Changes

[[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>]]

The U.S. military left the strategic Bagram Airfield in [[Afghanistan]] in the dead of night in early July 2021, leaving behind “thousands of civilian vehicles, including many that no longer had keys, and hundreds of armored military vehicles, such as Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs…”<ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-left-behind-millions-of-things-at-key-base-2021-7</ref> There were reports of the seizure by the Taliban of a “massive boon” of U.S. weapons supplied to and now abandoned by U.S.-trained Afghani soldiers.  “The Taliban now find themselves flush with American-supplied tools, without having to raise a single penny.”<ref>https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210814-weapon-seizures-massive-boon-for-taliban-as-cities-fall</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>

The U.S. military abandoned the strategic Bagram Airfield in [[Afghanistan]] at 3:00 AM on July 2, 2021 without informing Afghan National Army forces who were due to take it over.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9758175/US-left-Afghan-airfield-night-didnt-tell-new-commander.html</ref> Gen. Mir Asadullah Kohistani of the Afghan Army said he only discovered the Americans had left two hours after they were gone when they called from Kabul airport.  By the time Kohistani arrived with his troops, looters had carried away many items left behind by soldiers such as laptops, stereos, bicycles and guitars. Gen. Kohistani said troops left behind Bagram's 5,000 Taliban inmates, arms, ammunition, along with hundreds of armored military vehicles, such as Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs) and thousands of civilian cars and trucks.<ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-left-behind-millions-of-things-at-key-base-2021-7</ref>

On July 8, 2021, Joe Biden said from the White House,  

On July 8, 2021, Joe Biden said from the White House,  

Mark Milley told reporters at his July 21, 2021 press conference, “our drawdown continues in a safe and orderly manner.” He continued with the following excerpted statement:

Mark Milley told reporters at his July 21, 2021 press conference, “our drawdown continues in a safe and orderly manner.” He continued with the following excerpted statement:

{{quotebox-float|“The Afghan Security Forces have the capacity to sufficiently fight and defend their country, and we will continue to support the Afghan Security Forces where necessary in accordance with the guidance from the president and the secretary of defense.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2702966/secretary-of-defense-austin-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-mille/</ref>}}

{{quotebox-float|“The Afghan Security Forces have the capacity to sufficiently fight and defend their country, and we will continue to support the Afghan Security Forces where necessary in accordance with the guidance from the president and the secretary of defense.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2702966/secretary-of-defense-austin-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-mille/</ref>}}

==Trump administration==

==Trump administration==