ClearedHot

Do we think they care and what gains are we going to attack...the third compound from the north T intersection? There is no infrastructure to attack. We can keep manhunting but we have been doing that for 20 years. Seriously...they have shown and unbelievable ability to absorb casualties and play the long game...they waited 20 years for this moment and they will make the most of it. I would look to their motivation, what is in their best interest? Is it better for them to let us leave peacully, avoid a few casualties on their side and own Afghanistan without much of a fight? Or, would it be better to wait until we are almost gone and grab a bunch hostages to make the point that they run Barter Town. Think about their PR machine (far better than ours) and what kind of play they could get out of defeating the Americans AND parading around a bunch of American hostages...that video alone would recruit extremists into their ranks for a generation. I am shocked they haven't rolled any Americans up yet and I hope I am wrong.

George - "Chaos was always priced into your decision?" Biden - "Yes" I am out of words...

As the current 380 AEW/CC said..."We all hoped for a different outcome, but here we are. Right now, Airmen are working 24/7 to bring this to as successful a conclusion as we can manage. Right now, every warfighter in the 380th is putting everything they have into the task at hand. This moment puts a fine point on what I feel every single day: I’m incredibly proud to serve alongside these great Americans, there’s nowhere on Earth I’d rather be." God bless and protect these heroes...every single one of them.

State Department says the Taliban has broken its promise to provide safe passage to the airport...NO SHIT! If they take American hostages...

Might as well laugh at this point.

Real Estate has in the past been a proven hedge. Consider new property or the structure of existing property you own. I currently own six houses, five outright. I also have a longtime investment property that I am selling and reinvesting via the IRS 1031 provision. In short, I have owned a property for 29 years and can no longer depreciate. I am selling and immediately reinvesting in another "like-kind" property which defers the capital gains tax (my son will have to pay it some day). I have already identified the new property and it already has a rental lease in place. While I cannot establish a new depreciation schedule, in doing the exchange I am moving that invested capital form a state that is unfriendly to outside investors (South Carolina), to Florida with much lower property taxes and higher rental incomes. The overall exchange will increase my monthly cash flow by $700. You may also consider land, particularly land that can be used for farming, they don't make any more of it and depending on the area you can get a big tax break if used for agriculture. Whatever you do, I would suggest a diversified approach that spreads your risk.

China will not be constrained by silly things such as collateral damage or human rights.

Complete debacle. State Department Sends Stranded Americans Note Saying U.S. ‘Cannot Guarantee Your Security’ En Route to Kabul Airport The Taliban Have Seized U.S. Military Biometrics Devices

Airline Travel Mask Requirement being extended until January.

In several threads there have been a lot of discussions about cost. Labeling everything in Afghanistan a waste is a bit myopic and that thought pattern enjoys the view of knowing the outcome. In the context of the days after 9/11 we were going to do something and I doubt standing outside and launching a few airstrikes into Afghanistan would have met the will of the American People. Perhaps more appropriate to discuss if we should have left sooner rather than continue to nation build. Maybe shortly after we killed Bin Laden? Regardless, it will be interesting to watch the "economics" now. Terrorism will again flourish in Afghanistan and will most certainly be exported to other areas, hopefully not the U.S. homeland. Will we ramp up our ISR and episodically pitching Tomahawks, Hellfires and PGMs or will we walk away all together and let chaos reign in the region? I have yet to hear a wise word spoken by Milley...perhaps (I hope), he pushed back in private?

Amen, I was pleasantly surprised to get the Email form the VA yesterday, I am glad someone is at least trying. In all honesty I have struggled to find meaning with the sights and ensuing chaos caused by our hasty departure, it is painful to watch. I would imagine there are others who need to process and I am glad they are not alone.

A Taliban Commander who helped seize the Afghan Presidential Palace spent nearly six years at Guantanamo, where he told a guard "we will get you on the outside." In an assessment before he was released, Pentagon officials said that Ruhani posed a "medium" threat to the US, since he had family in "anti-coalition militia entities," and would likely join such groups if released and take part in attacks against US forces in Afghanistan. So that worked out well.

As a counter to Brian Williams a former CIA analyst pushes back on the POTUS speech and his narrative placing all the blame at the feet of the Afghan Army. While I agree they should fight for their own country and certainly not an excuse for the rapid capitulation of the Afghan Army but some context at least to what they faced. As an example the Afghan Army took more losses every year than we did in 20, they were rarely paid, barely fed (except by us), and in general not properly supported by their government.

RUMINT only at this point but the C-17 crew is not getting DFC's...instead they are getting investigated for the two civilian deaths that fell off the aircraft.

U.S. Citizens - Shelter in place, your only way out is to fill out this form. YGTBSM!

I am told the Taliban now has control of the MD-530's...for fuck's sake what have we done?

I understood your drift, I just don't think secure borders align with any part of our current administration's thought process.

Germany says they have 10,000 people they need to get out. Complete and utter shit show!

It's how the music stopped...we left a tape recorder playing, gathered our instruments and slipped off the stage thinking no one would notice. Absolute chaos!

The State Department and Department of Defense said in a statement Sunday that there are “thousands” of Americans stranded in Afghanistan after the Taliban declared victory over the U.S.-backed government earlier in the day. At least we don't have any more mean tweets.

The State Department and Department of Defense said in a statement Sunday that there are “thousands” of Americans stranded in Afghanistan after the Taliban declared victory over the U.S.-backed government earlier in the day.

I guess time will tell because now there are a whole lot of bad guys who think they just kicked our ass. Do you think they just stop right there and call it a day? A whole lot of violence is about to be exported to other parts of the region and the world.