quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
In the context of this thread:

What is "biometrics"?
What are " biometric" devices?

Retina scans

But biometric data can be measuring any part of your body (including your DNA) as an identification marker for yourself.

https://www.dhs.gov/biometrics


"Biometrics are unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, that can be used for automated recognition. At the Department of Homeland Security, biometrics are used to detect and prevent illegal entry into the U.S., grant and administer proper immigration benefits, vetting and credentialing, facilitating legitimate travel and trade, enforcing federal laws, and enabling verification for visa applications to the U.S.

DHS provides biometric identification services to protect the Nation through its Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), which supplies the technology for matching, storing, and sharing biometric data. OBIM is the lead designated provider of biometric identity services for DHS, and maintains the largest biometric repository in the U.S. government.

This system, called the Automated Biometric Identification System or IDENT, is operated and maintained by OBIM. IDENT currently holds more than 260 million unique identities and processes more than 350,000 biometric transactions per day.

Through biometric interoperability with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Justice (DoJ), DHS shares critical biometric information using advanced data filtering and privacy controls to support the homeland security, defense, and justice missions.

Click below to learn more about the biometric missions of the DoD, DoJ, and other U.S. Government agencies."

What a shit show. If the Joint Chiefs had an ounce of integrity, they would resign. It will eventually come out that Bidet would only authorize so many troops in country so there was no way to defend Bagram Air Base. We will eventually hear if any of the senior military advisers actually protested (if any and to what degree). Just because we are out doesn't mean it is over. The atrocities will begin and will be shown via social media (not by our useless covering up media) until the social media tyrants block them; no video, no photos, no story. The Taliban will consolidate and become the new training ground for most Islamic terrorists and eventually we will have to do something about it......again.

So, have the Taliban hung the Hunter Biden painting they purchased in the Presidential Palace yet? (yes it is satire....maybe)
the Babylon Bee Hunter Painting

I was very worried there would be an attack on the last remaining U.S. military at the airport.

https://www.foxnews.com/politi...departed-afghanistan

The Pentagon announced Monday that all U.S. troops have departed Afghanistan.

"officially drawing the country's longest-ever conflict to an end."

The final C-117 carrying service members lifted off from the Kabul airport at 3:29 pm U.S. Eastern Time.

The general added that the ISIS threat to the operation was "very real" until the end, with "overwhelming" U.S. airpower circling overhead in an attempt to prevent further attacks.

quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
I'm wondering who is there flying these helicopters. Most of the things I read and videos I've seen training the Afghan army was like trying to train a turtle to do calculus. After months and years of training these people couldn't find their ass with both hands. They sit around and smoke hashish all day.

The Taliban is more trained in warfare but they had to go somewhere to learn how to fly a U.S. produced complicated piece of machinery like that.

They might figure out how to fly them but there is no way in hell they will figure out how to maintain them. It won't be long before it will be suicide for them to get them off the ground.

Jim

If we gave the ANA helicopters, and trained ANA pilots, presumably we trained mechanics as well.

The biometrics scanners and database it's linked to may provide them with a way to identify and find those individuals. Getting replacement parts may be a big problem for them later though.

At this point, the complete and utter buffoonery on display by our government is shocking. I always knew they were stupid, but they are making the crew of Spaceball 1 look like geniuses.

If we gave the ANA helicopters, and trained ANA pilots, presumably we trained mechanics as well.


I doubt it. Typically they hire contractors to maintain equipment. A guy in my last squadron got a job doing maintenance on Afghan helos.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
I'm wondering who is there flying these helicopters. Most of the things I read and videos I've seen training the Afghan army was like trying to train a turtle to do calculus. After months and years of training these people couldn't find their ass with both hands. They sit around and smoke hashish all day.

The Taliban is more trained in warfare but they had to go somewhere to learn how to fly a U.S. produced complicated piece of machinery like that.

They might figure out how to fly them but there is no way in hell they will figure out how to maintain them. It won't be long before it will be suicide for them to get them off the ground.

Jim

Like others said, we left behind parts and trained their pilots and mechanics. Just like Iran with the F-14, its quite possible for them to keep them up and running for a decade or 2. They will also get plenty of international assistance; China comes to mind. One of our family friends is a retired Army Maj. and helo instructor. He worked for many years training ANA helo pilots as a contractor, including Hinds. So they will have air capabilities in some fashion for years to come.

NOTAM has been issued for Kabul- no longer controlled airspace, no ATS.
https://www.notams.faa.gov/din...otamRetrievalbyICAOs

quote:

If we gave the ANA helicopters, and trained ANA pilots, presumably we trained mechanics as well.

Kinda, but not really. Most of the MX was performed or supervised by contractors. Once those aircraft start requiring anything more than routine pre and post flight servicing they will start dropping like flies. At least, the western/US designed aircraft. The Russian stuff is a little more forgiving and will last longer with improper/bad MX.

Many of the aircraft maintainers were contractors not Afghans. I'm sure Iran and China will send in personnel to help with the repairs now.

US Withdrawal Leaves The Afghan Air Force Fixing Planes Via Zoom

The AAF operate seven different types of aircraft, varying from attack aircraft, helicopters, and transports. Of these seven types, only three have enough trained mechanics to keep them airworthy at an operational level. Because of this worrying shortage of maintenance crews, the AAF has been using private contractors to help keep their aircraft flying and train their personnel. However, these contractors will leave the country along with the final departing U.S. troops.

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/?p=549056


This needs to haunt Biden until his last days.

ten days ago, biden: "Look, let’s put this thing in perspective here. What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al Qaeda gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al Qaeda in Afghanistan, as well as — as well as getting Osama bin Laden. And we did."

Today:

Dr. Amin al Haq, the former head of bin Laden’s Black Guard, was captured on video in a large convoy as it traveled through a checkpoint in Nangarhar province. Haq was accompanied by a large convoy of heavily armed Taliban fighters in brand new SUVs. A small crowd flocked to Haq to shake his hand and take selfies with him.

The video of al Haq is evidence that Al Qaeda commanders now feel secure enough to appear publicly in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

It was not immediately clear if al Haq was returning to his home in eastern Afghanistan for the first time, or if he has been in Afghanistan the entire time since being released from Pakistani custody. He may have also been traversing the porous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Either way, the confidence to travel and operate out in the open – in plain sight for the first time in a decade – speaks to the marked change in Afghanistan over the last month.

https://hotair.com/ed-morrisse...n-protection-n412544

Spotted an article today, but didn't tag it; 300 Americans reportedly remain in AFG.

The Blackhawks may in-fact be the easiest to fly & maintain. My understanding is what the Afghan's received are refurbished A-models so, not too different than what China purchased from us back in the 80's, which they've knocked off and call Z-20. Other muslim countries that have purchased Blackhawks which may have sympathetic pilots and technicians available for hire include: Bahrain, Brunei, Egypt, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and UAE. The Taliban wasn't known for their ability to manage logistics and supply lines so, it'll be interesting to see how they maintain their new found assets.

General McKenzie was just on TV saying all military personnel have left Afghanistan, but they were not able to get all American citizens out because of the complexity of the situation.

So that's it. We left hundreds behind. Whatever the number they give us, they have no clue how many there really are. Only when the families of those missing come forward and a true tally of all MIA's is made will we know.

Now it's up to the State Department. You know, the people who celebrated LGBT+ pride with rainbow flags in an Islamic country a little while ago? Yeah, they know how to deal with this.

The Taliban kept them out of the airport so now they can have hundreds of hostages. With Al Queda on their way back in, hostages will be useful.

This is quite simply the most despicable act of the US government that I have ever seen or thought I would ever see. And now they are patting themselves on the back for not getting the job done but quitting on time.

No doubt they are betting on the fact that once the cameras and reporters are gone and there are not more airlifts or helicopters on video, and most importantly no more dead bodies coming home in flag covered coffins, a large percent of the American public will forget about those left behind.

And now the Secretary of State says maybe 200 remain, and maybe as little as 100, but they gave everyone a chance to leave and if the did not that is more or less on them. Sure, it's tough for an American citizen to decide to leave Afghanistan now, real hard choice. Go ahead, blame the victim. Utterly shameless.

Beyond that I don't know what else to say.

quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
Many of the aircraft maintainers were contractors not Afghans. I'm sure Iran and China will send in personnel to help with the repairs now.

As I posted dozens of pages and days ago, according to an interview I heard, the Afghan Air Force was heavily dependent on contractors for the more difficult technical maintenance...but when the U.S. government made the decision to abandon/ surrender Bagram Air Base back in June the contractors were prevented from entering Afghanistan to perform the necessary maintenance.

At that point, several aircraft in the AFA were effectively grounded, diminishing their effective capabilities.

The Afghan Army had been trained in our tactics, including combined arms and they were trained to conduct combat operations with AFA air support. Without that air support, and considering that U.S. forces had quietly retreated from Bagram and U.S. forces had been downsized, the Afghan Army realized they were left alone and left far less an effective fighting force, and they offered minimal resistance to the advancing Taliban, and in some cases readily surrendered.

Since the Taliban figured out how to Zoom conference to learn aircraft maintenance, I can only wonder why someone in the U.S. government didn't think to hook up the Afghan Air Force with some contractor Zoom calls to help them with the maintenance before the Taliban took over Bagram.

Edited: After re-reading the linked article posted earlier I now realize that I mis-read it, and that the AFF maintenance personnel were the ones relying on Zoom calls, at the time the article was written. I apologize to all for my misleading comments, now struck.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Modern Day Savage,

Wow!

What a speech from Secretary of State Blinken.

Blabbered on saying nothing and put me to sleep.
Followed Joe’s lead with answering no questions and turning his back on reporters and the American public.

Joe, your up next.
Did your administration tell you the last plane left Afghanistan today?

Seems like a pretty big accomplishment for you, ending the Afghanistan war and all.
Except for that part about leaving 100’s of Americans behind.
Oh, and that $85 Billion of equipment which was allowed to fall into the hands of our enemies.
Where you at Joe.

Biden in Hidin’ on his big day.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
The Afghan Army had been trained in our tactics, including combined arms and they were trained to conduct combat operations with AFA air support. Without that air support, and considering that U.S. forces had quietly retreated from Bagram and U.S. forces had been downsized, the Afghan Army realized they were left alone and left far less an effective fighting force, and they offered minimal resistance to the advancing Taliban, and in some cases readily surrendered.

Air support was a major part of what toppled the Taliban back in '01, and was their Achilles Heel any time they attempted to mount an offensive.

Keep in mind, many of the ANA pilots and SOF members were targeted for assassination thus, the rush across the border into Uzbekistan. Some made it up to Panjshir Valley were a nascent resistance group attempting to conjure-up ghosts of the Northern Alliance is forming up.

Taliban this time around wised-up as they recruited heavily in the North, attempting to 'diversify' their members beyond Pashtun members, and started their offensive in the North undermining any warlords who could give them any problems or, mount resistance.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
The Afghan Army had been trained in our tactics, including combined arms and they were trained to conduct combat operations with AFA air support. Without that air support, and considering that U.S. forces had quietly retreated from Bagram and U.S. forces had been downsized, the Afghan Army realized they were left alone and left far less an effective fighting force, and they offered minimal resistance to the advancing Taliban, and in some cases readily surrendered.

Air support was a major part of what toppled the Taliban back in '01, and was their Achilles Heel any time they attempted to mount an offensive.

Keep in mind, many of the ANA pilots and SOF members were targeted for assassination thus, the rush across the border into Uzbekistan. Some made it up to Panjshir Valley were a nascent resistance group attempting to conjure-up ghosts of the Northern Alliance is forming up.

Taliban this time around wised-up as they recruited heavily in the North, attempting to 'diversify' their members beyond Pashtun members, and started their offensive in the North undermining any warlords who could give them any problems or, mount resistance.

Agreed. My post was not meant to suggest that a lack of contractor maintenance was the only factor in diminished air support, but having your air force capabilities degraded more than two months before the emergency evacuation began is certainly a major factor, especially if your army is dependent on them.

I knew that the Taliban had employed an isolation strategy before moving on Kabul, but I was not aware that they were actively recruiting from the North territories, so thanks for mentioning that.

Seriously, there was no room on those last flights leaving.

Department of Defense ordered to leave all military working dogs behind in Afghanistan.
Link

“I am devastated by reports that the American government is pulling out of Kabul and leaving behind brave U.S. military contract working dogs to be tortured and killed at the hand of our enemies. These brave dogs do the same dangerous, lifesaving work as our military working dogs, and deserved a far better fate than the one to which they have been condemned.”



“This senseless fate is made all the more tragic, as American Humane stands ready to not only help transport these contract K-9 soldiers to U.S. soil but also to provide for their lifetime medical care,” the statement continued. “American Humane has worked hand in hand with the military for more than 100 years to rescue military animals. In fact, our famed rescue program began on the bloody battlefields of WWI Europe, at the request of the U.S. Secretary of War. Since that time, American Humane served as a pioneer in the development of animal therapy for returning veterans, and today brings home retired military working dogs and pairs veterans with life-saving service dogs.”

https://citizenfreepress.com/b...s-last-plane-leaves/