What about all of those who can’t make it to Kabul?
The major effort being made by US and British soldiers, along with other countries, to get their nationals out of Kabul airport, along with Afghans who have foreign passports or are in danger due to having worked with foreign powers, is desperate.
However, there are many who have been unable to get to Kabul and who would be at great risk from the Taliban if they tried the journey.
It appears the Kabul airport ‘rescue’ flights are done with tacit agreement with the Taliban. There are three other international airports and six military airports around the country, presumably unable to be used because of risk, mobilisation and lack of agreement.
S Gill, Warrington
Funny old world, isn’t it? Twenty years ago people were protesting about troops being sent into Afghanistan, now they are protesting about them pulling out. Alex, Coventry
Our prime minister, Boris Johnson, tries to get US president Joe Biden to delay the evacuation of US troops so as to get more people out safely.
The Taliban announces it will not extend the deadline and will fight the Americans if they try to do this. If the US sticks to its original date, what does this show to the world?
It shows that the US, with all its firepower, is frightened of rag-tag fighters – its credibility would nosedive. The Taliban will cash in on this in their propaganda videos.
The only way to curb the Taliban’s activities is for Nato countries to encircle Afghanistan with a blockade, in and out, land and air, except for medical supplies. This could halt the drugs trafficking that finances its terrible regime. Biden has a lot to answer for.
Alan Bayley, Southend on Sea
I agree with Paul from Newcastle (MetroTalk, Mon) that the US and UK forces propped up the Afghan army for 20 years but at the first sight of the Taliban, the Afghans ran away. We cannot be expected to fight other people’s battles for them indefinitely.
Ernest, Manchester
So Tony Blair causes more controversy with his latest comments on the Afghanistan debacle (Metro, Mon). The man has no shame. Hasn’t he caused enough pain and suffering?
Roger Shield, Wetherby
Any honest appraisal of the situation will acknowledge that the US and Britain were deeply involved in Afghanistan long before September 2001.
In the late 1970s, there was a socialist government in Afghanistan that had good relations with Russia. The US and UK would not accept this state of affairs and decided to do all they could to bring down this government.
Their means of doing this was to stoke up attacks on the Afghan government by the most extreme Islamist fanatics, including pouring in supplies of advanced weaponry. This started at least six months before the Soviet army entered the country in 1979. From this arose the Taliban and al Qaeda. The US and UK would never have done this if they had foreseen 9/11 but they did know it would bring suffering to the people of Afghanistan. They did not care.