Kabul Airport Attack Kills 13 U.S. Service Members, at Least 90 Afghans

[Devil Child]

Last edited Sat Aug 28, 2021, 09:22 AM - Edit history (8)

Source: WSJ

Two explosions ripped through crowds seeking evacuation, followed by an assault by Islamic State gunmen

More than 100 people were killed, including at least 13 U.S. service members and 90 Afghans, at the Kabul airport Thursday when two blasts ripped through crowds trying to enter the American-controlled facility, disrupting the final push of the U.S.-led evacuation effort.

A suicide bomb attack at the airport's Abbey Gate was followed by an assault by gunmen, officials said. Another bomb attack took place nearby, at a hotel outside the airport, officials said. Eighteen U.S. service members were injured, the Pentagon said.

The attack marked the deadliest day for the U.S. military in Afghanistan since 2011, and came just five days before the Biden administration's deadline for the complete military withdrawal from the country. The military expects more attacks, Marine Corps Gen. Frank McKenzie told reporters.

President Biden on Thursday evening said he was heartbroken by the violence and vowed to retaliate for the attacks, while promising to continue evacuation efforts.

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghanistan-kabul-airport-explosion-11629976397

---

U.S. Marine, Sgt Johanny Rosario (25)

U.S. Marine, Cpl Hunter Lopez (22)

U.S. Marine, LCpl Kareem Nikoui (22)

U.S. Marine, LCpl Rylee McCollum (20)

U.S. Marine, LCpl Jared Schmitz (20)

U.S. Marine, LCpl David Lee Espinoza (20)

U.S. Navy, Maxton Soviak (20)

U.S. Marine, SSgt Taylor Hoover (31)

U.S. Marine, Cpl Daegan Page (23)

U.S. Army, Ryan Knauss (23)

U.S. Marine, Cpl Humberto Sanchez (22)

U.S. Marine, Sgt Nicole Gee (23)

U.S. Marine, Ricky Thompson (21)

A horrible day in Kabul.



edited for updated title & excerpt.

[JaneQPublic]

1. The GOP will make this the new Benghazi.

Count on it.

[Rebl2]

3. Yep

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Fortunately they don't control the Committees in either congressional chamber like they did before

to use them to create a 3-ring circus. I do expect our own (D) Committee Chairs will probably have hearings at some point however.

[Greg K]

8. They might in 2023.

[JawJaw]

11. There's no "might" about it.

The GOP will be energized by this like NEVER BEFORE, and we'd be deluded to think otherwise.

[Harker]

19. Might is right. In this case, certainly. n/t

[orangecrush]

22. ...

[obamanut2012]

55. lolz

Sure.

[Cha]

63. Yeah, with attitudes like this.. We Fight

Last edited Thu Aug 26, 2021, 05:26 PM - Edit history (1)

HARDER!.

No one is "deluded".. we live in reality here. except those who get brainwashed by the M$$$$$$$FM.

[SunImp]

81. Lots of deluded people thought Trump couldn't expand his base from 2016

They thought he was losing voters in substantial numbers. Both sides had sizeable boosts to their base in 2020 and luckily for us Joe Biden beat that incompetent fool. Hopefully the people will see what good President Joe Biden and the Dems have done and give us a little more time in power.

[BumRushDaShow]

49. This is 2021 and they are busy shoveling their voters in the Covid-Man's jaws

[aggiesal]

30. Not only will they use it, they'll be screaming for hearings as well, because ...

4 U.S. soldiers died in today's homocide bombers. (I'm not trying to make light of this, only pointing out the hypocrisy)

How many died from the insurrection on Jan 6th? Yet (R)'s voted against hearings.

[BumRushDaShow]

56. They can scream all they want to

We are still "at war". The AUMF has NOT been revoked yet.

Maybe the loon GOP members of the House, where 160 who voted against repealing the AUMF for Iraq might consider doing so for a repeal of the 2001 AUMF. And the Senate needs to do their part to finish the job of repealing the 2002 AUMF and consider moving on a repeal of the 2001 authorization.

[aggiesal]

64. I agree with you ...

as you say the loon GOP members might consider repealing AUMF, I just wanted to point out their hypocrisy.
I think the (D)'s have to frame the story better as well.

[BumRushDaShow]

67. They have the benefit of ownership of the M$M, which is their megaphone

but unlike "Benghazi!!11!!!!", we run the Committees. And the Committees have a lot of other work they need to do IF they choose to actually do it (and that is up to Pelosi and Schumer).

We do have Democrats who are war hawks, so it's guaranteed to get an airing-of-dirty-laundry, but we need to get them to focus on the VRA changes, and the rest of our agenda, including getting to the bottom of the insurrection right here in the U.S. by the brethren of ISIS-K - the "Proud Boys" and "3%ers" and "Oath Keepers" and other RW American terrorists.

[totodeinhere]

7. Do we have to be partisan about this tragedy?

Let the GOP do what they want. To hell with them. Americans and Afghans have been killed. Now is the time for grief and condolences.

[TheProle]

9. And a redoubling of efforts to finish the job

We need to get the job done and let history do the post-mortem.

[rockfordfile]

18. BS. Those Americans that were in there for months should've gotten out on their own months ago

By those Americans be slow getting out months ago is putting our soldiers at risk.

[Socal31]

82. Awful take.

Yikes.

[AZLD4Candidate]

32. I wonder is this was the sentiment after Pearl Harbor

The GOP are already using this as a knife to stab Joe Biden. Never cede an inch over anything.

[JaneQPublic]

70. Exactly.

Hell, the GOP even got partisan over Clinton's handling of Kosovo, where there was, what, like 2 US casualties?

Besides, talking partisan politics is kind of why DU exists. We don't shut down political comments here after COVID deaths or mass shooting deaths or Black deaths at the hands of cops or cop deaths at the hands of insurrectionists...

...so someone please explain why war deaths are an unfit subject for partisan politics.

[JaneQPublic]

71. Exactly.

Hell, the GOP even got partisan over Clinton's handling of Kosovo, where there was, what, like 2 US casualties?

Besides, talking partisan politics is kind of why DU exists. We don't shut down political comments here after COVID deaths or mass shooting deaths or Black deaths at the hands of cops or cop deaths at the hands of insurrectionists...

...so someone please explain why war deaths are an unfit subject for partisan politics.

[maxsolomon]

35. Unfortunately, seeing it through that lens is precisely what the GOP has done to US Politics

Dems are the enemy. Any weapon that can be used to wound them (us) is justified.

[Lulu KC]

54. Agree with what is the true tragedy

Thank you for posting that.

[onetexan]

65. A voice of reason. +1 K&R

[wnylib]

69. +1000

[Steelrolled]

77. Thank you

I'm really getting tired of the immediate reaction to news like this being who to blame.

[Bengus81]

61. Maybe they should look at the Peace agreement that Trump signed

Let's see...Bush.IDIOT skates on this disaster now Trump is going to skate on that Mikey mouse "agreement" and have Republicans lay all the blame on a Democrat?

Sounds about right........

[Lovie777]

2. They will try ...

[IronLionZion]

5. There will be 0 US marines dying after the US is completely out of Afghanistan

It's like the terrorists want US troops to stay in the country longer

[musclecar6]

6. Yep

Unfortunately it’s politics as usual. People are just trying to escape from these Taliban assholes.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

10. Shit!

My nephew is over there now with his unit.

[Devil Child]

14. Is he with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (2/1)?

Hope he is safe Dyedinthewoolliberal and on the soonest available plane out of there.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

60. Not sure but his unit only got there a week or two ago.

and his mother confirmed he's at the airport. So now we wait.............

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

73. He's in the 2nd LAR

Attached to the 23rd MEU

[Devil Child]

74. May he get home safe and sound Dyedinthewoolliberal

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

75. Thank you.

I appreciate that.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. The article in The Wall Street Journal. was written by

The article in The Wall Street Journal. was written by Yaroslav Trofimov and Sune Engel Rasmussen

Their Twitter accounts are

https://twitter.com/yarotrof

https://twitter.com/SuneEngel

The 20-year Western effort in Afghanistan pretty much summed up.

Link to tweet

[Devil Child]

15. Straight from the Pentagon

Link to tweet

[mahatmakanejeeves]

16. Sune Engel Rasmussen linked to that.

He's in London.

The Pentagon confirms a number of U.S. service members were killed in today's Kabul attack

Link to tweet

Per Yaroslav Trofimov, "Home is where my suitcase is"

[RussBLib]

13. damn. and they even warned yesterday of a possible attack

pretty good intelligence there, just not perfect.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

17. When I had the TV on just after the first explosion, David Wilson was reporting for CBS.

He doesn't seem to tweet. He works in Washington DC.

[cinematicdiversions]

20. Fuck.

[Deminpenn]

21. Americans were aware the Trump administration intended to

withdraw troops on May 31st. What happened today is the cost of waiting until the last minute.

[maxsolomon]

36. I'm not sure I follow.

It's almost August 31, not May 31.

You're saying... what? If we'd held to Trump's target deadline, there would not have been a bombing?

[Deminpenn]

83. No, just that Americans had a 3 month window

to make arrangements to leave.

[Sapient Donkey]

52. That might be a valid point to make to American civilians who waited until the last minute

but the US Marines didn't make that decision. Also, I'm not sure what kind of systems were in place up until recently to get the Afghan SIVs out of the country. They may have been ready and willing to leave at any team, but couldn't because there wasn't any large scale system to get them out.

If your comment was directed more toward the Biden administration waiting until the fall the Afghan Army and government to begin large scale evacuations, then there may be a valid point there. However, we have to also consider what side-effects would have had it back in February they sent back 5,000 or 10k more troops along with translator and other personnel to process SIVs to begin the process. Would have the obvious visuals of western contractors and critical Afghans leaving the country had any negative impact on the morale and capabilities of the Afghan government? How things went down after US troops packed up suggests it wouldn't have went well. Seems likely that the government would have fell even sooner. Perhaps it would have been slowed during the winter until fighting season begun, though. Either way, the situation would be a complete shit show. It was bound to suck no matter what happened, and we would eventually be at a point where the airport would be surrounded by Afghans wanting to flee.

[onetexan]

66. There is no nonviolent solution here given what options POTUS

Had to make decision on. No amount of what-if's are going to change that fact. We get the job done, knowing there will be casualties given we are dealing with terrorists here. When all is said & done we w better understand it was the right thing to do. Right now everyone is freaking out w kneejerk reaction, & main stream media exacerbating the situation. Lets not add to that narrative & let the administration focus on getting more ppl out.

[Deminpenn]

85. Agree

When all the hyperventilating is over, history will judge this evacuation as the extraordinary accomplishment it is.

[Deminpenn]

84. Jen Paaki said the Biden state department brought

in extra help to process the special immigration visa applications Steven Miller and company would not accept or process. Undoubtedly Miller's effort to delay and deny SIVs has contributed to the problem. Otherwise, at least some of those SIV qualified Afghans would have been leaving all along.

Not blaming Biden at all. I think his administration has handled to exit as well as anyone possibly could have.

The fact is, no matter where the US set up a perimeter or check points, that would have been a choke point.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

23. TFG tried to hide injuries when Iran retaliated in Iraq.

I am sooooo glad he is out of our White House.

[Mosby]

24. There has been a third bombing.

Sounds like its worse than the first 2.

[Devil Child]

25. Another!?

Thanks for the update Mosby, if you have any links please share.

[Mosby]

26. .

Link to tweet

[Devil Child]

28. Thank you Mosby n/t

[Mosby]

29. Aftermath of one of the bombings - very graphic.

Going to leave the address only.

https://mobile.twitter.com/NasimiShabnam/status/1430939915588673543

[rockfordfile]

37. Lot of far-right crap at that location

[Mosby]

40. Its twitter.

[Justice matters.]

41. The FOLLY of RELIGION$

When will the senseless cultism bloodbaths end?

[Sapient Donkey]

53. This is not good.

[Devil Child]

27. Possible footage of the bombing you've mentioned

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1430957137975549965

[mahatmakanejeeves]

31. Update: 11 US Marines and a Navy medic killed in Kabul airport suicide attacks

Banner in the Missoulian

https://missoulian.com/lifestyles/100icons/dc-3-holds-mann-gulch-history-tragedy/article_ced1d564-3a9b-11e4-aee8-5b368a8c3de4.html

Two U.S, officials say at least 12 U.S. service members were killed in the Afghanistan bombings, including 11 Marines and one Navy medic. Officials say a number of U.S. troops were wounded.

Link to tweet

[Devil Child]

34. Thank you for the update mahatmakanejeeves

Keeping fingers crossed the worst is over and we can get the hell out of there ASAP.

[marie999]

68. Navy corpsman

[usaf-vet]

33. Sorry to hear about U.S. military member being killed. I will bet that none came from uber rich....

... families. In all wars, it's the young volunteers who come from poor to middle-class families that bear the majority of the fighting and dying.

I know they are all volunteers but they are the true patriots in every generation.

Of the self-proclaimed "patriots" who stormed the Capitol on Jan 6th, some may have served in the military but they have forgotten their oath to support and defend the CONSTITUTION against all ENEMIES foreign and DOMESTIC.

There is nothing in the oath about declaring allegiance to any President (R or D) or to the U.S. Flag or to any political party.

[manicdem]

38. Hope we get everyone out

I hope all the Americans get out. Or else ISIS will pull them out into the streets and behead them.

[rockfordfile]

39. We're getting our soldiers out

Some of those Americans are probably right-wing types and contractors. History will tell if they appear on some far-right propaganda crap.

[Devil Child]

42. I would love to see any data on the current political leanings of US citizens needing evacuation

Do share.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

44. At this point, it's probably "none of the above." NT

[Devil Child]

45. Agreed mahatmakanejeeves

[Justice matters.]

43. I blame George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney (PNAC).

They should be held accountable for that bloody mess.

Rumsfeld by History. May he be rotting in oblivion for eternity.

[totodeinhere]

47. What about the members of Congress who voted to support the Afghan invasion?

Shouldn't they also be blamed? Only one member of Congress, Barbara Lee, voted against it.

[Justice matters.]

50. I am blaming the LEADERS who should always be the adults in the room.

The former guy who LAST signed the Bill in particular.

[totodeinhere]

57. What bill are you talking about?

When Shrub got us involved over there it did not involve signing any bills. And why don't you cast any blame at the members of Congress who voted to authorize the military employment?

[Justice matters.]

58. Does that mean you are giving MIC puppet Bush, Big Oil puppet Cheney and PNAC puppet Rumsfeld

absolution? Really? Ok. If so. Bye. Just Bye.

[totodeinhere]

62. Nothing I said indicated in any way that I absolve Bush and company of their

responsibility. I am saying that everyone responsible shares the blame. You are accusing me of saying something I didn't say because you have got nothing else.

[Justice matters.]

76. It seems you want to blame people who "don't read the Bills" because they have to fundraise

because this effed-up system of K-Street buying off the government to do THEIR bidding at the expense of we the people is STILL going on!

Elected reps don't have TIME to read the bills or whatever else: They have ADVISORS who tell them what's in them. So blame the ADVISORS for telling them to vote for that war?

[totodeinhere]

78. No, the ultimate responsibility lies with the legislators, not their advisers.

Their advisers do not vote. The members of Congress vote. And only Barbara Lee had enough sense to vote the right way.

[Justice matters.]

79. We need Public Funding. Take those Billions we'll save from ending that senseless bloodbath

and spend it on killing K-Street's ownership of the government by pushing them OUT.

[Justice matters.]

80. Oh, and tax them out of their "donations" by calling them NEW TAXES ON THE RICH. n/t

[totodeinhere]

46. The revised count is 12 Americans dead and 60 Afghans dead. n/t

[Devil Child]

48. Updated, thank you totodeinhere

[Devil Child]

51. ISIS has formally claimed responsibility for the Kabul bombings

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1430973417168252933

Pentagon is also reporting that intel-sharing with Taliban has prevented additional attacks.

[Bengus81]

72. Wait....Trump said ISIS was no more because of him

[Evolve Dammit]

59. Tragic. Could we have kept Bagram airbase open and better controlled? Hindsight question; doesn't

matter at this point, but it seemed premature from my totally useless, inconsequential viewpoint.

[Fresh_Start]

86. I would think that Bagram would not have been as successful for evacuation

because it was 40 miles from a Kabul and it isn't likely that prospective evacuees would have had an easy time getting to the airbase compared to the airport

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

87. Pentagon says Kabul attack carried out by one suicide bomber

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Pentagon said on Friday that a deadly attack at the gate to Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Thursday was carried out by one suicide bomber, not two.

"I can confirm for you that we do not believe that there was a second explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, that it was one suicide bomber," Army Major General William Taylor told reporters.

The Kabul airport attack on Thursday, which killed 13 U.S. troops and at least 79 Afghans, was claimed by Islamic State militants. The Islamic State's Afghan affiliate, ISIS-Khorosan, has emerged as enemies of both the West and of the Taliban.

Taylor said U.S. troops wounded in the attack were being treated in Germany.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/pentagon-says-kabul-attack-carried-out-by-one-suicide-bomber/ar-AANOzvi

[Devil Child]

90. Thanks for the update Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

93. The one at the gate. The one at the Baron Hotel was another bomber? NT

[Devil Child]

88. UPDATE: Two British nationals and the child of a British national were among those killed

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1431282636677332992

[mahatmakanejeeves]

89. At least 170 people killed in Kabul airport bombing

At least 170 people killed in Kabul airport bombing

By Rachel Pannett, Ellen Francis, Erin Cunningham and Sammy Westfall
Today at 3:22 p.m. EDT

A bombing outside Kabul airport Thursday that killed 13 U.S. troops left at least 170 people dead and at least 155 injured, according to one person with knowledge of the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

That toll does not include the U.S. service members, and is likely to rise because many bodies are still irretrievable, the person said.

A local affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which marked the deadliest day for American forces in Afghanistan in a decade and one of the deadliest in the nearly 20-year war.

U.S. troops in Kabul are bracing for more Islamic State attacks that could include car bombs or rocket fire at the airport, a top U.S. commander said.

“The mission there being performed is dangerous and has now come with significant loss of American personnel, but it’s a worthy mission because they continue to evacuate folks out of that region, out of the airport,” President Biden told reporters at the White House as he met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. “They’ve evacuated more than 12,000 additional people out of the airport in the last 24 hours.”

{snip}

[Devil Child]

91. Thanks for the additional info and update mahatmakanejeeves

[mahatmakanejeeves]

92. You're welcome. It will keep going up. Not that I'm happy with that idea. NT

[Devil Child]

94. I say this with utmost respect, but goddamn I hope your wrong!

Going to a very good day when they are all back home safe and sound. Soon!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

95. I won't be. Sorry. NT

[Devil Child]

96. UPDATE: The fallen have all been identified

U.S. Marine, Sgt Johanny Rosario (25)

U.S. Marine, Cpl Hunter Lopez (22)

U.S. Marine, LCpl Kareem Nikoui (22)

U.S. Marine, LCpl Rylee McCollum (20)

U.S. Marine, LCpl Jared Schmitz (20)

U.S. Marine, LCpl David Lee Espinoza (20)

U.S. Navy, Maxton Soviak (20)

U.S. Marine, SSgt Taylor Hoover (31)

U.S. Marine, Cpl Daegan Page (23)

U.S. Army, Ryan Knauss (23)

U.S. Marine, Cpl Humberto Sanchez (22)

U.S. Marine, Sgt Nicole Gee (23)

U.S. Marine, Ricky Thompson (21)

May they rest in peace.