Af/Pak & Other News (8/18/2021)

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CIA warned of rapid Afghanistan collapse. So why did U.S. get it so wrong?

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/cia-warned-rapid-afghanistan-collapse-so-why-did-u-s-n1277026



German spies saw Kabul fall as 'rather unlikely': report

https://www.dw.com/en/german-spies-saw-kabul-fall-as-rather-unlikely-report/a-58892844



Ex-CIA chief says chaotic Afghanistan exit is Joe Biden’s ‘Bay of Pigs’ moment

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/joe-biden-bay-of-pigs-panetta-b1904259.html



Government Report: Pentagon Had ‘Willful Disregard’ for Reality in Afghanistan

https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dba3n/government-report-pentagon-had-willful-disregard-for-reality-in-afghanistan



Unrealistic timelines, unsustainable goals made ‘victorious US withdrawal’ from Afghanistan impossible, watchdog finds

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/middle_east/2021-08-17/afghanistan-sigar-report-sopko-us-failures-withdrawal-2585015.html



Afghanistan and the Real Vietnam Analogy

https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/afghanistan-and-the-real-vietnam-analogy/



Dozens Of U.S.-Bought Afghan Air Force Aircraft Are Now Orphaned At An Uzbek Airfield

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42040/dozens-of-u-s-bought-afghan-air-force-aircraft-are-now-orphaned-at-an-uzbek-airfield



The collapse of Afghan military: We’ve seen this movie before

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/8/17/the-collapse-of-afghan-military-we-have-seen-this-movie-before



Is There An Iraq Precedent To The Failure Of Afghanistan’s Military?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/08/17/is-there-an-iraq-precedent-to-the-failure-of-afghanistans-military/



Why the Afghan Army Folded

https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2021/08/why-afghan-army-folded/184593/



‘Money or Bullets’: How the Taliban Bribed and Threatened Their Way to Power in Afghanistan

https://www.vice.com/en/article/epn7bn/money-or-bullets-how-the-taliban-bribed-and-threatened-their-way-to-power-in-afghanistan



Why Was there so little Resistance when Afghanistan Collapsed?

https://www.thecipherbrief.com/column_article/why-was-there-so-little-resistance-when-afghanistan-collapsed



RC-135W Rivet Joint Spy Plane Is Flying Orbits Over Kabul

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42029/rc-135w-rivet-joint-spy-plane-is-flying-orbits-over-kabul



Viral Videos Show Taliban Riding Bumper Cars, Trying Gym Equipment

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/08/18/videos-taliban-bumper-cars-gym/



Council may rule Afghanistan, Taliban to reach out to soldiers, pilots

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-council-may-rule-afghanistan-taliban-reach-out-soldiers-pilots-senior-2021-08-18/



Taliban face financial crisis without access to foreign reserves

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/18/taliban-face-financial-crisis-without-access-to-foreign-reserves



Afghanistan Low on Physical Cash After Taliban Takeover as Reserves Held Outside Nation

https://www.newsweek.com/afghanistan-low-physical-cash-after-taliban-takeover-reserves-held-outside-nation-1620574



The Complicated Logistics Behind the Kabul Airport Evacuation, Explained

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a37319578/kabul-airport-evacuation-logistics/



The head of the British Armed Forces said they're collaborating with the Taliban so Kabul stays calm and people can go to the airport

https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-armed-forces-head-says-collaborating-with-taliban-keep-airport-kabul-calm-2021-8



More details about Reach 871, the USAF C-17 that safely evacuated 640 Afghans fleeing from Taliban

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/more-details-about-reach-871-the-usaf-c-17-that-safely-evacuated-640-afghans-fleeing-from-taliban/



Air Force Launches Investigation Into Deadly Kabul C-17 Flight

https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/air-force-launches-investigation-deadly-kabul-c-17-flight/184599/



We Spoke to the Family of the Afghan Teenager Who Fell to His Death From a US Military Plane

https://www.vice.com/en/article/jg84gg/afghan-fall-plane-kabul-teenager



U.S. grapples with fallout from Afghanistan withdrawal with Taliban back in control

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/america-withdrawl-afghanistan-taliban-fallout/



Afghan Air Force pilot to Americans: 'We did not all just give up and quit'

https://theweek.com/world/1003830/afghan-air-force-pilot-to-americans-we-did-not-all-just-give-up-and-quit



‘Please Don’t Leave Us Behind. We Will Be Great Americans.’; An interview with a U.S.-trained Afghan Air Force pilot, now hiding from the Taliban.

https://www.thebulwark.com/please-dont-leave-us-behind-we-will-be-great-americans/



The Taliban have access to US military aircraft. Now what happens?

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/08/17/the-taliban-has-access-to-us-military-aircraft-now-what-happens/



Concerns grow over Afghan air force assets seized by Taliban

https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/concerns-grow-over-afghan-air-force-assets-seized-by-taliban/145119.article



Here’s all the US military equipment that likely ended up in Taliban hands

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/taliban-weapons-afghanistan/



The Taliban Air Force - An Inventory Assessment

https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2021/08/the-taliban-air-force-inventory.html



NATO scrambles to complete Afghanistan evacuations ‘as soon as possible’

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/08/17/nato-scrambles-to-complete-afghanistan-evacuations-as-soon-as-possible/



‘There Is No Afghan Government’: NATO Stops Aid To Afghanistan As Taliban Take Over

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/there-no-afghan-government-nato-stops-aid-afghanistan-taliban-take-over/184586/



Five Decades After Evacuating The Embassy In Saigon The CH-46 Phrog Did It Again In Kabul

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42036/five-decades-after-evacuating-the-embassy-in-saigon-the-ch-46-phrog-did-it-again-in-kabul



The Taliban Have Seized U.S. Military Biometrics Devices

https://theintercept.com/2021/08/17/afghanistan-taliban-military-biometrics/



Taliban meet with ex-leader Karzai, quash protesters in Jalalabad

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/08/18/afghanistan-taliban-protesters-hamid-karzai/7541629290221/



Anti-Taliban protests spread beyond Jalalabad over Afghan flag

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/18/evacuations-from-kabul-speed-up-as-taliban-promises-peace-live



Taliban Hamper Kabul Evacuations, Crack Down on Protests in Eastern Afghanistan

https://www.wsj.com/articles/taliban-block-routes-to-kabul-airport-hampering-evacuations-from-afghanistan-11629279556



Taliban destroy statue of foe, stoking fear over their rule

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/aug/18/taliban-destroy-statue-foe-stoking-fear-over-their/



The Taliban respond with force to an outpouring of public anger.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-protests.html



With the Taliban now in control, here’s what Afghans are seeing in Kabul

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2021/videos-afghanistan-kabul-taliban-arrival/



Ex-Afghan VP, Amrullah Saleh, Declares Resistance to Taliban: 'I Am Caretaker President'

https://www.newsweek.com/ex-afghan-vp-amrullah-saleh-declares-resistance-taliban-i-am-caretaker-president-1620208



Resistance in Afghanistan: A Growing Number of Fighters Join Pledge To Fight From Panjshir

https://coffeeordie.com/afghan-resistance-grows/



Thousands of Afghans enter Pakistan via Chaman border crossing

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/17/thousands-of-afghans-enter-pakistan-through-chaman-border-point



From India to China, the Taliban’s return leaves Afghanistan’s neighbors scrambling to adjust

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/18/afghanistan-taliban-impact-on-pakistan-india-china-russia-iran.html



China and Russia poised to step into the Afghanistan gap

https://www.ft.com/content/7ceb9e3b-bd6e-43fe-bb86-80353249e6ac



Expanding China’s Central Asia Playbook to Afghanistan

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/08/18/expanding_chinas_central_asia_playbook_to_afghanistan_790429.html



Afghanistan Veterans Struggling With News of Taliban Takeover

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/afghanistan-veterans-struggling-news-taliban-takeover/184590/



US officials failed Americans trapped in Afghanistan — where are the resignations?

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/us-officials-failed-americans-trapped-in-afghanistan-where-are-the-resignations









India and Vietnam conduct naval exercise in South China Sea, ahead of the Quad's `Malabar' off Guam

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-and-vietnam-conduct-naval-exercise-in-south-china-sea-ahead-of-the-quads-malabar-off-guam/articleshow/85429488.cms









Iran's new naval commander is making waves

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/irans-new-naval-commander-is-making-waves-677038









B-52 Navigator tells the story of when his BUFF was nearly fired at by a Navy/Marine F/A-18 during Operation Desert Storm (and remembers other scary sorties flown during the First Gulf War)

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/b-52-navigator-tells-the-story-of-when-his-buff-was-nearly-fired-at-by-a-navy-marine-f-a-18-during-operation-desert-storm-and-remembers-other-scary-sorties-flown-during-the-first-gulf-war/









Ex-Afghan President Taken in by UAE After Fleeing With $169M Stuffed in Bags

https://www.thedailybeast.com/ex-afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-now-in-united-arab-emirates



Israeli drones patrolling oil fields in UAE, infrastructure worldwide

https://www.jpost.com/jpost-tech/israeli-drones-patrolling-oil-fields-in-uae-infrastructure-worldwide-677003




Turkey Deploys Soldiers to Iran Border to Stop Possible Afghan Migrant Surge

https://www.newsweek.com/turkey-deploys-soldiers-iran-border-stop-possible-afghan-migrant-surge-1620572



Roketsan has developed the Sungur mobile air defense missile system

https://www.armyrecognition.com/idef_2021_news_official_online_show_daily_media_partner/idef_2021_roketsan_has_developed_the_sungur_mobile_air_defense_missile_system.html



Ares Shipyard showcases Ares 85 Hercules Fast Patrol Boat

http://navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/august/10571-idef-2021-ares-shipyard-showcases-ares-85-hercules-fast-patrol-boat.html



Asisguard displays SONGAR, first national armed drone system

https://www.armyrecognition.com/idef_2021_news_official_online_show_daily_media_partner/idef_2021_asisguard_displays_songar_first_national_armed_drone_system.html



Turkey's Meteksan Unveils Anti - Electro-optic/Infra-red Guided Missile System

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30243/Turkey_s_Meteksan_Unveils_Anti___Electro_optic_Infra_red_Guided_Missile_System#.YR0dv99lBaQ



Aselsan showcases Albatros-S Unmanned Surface Vessel

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/august/10573-idef-2021-aselsan-showcases-albatros-s-unmanned-surface-vessel.html



Roketsan mini laser-guided missile designed to be fire from aerial drones

https://www.armyrecognition.com/idef_2021_news_official_online_show_daily_media_partner/idef_2021_roketsan_mini_laser-guided_missile_designed_to_be_fire_from_aerial_drones.html









Syria’s top jihadist group hails Taliban takeover

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/syrias-top-jihadist-group-hails-taliban-takeover/



Syrian state TV: Israel fires missiles in southern Syria

https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-syria-8f84bdfe0e03ff3ef1d09e60a4893738



Israel drops threatening flyers in south Syria following nighttime strike nearby

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-drops-threatening-flyers-in-south-syria-following-nighttime-strike-nearby/









Israel: Minion Madness

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/israel/articles/20210818.aspx









Turkey donates additional Kirpi MRAPs, military trucks to Somalia

https://www.africanmilitaryblog.com/2021/08/turkey-donates-additional-kirpi-mraps-military-trucks-to-somalia









Ukrainian SRDSC showcases Kaira-150 multitask craft

http://navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/august/10567-idef-2021-ukrainian-srdsc-showcases-kaira-150-multitask-craft.html



UkroBoronProm displays RPV-16 jet infantry flame thrower

https://www.armyrecognition.com/idef_2021_news_official_online_show_daily_media_partner/idef_2021_ukroboronprom_displays_rpv-16_jet_infantry_flame_thrower.html



SRDSC unveils Missile Craft Pacscat type Bohomol

http://navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/august/10568-idef-2021-srdsc-unveils-missile-craft-pacscat-type-bohomol.html



Ukrainian company Luch showcases SKIF man portable antitank missile system

https://www.armyrecognition.com/idef_2021_news_official_online_show_daily_media_partner/idef_2021_ukrainian_company_luch_showcases_skif_man_portable_antitank_missile_system.html



Beneath The Gloating, Taliban Takeover Brings Unwelcome New Uncertainty For Moscow

https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-takeover-russia/31415343.html



Russia: SAR Madness

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htspace/articles/20210818.aspx



How Russia spies: Active measures & subversion

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/how-russia-spies-active-measures-subversion/





EU holds migrant talks, accuses Belarus of ‘hybrid warfare’

https://apnews.com/article/europe-migration-belarus-97e97d18731b48e433adade59a27242d




Cyprus to Sell 11 Mi-35P Helicopters to Serbia: Report

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30244/Cyprus_to_Sell_11_Mi_35P_Helicopters_to_Serbia__Report#.YR0dr99lBaQ



Yugoimport from Serbia unveils its new Nova surface-to-surface missile

https://www.armyrecognition.com/idef_2021_news_official_online_show_daily_media_partner/idef_2021_yugoimport_from_serbia_unveils_its_new_nova_surface-to-surface_missile.html




Eyes Over Bulgarian Skies: From MiG-25s To Bayraktar TB2s

https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2020/01/bulgaria-mig-25.html




Havana Syndrome Hits Two U.S. Officials as Mysterious Illness Reported in Germany

https://www.newsweek.com/havana-syndrome-hits-two-us-officials-mysterious-illness-reported-germany-1620513









Warship USS Arlington, More Coast Cutters to Join Haiti Relief Operation

https://news.usni.org/2021/08/17/warship-uss-arlington-more-coast-cutters-to-join-haiti-relief-operation









PLA warplane enters Taiwanese military target zone minutes before drill begins

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3145430/pla-warplanes-enter-taiwanese-military-target-zone-minutes



China Warplanes Set New Record for Intrusions in Taiwan's Air Defense Zone

https://www.newsweek.com/china-warplanes-new-record-intrusions-taiwans-air-defense-zone-1620082





North Korean media denounces South's plan to build new frigates

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/08/17/north-korean-media-denounce-south-korea-frigate/8281629221592/





Russian bombers, Chinese warship deployed near Korean Peninsula amid exercises

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/08/18/south-korea-us-exercises-russia-china-deployment/9891629292188/



South Korean 'PATRIOT' Missile, Cheongung II to Enter Mass Production

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30251/South_Korean__PATRIOT__Missile__Cheongung_II_to_Enter_Mass_Production#.YR0dmN9lBaQ



South Korea's ruling party calls for faster transfer of military control from U.S.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/08/18/Song-Young-gil-OPCON-transfer-USFK-North-Korea-Afghanistan/1631629267566/










Microsoft Expands Its Space Cloud With New SES-Boeing MEOsats

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/08/microsoft-expands-its-space-cloud-with-new-ses-boeing-meosats/



Northrop bows out of competition to build laser weapon for Strykers

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/08/18/northrop-bows-out-of-competition-to-build-laser-weapon-for-strykers/



Lockheed pitched arming the U-2 with anti-ship missiles

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/lockheed-pitched-arming-the-u-2-with-anti-ship-missiles/



Aerospace & Defense Roundup: August 17

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/z/aerospace-defense-roundup-august-17



Army must overcome these two primary electronic warfare challenges

https://www.c4isrnet.com/smr/technet-augusta/2021/08/18/army-must-overcome-these-two-primary-electronic-warfare-challenges/



Say Hello to 'Dark Eagle,' the Army’s New Hypersonic Weapon

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a37284902/army-hypersonic-missile-dark-eagle/



The M1161 Growler May Bring an End to the US Army's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/m1161-growler-may-bring-end-us-armys-joint-light-tactical-vehicle-191971



Marines Successfully Fire New NMESIS Anti-Ship Weapon During Live Exercise

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/08/marines-successfully-fire-new-nmesis-anti-ship-weapon-during-live-exercise/



General Atomics and KRATOS secured contract awards for Skyborg Vanguard

http://alert5.com/2021/08/18/general-atomics-and-kratos-secured-contract-awards-for-skyborg-vanguard/



Dialable Effects Munition demonstration program concludes

http://alert5.com/2021/08/18/dialable-effects-munition-demonstration-program-concludes/



Report to Congress on Coast Guard Cutter Procurement

https://news.usni.org/2021/08/18/report-to-congress-on-coast-guard-cutter-procurement-12



Submarine Force Atlantic Demonstrates Warfighting Readiness in Exercise Agile Player 21

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/403245/submarine-force-atlantic-demonstrates-warfighting-readiness-exercise-agile-player-21



Audit Exposes Cybersecurity Lapse in US Pacific Submarine Fleet

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/08/17/audit-cybersecurity-us-pacific-submarines/



The shifting threats driving anti-surface warfare capabilities

https://www.naval-technology.com/features/anti-surface-warfare-asuw/



The Last Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate Ever Built Just Got Pummeled To Death

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42046/retired-frigate-uss-ingraham-just-got-pummeled-to-death-during-a-huge-navy-exercise