Afghanistan - 20 years on

[Malevolence]

84 BILLION pounds of equipment. Jesus Christ. I’m speechless.

This 10pm conference should be him leaving office.

Think you mean dollars, the Taliban aren't parading around in UK gear.

 

[robfosters]

I thought the PC started at ten?

 

[chrismscotland]

I thought the PC started at ten?

They're rarely if ever on time

 

[Minusorange]

"Gen. McKenzie says he doesn't believe #ISIS has the capability to take down an aircraft."

Just seen that - given the amount of MANPADS floating around with at least one Igla photographed in what seems to be ISIS hands (albeit nothing to say it was functional) and the number of "technicals" sporting ZU-23- I wouldn't be so sure (albeit a lot harder to use anti-aircraft guns against aircraft in these circumstances when DIY'd onto pickups, etc.).

Obviously once they'd climbed to altitude they'd be well out of reach of such weapons - but they have to get there first.

This was a week ago

I imagine it has been a free for all for a lot of weaponry so I wouldn't be surprised if ISIS got some G2A weapons, I guess though the Taliban are doing a good policing as it's a lot easier to walk around with a suicide belt than it is with Igla or Stinger and I'm sure they really don't want anybody bringing any planes down or attacking the airport while they have some seemingly good favour with their former enemies

 

[Firestar_3x]

84 BILLION pounds of equipment. Jesus Christ. I’m speechless.

This 10pm conference should be him leaving office.

Sounds like a large number, however lots of it will be either inoperable or simply not financially viable to fly back home.

 

[The_One]

surely they don’t know how to use this equipment (such as black hawks and planes etc) and then surely there is a plan to take this equipment out of Afghanistan?

the iranians, russians and chinese will soon be able to teach them

 

[chrismscotland]

surely they don’t know how to use this equipment (such as black hawks and planes etc) and then surely there is a plan to take this equipment out of Afghanistan?

Thing is its probably a split; some of the kit would have been left behind for the Afghan Army/Security Forces; thats probably more likely to be the land vehicles (mainly Humvees, Jeeps and I believe some patrol vehicles); Weapons and Ammo (Assault Rifles and LMG's mainly), Helicopters.
I imagine some of the planes left were for the Afghan Army too; there's also bound to be a lot of stuff that just wasn't serviceable (Aircraft mainly) and that's why they were left around.

The only video I've seen allegedly of the Taliban with a chopper is actually a Russian Hind; not a US aircraft.

 

[Nasher]

TBH anyone wanting to get out is best off heading north at this point.

 

[Tefal]

surely they don’t know how to use this equipment (such as black hawks and planes etc) and then surely there is a plan to take this equipment out of Afghanistan?

The blackhawks etc are useless as some parts have tiny lifespans

But most are torched the pictures sow they're burnt out around the avionics bays

 

[Rroff]

Someone has already added the Taliban to the list of operators for the Black Hawk on Wiki... though not many of them were delivered to Afghanistan so far and even less are operational.

 

[Nasher]

A few old blackhawks aren't going to do much. They won't be able to get parts for them and China isn't going to want them.

 

[antijoke]

So they are over egging the state of the equipment then? Just saying black hawks even though most are useless and inoperable?

 

[omnomnom]

Heartbreaking scenes and we have someone posting “let it burn” honestly give it a rest.

 

[robfosters]

Sorry, what does the K mean in ISIS-K?

 

[StephenJ]

Sorry, what does the K mean in ISIS-K?

Isis-K - or to give it its more accurate name, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) - is the regional affiliate of Isis (or so-called Islamic State) that is active in Afghanistan and Pakistan

info from the bbc site link below

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58333533?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

 

[chrismscotland]

So they are over egging the state of the equipment then? Just saying black hawks even though most are useless and inoperable?

Much of the higher end stuff yes

Sorry, what does the K mean in ISIS-K?

Khorasan province apparantly

 

[Rroff]

So they are over egging the state of the equipment then? Just saying black hawks even though most are useless and inoperable?

Still not a great approach - even if a lot of it is older hardware, etc. the Taliban have acquired a ton of light armour vehicles some of it quite modern.

 

[beachBOYken]

Sorry, what does the K mean in ISIS-K?

It was a region I think on the eastern border with Pakistan where they are based.

 

[robfosters]

20 minutes late and counting. He surely must be fully charged by now.

 

[Malevolence]

Sorry, what does the K mean in ISIS-K?

Khurasan