Changes

On July 8, 2021, [[Joe Biden]] said from the White House, "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/bidens-afghanistan-predictions-were-all-wrong/</ref> The same month the [[U.S. Defense Department]] said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos. The United States spent $83 billion equipping and training the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including $10 billion in aircraft and vehicles.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/us-spent-83-billion-training-afghan-forces-why-did-they-collapse-so-quickly/184529/</ref> Less than a month after Biden's statement, several Black Hawk helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban.  Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed.  These A-29 Super Tucanos can fire [[laser]]-guided and other types of bombs. The Afghan government also had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, which are armed with machine guns and rockets. The Afghan Air Force had UH-60 Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, as well as C-130 and Cessna transports, and a small fleet of armed Cessnas.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/taliban-captured-helicopters-can-they-capture-air-force/184525/</ref>

On July 8, 2021, [[Joe Biden]] said from the White House, "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/bidens-afghanistan-predictions-were-all-wrong/</ref> The same month the [[U.S. Defense Department]] said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos. The United States spent $83 billion equipping and training the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including $10 billion in aircraft and vehicles.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/us-spent-83-billion-training-afghan-forces-why-did-they-collapse-so-quickly/184529/</ref> Less than a month after Biden's statement, several Black Hawk helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban.  Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed.  These A-29 Super Tucanos can fire [[laser]]-guided and other types of bombs. The Afghan government also had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, which are armed with machine guns and rockets. The Afghan Air Force had UH-60 Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, as well as C-130 and Cessna transports, and a small fleet of armed Cessnas.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/taliban-captured-helicopters-can-they-capture-air-force/184525/</ref>

As the impending crisis escalated, White House chief propagandists [[Jen Psaki]] said "The [[Taliban]] has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community."  Her comments came as reports flowed in of Taliban fighters going door-to-door and forcibly selecting girls as young as 12 to reward as brides for the victorious jihadis.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghans-tell-of-executions-forced-marriages-in-taliban-held-areas-11628780820</ref>

As the impending crisis escalated, White House chief propagandists [[Jen Psaki]] said "The Taliban has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community."  Her comments came as reports flowed in of Taliban fighters going door-to-door and forcibly selecting girls as young as 12 to reward as brides for the victorious jihadis.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghans-tell-of-executions-forced-marriages-in-taliban-held-areas-11628780820</ref>

As Biden withdrew American troops, the [[Peoples Republic of China]] began expanding their [[Belt and Road Initiative]] with a $62 billion aid package to Afghanistan to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9755531/China-prepares-Afghanistan-following-Americas-departure-Belt-Road-program.html</ref>

As Biden withdrew American troops, the [[Peoples Republic of China]] began expanding their [[Belt and Road Initiative]] with a $62 billion aid package to Afghanistan to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9755531/China-prepares-Afghanistan-following-Americas-departure-Belt-Road-program.html</ref>