The Taliban did not defeat America but how Biden handled the withdrawal from Afghanistan certainly gave that impression to the dangerous terrorist organization. Taliban leaders held a parade after the US military pulled out. Even throwing a ‘mock’ funeral for the United States and NATO on a warped victory float.
Biden’s mishandling only emboldened the Taliban who now vows to carry their beliefs further into other countries. As a fighter and religious leader told The Times:
“Never in our wildest dreams could we have believed we could beat a superpower like America with just our Kalashnikovs. When you do jihad all doors open. We defeated America with our faith and our guns and we hope now that Bagram can be a base for jihad for all Muslims. For any foreign power considering attacking Afghanistan then look at Bagram now and learn your lesson well before embarking on foolish endeavor. See the West’s mighty technology humbled here by mujahidin. In 15 years as a mujahid fighting the Americans I wondered often if I may fail or die. Yet here is proof of the power of faith and God and jihad. On the back of victory I hope we can use Bagram as a place to spread jihad further into the region and Muslim world.”
MORE IMAGES from the celebrations today in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/p6I040xI0H
— FJ (@Natsecjeff) August 31, 2021
The Taliban is now reportedly holding 6 planes of Americans demanding ‘more from Americans’. Turning the hundreds of Americans left behind into potential hostages, Insider reported:
Six airplanes are stuck at the Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport in northern Afghanistan with Americans on board, unable to take off because they had not received clearance from the Taliban, Rep. Michael McCaul said on Sunday.
McCaul, a Republican from Texas, made the comments during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” and said Afghan interpreters were also on the planes.
“In fact we have six airplanes at Mazar-i-Sharif airport, six airplanes, with American citizens on them as I speak, also with these interpreters, and the Taliban is holding them hostage for demands right now,” McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News’ Chris Wallace.
“State has cleared these flights and the Taliban will not let them leave the airport,” he added.
Last Monday, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), confirmed there were Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan still on the ground in or near Kabul, and they numbered in the “very low hundreds.”
But he claimed that it’s no big deal…
“We did not get out everybody we had wanted to get out,” McKenzie admitted Monday, adding that diplomatic measures will likely be needed to extract Americans left behind.
“It’s not completely unlike the way we do it elsewhere around the world,” Kirby said when asked how the Biden Administration plans to extract its own citizens from Afghanistan. “We have Americans that get stranded in countries all the time, and we do everything we can to try to facilitate safe passage.”
