Comment: According to this Indian media outlet the Pakistan Air Force and ground forces have entered directly into the fighting to suppress the last flames of resistance to the jihadis. pl
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Is “Panjshir” over already?
The Col Cassad website has posted the following this morning:
Massoud Jr., in his audio message, acknowledged the Taliban’s control over all of Afghanistan.
and the following details:
1. In the morning the Taliban occupied Bazarak and hung their flag there. Now all areas of the Panjshir province are controlled by the Taliban.
2. The remnants of the resisting troops of Massoud and Saleh sit in the mountains. Masud is still allegedly in Panjshir, Saleh allegedly in Tajikistan.
3. The Taliban reaffirmed that the amnesty applies to all residents of Panjshir.
4. The Taliban commander who was announced killed yesterday turned out to be quite alive.
5. In general, the Panjshir resistance balloon burst as rapidly as it was inflated.
6. Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the armed takeover of Panjshir by the Taliban. Bernard Henri-Levy mourns Panjshir on Twitter.
7. Massoud Jr. finally lost any chance of getting into the Afghan government. The choice was wrong.
Colonel,
If Pakistan is getting this brazen, why would they not take over Bagram airbase to forward deploy their air assets, piloted and unpiloted? Good thing that the Biden regime left it there for the taking, no? Just keeps getting better and better.
I suspect that Iran and India will be exploring expanding their relationship, faced with this ratcheting up of radical Islamic expansionism. The Iranians have been moving out sharply in their enrichment of uranium absent the revoked deal with the US; perhaps they foresaw these changed circumstances, and it’ll be full speed ahead on a nuclear weaponry program, and maybe at this point with Indian help? I could envisage cooperation in further areas, say for instance in rocketry, drone technology, and computer security., and other battlespace technology.
Jersey Jeffersonian, there were times you seemed to have a basic rational core. Long time ago, maybe. Once upon a time during the last two decades? What happened? You feel Iran, Pakistan & India could align to threaten the US? Economically only or only with nuclear arms?
See me puzzled. I would assume that ‘Alzheimer Joe’, basement Joe does not interfere with the nuclear modernization program Trump announced.
I missed what information or details?
No, LeaNder, what I was saying is that Pakistan, having the lead role in Afghanistan through the long-established influence of the ISI over the jihadis, as well as in Pakistan, was increasing the scope of Sunni Islamic radicalism (with support from Quatar and Turkey) in that region bordering upon both India and Iran. Neither India nor Iran consider this to be good, rather they perceive it as a threat, and may unite efforts to protect their populations and interests. That Pakistan, with their semi-satellite Afghanistan, India, and Iran would be UNITING to threaten the US was not at all what I was saying. Perhaps I was too laconic, or not clear enough for you.
So now I have become irrational, instead of you perhaps not comprehending what I say? That’s a stretch, if I do say so myself. Your display of snide, mocking sarcasm was very rude, and uncalled for. By all means, ask for clarification, but kindly leave the insults at the door.
Yes, indeed, my perspective on many matters has changed over the recent years; I would have had to have been an idiot not to have noticed all of the steady creep of leftist authoritarianism and all that that implies for me and my people, so yeah, I should hope that my expanding grasp of what is happening would lead to revisions in my views and their expression. If my sense of things is not in congruence with yours, this should come as no surprise.
Sorry, JJ, I was irritated about something else and choose the wrong context to blow off steam. The whole nuclear talk from mushroom clouds to new states that have to be prevented from getting their own arsenal makes me sick.
Not that I cannot understand Iran, considering how high up on the regime change ladder they are for decades now.
would have had to have been an idiot not to have noticed all of the steady creep of leftist authoritarianism and all that that implies for me and my people, so yeah
The socialist, communist takeover headed by someone with Alzheimer? I get the anger and resentment, but doubt I fully understand.
LeAnder
A demented figurehead who is more assertive than his handlers would wish.
Leander,
Thank you, civility is restored. I do not customarily get chippy, but when off-handedly insulted, I will get up on my haunches and defend myself.
As to your second point, Biden is a corrupt, self-loving fool; I have seen him at work for decades, and no improvement is ever seen in his attitude, his character, his ability to, or even interest in coming to grips with national or international matters. He is totally compromised through his corruption, and therefore manipulable by those behind the scenes pulling his strings. He robotically signs legislation put in front of him by his handlers so that he can retain the office that in his vanity he thinks he deserves. He was cynically installed as a figurehead through a massively corrupt election in order to provide cover for the coup presently being staged against the Republic and our Constitutional order.
It will be spurious socialism for the proles (actually a war of all against all), but fascist glory for the neo-liberals, immiseration and loss of liberties and social mobility for the masses, but concentrated autocracy for the “elites”, who are anything but, judging by their ineptitude.
So, yeah, this makes one angry.
JJ
When he was a senator his “staff” handled him the same way.
I’ve seen reports all weekend about the Pakistani active participation in the Taliban offensive in Panjshir with drones, Cobra attack helicopters and commandos along with numerous reports of the death of Fahim Dashti. If the Pakis are flexing this much overt muscle, the Taliban offensive must be not going as planned. They probably did finally enter the valley, move up the main road and take the provincial capital at Bazarak, but that means little with the NRF still in the mountains above the road and capital. Taking Bazarak several times didn’t do the Soviets ant good.
Lara Logan sent out two tweets this morning (Please excuse the ALLCAPS. I guess it’s just her style.
BREAKING: ACC TO EYE-WITNESS, AFGHAN PRES SALEH & AFGHAN SPECIAL OPS HAVE RETAKEN BAZARAK, DISTRICT CAPITAL IN PANSJIR WHERE CMMDR MASOOD IS BURIED. TALIBAN FLAG RAISED FOR FIVE HOURS BEFORE BEING REMOVED. CELL TOWERS DOWN SO NEWS NOT GETTING OUT. FIGHTING ONGOING IN ROKHA.
BREAKING: ACC TO SENIOR SOURCES FROM AFGHAN PRES AMRULLAH SALEH’S TEAM, PAKISTANI INTELLIGENCE (ISI) AGENT GEN GERAT WHO FLEW TO KABUL FRIDAY WITH ISI CHIEF IS EN ROUTE TO PANSJIR VALLEY TO TAKE OVER AS – A DEATH SENTENCE FOR OVER TEN THOUSAND AFGHANS STILL FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM
In a message put out today, Masood has called for a general uprising, not just in the Panjshir Valley, but across all of Afghanistan. My advice is not to write off Masood and the NRF yet.
” Taking Bazarak several times didn’t do the Soviets any good.”
There is still hope.
It’s not over yet.
It didn’t take long for Pakistan to reveal its hand. Definitely sending India a message, butt out!
Sending the USA a message too.
Heard that most of the fighting being done by the Tajik Talibs: it prevents locals from perceiving it as Pashtun vs Tajik and conveniently “prunes” pro-Taliban Tajik of the fighting men in case they decide to part ways with the Talibs.
Pakistan’s involvement reminded me of how Turkey inserted itself in last year’s Azeri-Armenian war – they also brought drones and commanders, but here Taliban provided cannonfodder.
How real is the risk of Afghanistan turning into a tug of war between Iran and Pakistan? Why Iran might need Iraq as a buffer against Saudis + Gulfies and also as a conduit to the Mediterranean is understandable. Would they like to turn Afghanistan into a buffer on the opposite flank?
Tajik Talibs AKA Jamaat Ansarullah are a small group, last known to be about 200 fighters. Formerly in Tajikistan, a mixed group of Tajiks from both Afghanistan and Tajikistan. They had little success in Dushanbe so they have been operating under the Taliban flag in several districts of Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan near the border.
The Taliban sent them south to Panjsher and are now calling them the conquerors of Panjsher. But it is all propaganda as they are only figureheads. The fighting on the ground was done by Pashtun Talibs and Haqqani’s Badr commandos, and possibly by Pakistani Special Forces.
Meanwhile in Kabul, Aamaj News is reporting young people taking to the streets yelling “Death to Pakistan” and other anti-Pak slogans:
https://twitter.com/AamajN/status/1434860162787991559
Massoud’s statement today says the NRF lost many martyrs including some of his own family. But says they are not weakened or demoralized. and will continue to fight:
https://twitter.com/nrfafg/status/1434844384038567939
IMHO this ain’t over.
Gen Durrani having a belly-laugh at the American chumps under 4 presidents from both parties from his mansion paid for by future generations of American serfs.
Stanley McChrystal probably also toasting Durrani with vintage champagne worthy of royalty.
https://twitter.com/isaacstanbecker/status/1434140352227729420?s=21
They can overplay their hand because they have enough well entrenched institutional apologists who are ready to plead their POV.
https://theprint.in/world/bbc-shuts-down-scholar-christine-fair-twitter-hits-back-at-bias/728363/
Now that the thinly veiled masks have come off as to who masterminded the not so surprising or sudden fall of the Afghan governement, they are not even worried about any fallout from making Biden look like the Bagholder of Bagram. Post Panjshir, expect a purge of the so called moderate Taliban, or the inclusive Taliban and a overt repudiation of all promises made at Doha.
To the victor goes the spoils. It is time to reap the benefits, collect tolls from Europe with the promise of regulating migrants, move all terror infrastructure to the badlands of Afghanistan, relieve the economic pressure from FATF and go back to what they do best.
Last Friday, the Taliban conducted night operations using NVD’s given to them by the Bidenista Regime.
It was only a matter of time this would happen.
PAKISTAN WILL ONLY DO WHAT ITS CHINESE MASTERS TELL IT TO DO.
Let’s start a pool bet on how much we are going to pay per American Hostage…
The filthy Pakis asserted themselves when the Army Intell chief made himself and the Pakis’ intervention clear as daylight. What did Masood Jr. and NRF was the combination of Chinese drone tech and Pakis’ intelligence assistance. The only bit of good news I read was the downing of a Pakistani Air Force Jet (most likely an old F-16) at the hands of the resistance. See https://www.timesnownews.com/international/article/panjshir-resistance-leader-confirms-pak-army-helping-taliban/808393
Civil war is looming as DoD has said, and the Taliban are scrambling fast to consolidate their power, overcome division among their own ranks, and gain diplomatic recognition from regional powers. Iran has taken a dual approach: the Foreign Ministry- historically displaying a moderate face- has “lamanted” the loss of the Panjshir and has called the NRF casualties as “martyrs” and has called for ceasefire and diplomatic solution between parties, yada yada… while the conservative camp which is where the real power resides and decides the final policies vis-a-vis Afghanistan would not mind to see Taliban in power. In fact they could not care less about Masood Jr.’s faith, they want to have Shi’ite political representation in the future Taliban-led government and THIS is their red line one way or another. And regarding the Iran Deal and the negotiations, don’t worry both sides will finally agree upon its restoration but only after the incoming UNGA session.
They will all celebrate On Sept 11th..When General Joe Confusion trades all His Guests at the ..Gitmo R&R ..Center for Senior Taliban Terrorist Leaders,,..and Associates…for Who ever the Afghan Talibans Offer Him.Living or Dead.(Hostages in Airplanes Again))….FULL Circle.) Beruit..Iran..Syria…Oh…That Caliphate…..So everyone can see which Team Obama Bin Biden.. (And Enablers and Planners) ..Really Play For…Setting ..(Up…For The New World..One Up In Smoke…
Taliban cabinet appointments announced.
Baradar has been demoted and will not be Prime Minister. Probably considered too moderate. And with him not in a position of power then his promises to the Pompeo at the Doha Agreement can be set aside. Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund will be the PM. He is on a United Nations sanctions list. During the previous Taliban Administration in the 1990s he was the Foreign Minister. And has been the longtime head of the Taliban’s leadership council or Shura in Quetta Pakistan.
Haqqani, who is wanted by the FBI and the subject of a 10 million dollar reward is made Interior Minister or Chief Cop of Afghanistan.
Mohammad Yaqoob, the 31-year old son of Mullah Omar, is Defense Minister. He has the backing and influence of Saudi Arabia. He has been out of the country for many years. Reportedly he is considered green behind the ears by a few senior Taliban commanders in the field. And he is opposed by the hardcore ‘Hezb-e Walayat-e Islami’ faction of the Taliban.
Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai, also known as Abdul Hakim Haqqani, a hardliner, is the Justice Minister. In the past he taught religious instruction at a madrassah in Pakistan known as ‘Jihad U’. He has controlled the Taliban judiciary for many years, and some intel services believe he is a main link between the Taliban and the ISI.
How many of these great leaders were released by Obama in exchange for his hero, Beau Bergdahl?
Of the five mentioned above only Abdul Ghani Baradar was ever in custody. He was arrested and imprisoned by the Pakistanis in 2010. He was released in 2018 at the request of the United States so that Pompeo could make the Doha deal. Fat Mike met with both Baradar and top honcho of Afghan Sharia courts Ishaqzai AKA Haqqani (the guy in the pic below that refused to stand).
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Secretary_Pompeo_Meets_With_the_Taliban_Delegation_%2850333305012%29.jpg
But you may be partially correct. One of Bergdahl’s Taliban Five, Khairullah Khairkhwa, seems to have now been appointed the new Taliban propaganda kingpin.