The tragedy in Afghanistan ends on an upbeat note
1. The lesson of the collapse in Afghanistan for US Allies is not about a lack of consultation or even US competence. This is the third US president in a row that has demonstrated that America will no longer police the world or use its power to support the elusive goal of stability in faraway regions.
3. At the Uzbek camp, near the city of Termez, pilots had described feeling like prisoners, with highly restricted movement, and insufficient food and medicine. Hopes began to lift about a week ago when U.S. officials arrived to carry out biometric screening of the Afghans who fled in 46 aircraft and helicopters — many of whom fled with just the clothes on their back. Uzbekistan’s decision is what you call a no brainer; as sending the pilots back to the Taliban, is a death sentence.
4. We await news on US efforts to get back these 46 aircraft to prevent them from falling into Taliban hands. There's another group of Afghan pilots who flew to Tajikistan (about 144, half pilots, crew and family) who are at less risk given that Dushanbe doesn't have the diplomatic ties to the Taliban .
1. The lesson of the collapse in Afghanistan for US Allies is not about a lack of consultation or even US competence. This is the third US president in a row that has demonstrated that America will no longer police the world or use its power to support the elusive goal of stability in faraway regions.
(a) The tragedy in Afghanistan is a logical outcome of that now well-established position. The US has become a normal country. It will not be isolationist or unilateral. It will work effectively with allies, and partners but only when its vital interests are at stake and ensure that America will no longer be made use of by the various Afghan factions to advance their own interests.
(b) Moscow and Beijing sees the US as having finally abandoned its unrealistic goals – those of being the world’s policeman, or an enforcer of last resort of democracy. IMO, they view this as something that strengthens the Americans. According to this logic (see link in Russian), America will now have resources freed up to pursue the aims it sees as vitally important, and which it will defend tooth and nail – so Russia and China had better prepare. Part of this preparation is their dissemination of mis-information.
2. The vast majority of Afghans who are educated, and trained to fly an aircraft are not going to want to go back to Afghanistan — without a core cadre, the Taliban will not be able to reconstitute the Afghan National Army Air Corps. Reuters, New York Times, Washington Post and the local press report that Afghan pilots who fled with their families to Uzbekistan have transferred to a base in the U.A.E.
3. At the Uzbek camp, near the city of Termez, pilots had described feeling like prisoners, with highly restricted movement, and insufficient food and medicine. Hopes began to lift about a week ago when U.S. officials arrived to carry out biometric screening of the Afghans who fled in 46 aircraft and helicopters — many of whom fled with just the clothes on their back. Uzbekistan’s decision is what you call a no brainer; as sending the pilots back to the Taliban, is a death sentence.
4. We await news on US efforts to get back these 46 aircraft to prevent them from falling into Taliban hands. There's another group of Afghan pilots who flew to Tajikistan (about 144, half pilots, crew and family) who are at less risk given that Dushanbe doesn't have the diplomatic ties to the Taliban .
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