Changes

[[Robert Gates]], who served as Defense Secretary in both [[Republican]] and [[Democrat]] administrations and began serving on the National Security Council one year after Joe Biden was first elected to the Senate in 1973, said of the former [[Vice President]] in 2014 and reiterated it in 2020:

[[Robert Gates]], who served as Defense Secretary in both [[Republican]] and [[Democrat]] administrations and began serving on the National Security Council one year after Joe Biden was first elected to the Senate in 1973, said of the former [[Vice President]] in 2014 and reiterated it in 2020:

<center>{{Cquote|I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.<ref>https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/05/13/gates_stands_by_statement_that_biden_has_been_wrong_on_nearly_every_major_foreign_policy_question.html</ref>}}</center>

<center>{{Cquote|I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.<ref>https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/05/13/gates_stands_by_statement_that_biden_has_been_wrong_on_nearly_every_major_foreign_policy_question.html</ref>}}</center>

[[Woke]] U.S. Gen. [[Mark Milley]] testified before Congress on June 23, 2021 that the Taliban controlled about 81 districts in Afghanistan.  Milley was asked about closing Bagram Airforce Base. Milley replied, “Bagram is not necessary, tactically or operationally for what we are going to try to do here with Afghanistan."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bpS8Zcic-U&t=4230s</ref>  Less than a month later, on July 21, 2021 he told reporters the Taliban controlled half of Afghanistan’s 419 districts, or more than twice as many as before.  According to media reporting, the Taliban also controlled large stretches of multiple major highways, and at least six international border crossings.  Civilian casualties hit a record high in May and June, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2021-07-30qr.pdf</ref>

[[Woke]] U.S. Gen. [[Mark Milley]] testified before Congress on June 23, 2021 that the Taliban controlled about 81 districts in Afghanistan.  Milley was asked about closing Bagram Airforce Base. Milley replied, “[[Bagram]] is not necessary, tactically or operationally for what we are going to try to do here with Afghanistan."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bpS8Zcic-U&t=4230s</ref>  Less than a month later, on July 21, 2021 he told reporters the Taliban controlled half of Afghanistan’s 419 districts, or more than twice as many as before.  According to media reporting, the Taliban also controlled large stretches of multiple major highways, and at least six international border crossings.  Civilian casualties hit a record high in May and June, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2021-07-30qr.pdf</ref>

[[File:Taliban flag raising.PNG‎ |right|300px|thumb|Taliban mock U.S. flag raising at [[Iwo Jima]] in their victory over Mark Milley and America.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/taliban-mock-iwo-jima-flag-raising-pose-for-photos-with-their-trove-of-american-vehicles-weapons-equipment/</ref>]]

[[File:Taliban flag raising.PNG‎ |right|300px|thumb|Taliban mock U.S. flag raising at [[Iwo Jima]] in their victory over Mark Milley and America.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/taliban-mock-iwo-jima-flag-raising-pose-for-photos-with-their-trove-of-american-vehicles-weapons-equipment/</ref>]]

In July 2021 the [[Pentagon]] said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos.  Less than a month later the Black Hawks helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban.  Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed.  The 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>

In July 2021 the [[Pentagon]] said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos.  Less than a month later the Black Hawks helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban.  Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed.  The 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>