Af/Pak & Other News (8/22/2021)

[dump...@hotmail.com]

Biden says Kabul evacuation accelerating, but still threatened by Islamic State

https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20210822-biden-says-kabul-evacuation-accelerating-but-still-threatened-by-islamic-state



Biden Says Afghanistan Withdrawal Could Extend Beyond Aug. 31

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/08/biden-afghanistan-withdrawal-extend-evacuations-airport.html



Six Reasons Why the Taliban Flattened the Afghan Government

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/six-reasons-why-taliban-flattened-afghan-government-191999



25% of Afghan Air Force Fled, Remainder in Disarray, Sources Say

https://www.airforcemag.com/afghan-air-force-fled-remainder-in-disarray-sources-say/



Obama's Joint Chiefs chair says US should have gotten out of Afghanistan earlier

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/568941-obamas-joint-chiefs-chair-says-us-should-have-gotten-out-of



What The Civil Reserve Air Fleet Is And Why It's Been Activated For The Third Time In 70 Years

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42100/what-the-civil-reserve-air-fleet-is-and-why-its-been-activated-for-third-time-in-70-years



Taliban Takeover Seen as a Boon for Human Smugglers

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/08/19/human-smugglers-taliban-takeover-afghanistan/



Taliban Takeover: Ashraf Ghani Denies Stealing Millions During Escape Flight

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/taliban-takeover-ashraf-ghani-denies-stealing-millions-during-escape-flight



Taliban’s special forces outfit providing ‘security’ at Kabul airport

https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2021/08/talibans-special-forces-outfit-providing-security-at-kabul-airport.php



Taliban planning to establish 'new governing framework' in Kabul

https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/51529



Taliban leaders are promising peace, order and amnesty in Afghanistan. They promised that last time, too.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/22/taliban-historical-rhetoric/



With no dollars coming in, Afghanistan faces an economic cataclysm

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-08-22/taliban-finances-collapse



US Has Not Recognized Taliban Government, No Decision on Aircraft and Airmen that Fled

https://www.airforcemag.com/us-not-recognized-taliban-government/



There Must Be Accountability for America’s Defeat in Afghanistan

https://nationalinterest.org/feature/there-must-be-accountability-america%E2%80%99s-defeat-afghanistan-192091



Taliban claim they have changed ... but all the signs suggest it’s only for show

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/22/taliban-offer-restraint-but-all-the-signs-suggest-that-its-only-for-show



Afghan Women: The Taliban Are Shooting People in the Night and Filming It

https://www.thedailybeast.com/afghan-women-say-the-taliban-are-shooting-people-in-the-night-and-filming-it



Fact check: US C-17 plane swarmed by Afghans in video was real, not inflatable in 'false flag' operation

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/08/20/fact-check-air-force-c-17-seen-video-kabul-real/8193749002/



A Taliban Challenge: To Learn the Lessons of History

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/08/22/taliban-challenge-afghanistan-archaeology-artifacts-history-museums/



Former CIA official: Biden’s Afghanistan exit was political ‘preference,’ not intelligence failure

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/former-cia-official-bidens-afghanistan-exit-was-political-preference-not-intelligence-failure/vi-AANAYPR



Afghanistan withdrawal will 'embolden,' 'inspire' terrorists targeting US and Israel, experts warn

https://www.foxnews.com/world/taliban-takeover-afghanistan-israel-terrorism



Afghan Sikhs, Hindus angered after MPs 'sneak out to India,' call for evacuation

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/afghan-sikhs-hindus-angered-after-mps-sneak-out-to-india-call-for-evacuation/articleshow/85538842.cms



Video: Afghan Senator Breaks Down After Reaching India On Air Force Plane

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/watch-everything-built-in-last-20-years-finished-says-afghan-mp-2515981



Throwing Rocks at a Fire – A Story From My Nine Months Training Afghan Soldiers

https://sofrep.com/news/throwing-rocks-at-a-fire/



CNN Anchor Grills Jake Sullivan on Biden’s Misleading Afghanistan Claims: ‘We Know That’s Not True’

https://www.thedailybeast.com/cnns-brianna-keilar-grills-jake-sullivan-on-bidens-misleading-afghanistan-claims



Taliban likely to host first foreign leader, Pak minister Qureshi, at Kabul today

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/taliban-likely-to-host-first-foreign-leader-pak-minister-qureshi-at-kabul-today-101629604107969.html



Does the Belt and Road Have a Future in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan?

https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/does-the-belt-and-road-have-a-future-in-taliban-ruled-afghanistan/



Rare earth trillions lure China to Afghanistan's new Great Game

https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Rare-earth-trillions-lure-China-to-Afghanistan-s-new-Great-Game



Afghan civil war ‘unavoidable’ if Taliban refuse talks, says opposition leader

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/22/taliban-seek-to-assert-control-around-kabul-airport-as-death-toll-rises



Pakistan's Tehreek-E-Taliban Chief Mufti Noor Wali Maseed Calls For Attack On Forces

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/pakistans-tehreek-e-taliban-chief-mufti-noor-wali-maseed-calls-for-attack-on-forces.html



Suicide bomber attacks Chinese motorcade in Pakistan, killing two local children

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-22/suicide-bomber-in-pakistan-attacks-chinese-motorcade-kills-two/100397058



UK plans offshore asylum centres in other countries for Afghans

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/22/uk-plans-offshore-asylum-centres-in-pakistan-and-turkey-for-afghans



Europe fears Afghan refugee crisis after Taliban takeover

https://apnews.com/article/europe-middle-east-business-migration-taliban-6415008d9a07b57400691cc88a59a1fe



I've Worked with Refugees for Decades. Europe's Afghan Crime Wave Is Mind-Boggling.

https://nationalinterest.org/feature/ive-worked-refugees-decades-europes-afghan-crime-wave-mind-21506









Iran's shadow fleet and the secret alliance with China

https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/51523









Veteran opens up about what he witnessed serving in Iraq and Afghanistan

https://www.foxnews.com/media/veteran-opens-up-about-what-he-witnessed-serving-in-iraq-and-afghanistan









Fighting rages between Yemen's army, Houthis in Marib

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-08/22/c_1310142116.htm




Two New Turkish Indigenous Submarine Designs

http://www.hisutton.com/Turkish-Indigenous-Submarine-Designs.html



Turkey reinforces border to block any Afghan migrant wave

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-reinforces-border-block-any-afghan-migrant-wave-2021-08-22/









US forces down Iranian drone in eastern Syria — report

https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-forces-down-iranian-drone-in-eastern-syria-report/



Syrian air defense again shoots wildly at Israeli airstrikes - analysis

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/syrian-air-defense-again-shoot-wildly-at-israeli-airstrikes-analysis-677414









Israel’s Submarines Step Up Their Role in ‘Shadow War’ with Iran

https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3145736/israel%E2%80%99s-submarines-step-their-role-%E2%80%98shadow-war%E2%80%99-iran



Explosive balloons launched from Gaza - report

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/incendiary-balloons-launched-from-gaza-report-677453









‘My Blood Is Boiling’: War Fever Surges in Ethiopia as Its Civil War Spreads

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/22/world/africa/ethiopia-civil-war-spreads.html




US Sidelined by Chinese Influence Campaign in Africa

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/us-sidelined-chinese-influence-campaign-africa









Ukraine’s new Oplot tank breaks down in rehearsal parade

https://defence-blog.com/ukraines-new-oplot-tank-breaks-down-in-rehearsal-parade/



Russian S-500 air defence missile is about to be delivered, with a range of over 600 kilometres

https://www.defenceaviationpost.com/2021/08/russian-s-500-air-defence-missile-is-about-to-be-delivered-with-a-range-of-over-600-kilometres/



Kalashnikov to present its new guided-missile at 'ARMY-2021' in Moscow

https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/kalashnikov-to-present-its-new-guided-missile-at-army-2021-in-moscow20210823032703/



Kalashnikov unveils PPK-20 submachine gun for pilots

https://www.africanmilitaryblog.com/2021/08/army-2021-kalashnikov-unveils-ppk-20-submachine-gun-for-pilots



Russia Working on Airborne Launch and Recovery Drones

https://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russia_Working_on_Airborne_Launch_and_Recovery_Drones_999.html





Norway and Russia sharpen transparency pact on warship, aircraft moves

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/08/20/norway-and-russia-sharpen-transparency-pact-on-warship-aircraft-moves/




Tried and Trusted: Kazakhstan Acquires The Y-8

https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2021/08/tried-and-trusted-kazakhstan-acquires-y.html




First C-130J in Luftwaffe livery

http://alert5.com/2021/08/22/first-c-130j-in-luftwaffe-livery/









China: Making The Last Sortie Count

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20210822.aspx



China’s Anti-Satellite Weapons Could Conquer Taiwan—Or Start a War

https://nationalinterest.org/feature/china%E2%80%99s-anti-satellite-weapons-could-conquer-taiwan%E2%80%94or-start-war-192135





Nuclear Weapons in South Korea? Not So Fringe Anymore.

https://nationalinterest.org/feature/nuclear-weapons-south-korea-not-so-fringe-anymore-192122










Skunk Works Looks to Bridge Tanker, KC-Z, and Lighter-Than-Air

https://www.airforcemag.com/lockheed-martin-skunk-works-bridge-tanker-kc-z-lighter-than-air/



Missile Defense Agency director wants less complex, more mobile Aegis Ashore

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/smd/2021/08/20/missile-defense-agency-director-wants-less-complex-more-mobile-aegis-ashore/



Entangled America: Why Another International Nuclear Arms Race Has Begun

https://nationalinterest.org/feature/entangled-america-why-another-international-nuclear-arms-race-has-begun-192136



Marine Corps Pilot Program Expands Infantry Skills

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/8/23/marine-corps-pilot-program-expands-infantry-skills



PteroDynamics’ Clever Folding-Wing Drone Could Be The Cargo Hauler The Navy Needs

https://www.forbes.com/sites/erictegler/2021/08/22/if-the-navy-taps-transwing-for-drone-resupply-pterodynamics-will-have-to-transition-as-effortlessly-as-its-uas/



Video: Northrop Grumman Showcases VLWT at Sea Air Space 2021

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/sea-air-space-2021/2021/08/video-northrop-grumman-showcases-vlwt-at-sea-air-space-2021/