Your victory over all evil. You always have the final say.

We pray for the people of Afghanistan. We pray that You would break the back of the evil that exists there. Deliver the Afghans from this stronghold of darkness. Our prayer is that millions of them will have their eyes opened to who Jesus is and that they would believe on Him for salvation.

We also pray for our brothers and sisters there. They are facing very difficult days. But Your grace is sufficient and we know that they will experience a great eternal reward for their loyalty to You. We pray for protection, yet we also know some will lay down their lives. You will use their deaths, just as You did Stephen’s, and carry them to Your glorious, healing presence. Death will have no sting and the grave will have no victory. We ask for great peace to be given them, and the comfort of Holy Spirit to be very strong. We do so in Christ’s name, amen.

Our decree:

We decree that the grace of the Lord will be upon our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and that the comfort of Holy Spirit will be theirs.

06 August 2011

Weekend Once More

Good morning. It's 46 degrees with a high, thin overcast and looks like it will be a nice day. Weather Underground disagrees, calling for an 80% chance of rain today, and 100% chance tonight and tomorrow.

I don't care. I'll shoot from under the covered firing line at the Wet Bunny range if needed, but my rifle is calling to me. I haven't had it out all summer (my own fault) and it's time for some recoil therapy.

Take a moment to remember the families of the 31 Americans shot down in Afghanistan while we slept, and thank God for the brave men and women who continue to voluntarily serve.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All original content on this Web site is copyright © on date of publication by this author. All rights reserved, except that others may quote from original content under the 'Fair Use' provisions of US copyright law.

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material, the use of which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available for educational purposes, and as such this constitutes 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Act. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.