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Wasn't Afghanistan about Opium, unlike Iraq, which was about Sand?
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Blinken just denied that the Americans in the planes in Afghanistan are hostages. If they make it home we'll see what they say about being kept there for days.I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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The State Dept delayed the flight before the Taliban took control.I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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Or it will be fact-checked. Maybe it will say something like government officials say they wanted to be there.Originally posted by Berzerker View PostI drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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State Department obstruction of private rescue flights from Afghanistan revealed in leaked email
State Department 'will not provide an approval' of charter flights from Afghanistan, leaked email reveals
By Peter Hasson | Fox Newsclose
State Dept accused of blocking evacuation flights from Afghanistan
EXCLUSIVE: The State Department refused to grant official approval for private evacuation flights from Afghanistan to land in third countries, even though the department conceded that official authorization would likely be needed for planes to land in those nations, an email reviewed by Fox News shows.
Furthermore, the State Department explicitly stated that charter flights, even those containing American citizens, would not be allowed to land at Defense Department (DOD) airbases. U.S. officials have pointed to possible security threats from landing charter planes at military bases, saying that they lack the resources on the ground to fully verify flight manifests.
The Biden administration's delaying of private evacuation efforts has been a widespread source of frustration, infuriating rescue organizers and even a prominent Democratic senator.
Eric Montalvo, who organized a series of private flights evacuating those stranded in Afghanistan, shared that email and others with Fox News after his evacuation efforts were repeatedly hampered by the federal bureaucracy.
STATE DEPT BLOCKING PRIVATE RESCUE FLIGHTS FROM LEAVING AFGHANISTAN, ORGANIZERS SAY: ‘BLOOD IS ON THEIR HANDS’
A Sept. 1 email that a State Department official sent to Montalvo underscores the extent to which private evacuation efforts have run into bureaucratic roadblocks.
"No independent charters are allowed to land at [Al Udeid Air Base], the military airbase you mentioned in your communication with Samantha Power. In fact, no charters are allowed to land at an [sic] DoD base and most if not all countries in the Middle Eastern region, with the exception of perhaps Saudi Arabia will allow charters to land," the official wrote.
"You need to find another destination country, and it can't be the U.S. either."
The official noted that though some third countries "may require" official approval from the State Department before accepting the private charter flights, the department "will not provide" that approval.
"Once you have had discussions with the host/destination country and reached an agreement, they may require some indication from the USG that we ‘approve’ of this charter flight. DOS will not provide an approval, but we will provide a ‘no objection’ to the destination country government via the U.S. Embassy in that country."
During briefings on Sept. 2, the day after the official noted that the State Department would not be officially approving charter flights, White House press secretary Jen Psaki and State Department spokesman Ned Price both said that the Biden administration was not preventing planes from leaving Afghanistan.
Price also addressed last week the security risks of allowing the charter flights onto military bases.
"If these charters are seeking to go to a U.S. military installation, for example, we have to weigh not only the threat to those who may be on board – especially if they’re American citizens, LPRs, other Afghans to whom we have a special commitment – but also to the safety and security of State Department personnel, U.S. military personnel, Department of Homeland Security personnel, other U.S. personnel on U.S. military installations," Price said.
"These are among the risks that the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the host government – which, of course, has an important say in all this – must consider," he added.
A State Department spokesperson declined to answer Fox News' questions for this story, referring instead to remarks that Secretary of State Antony Blinken made on Tuesday.
"We’re working around the clock with NGOs, with members of Congress and advocacy groups, providing any and all information and doing all we can to clear any roadblocks that they’ve identified to make sure that charter flights carrying Americans or others to whom we have a special responsibility can depart Afghanistan safely," Blinken said.
"Without personnel on the ground, we can’t verify the accuracy of manifests, the identities of passengers, flight plans, or aviation security protocols. So this is a challenge, but one we are determined to work through. We’re conducting a great deal of diplomacy on this as we speak."
Blinken also denied that the Taliban was seeking to block passport-holding Americans from leaving Afghanistan. "And it's my understanding is that the Taliban has not denied exit to anyone holding a valid document, but they have said those without valid documents, at this point, can’t leave," he said.
Americans involved in efforts to rescue those left behind in Afghanistan previously described their horror at what they say are inexplicable delays from the State Department that are preventing evacuation flights from leaving the country.
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Rick Clay, who runs the private rescue group PlanB, previously told Fox News that the State Department is the only thing preventing the flights he's organizing from leaving Afghanistan. Other organizers of separate rescue missions echoed Clay's criticisms to Fox News.
Four Americans, a mom and her three children, were able to escape Afghanistan on Monday by traveling overland across the border to a neighboring country.
While the State Department claimed to have "facilitated" the family's evacuation, the organizers behind the rescue mission said that the department was exaggerating its involvement and deserves little to no credit for the rescue.I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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I can understand vetting people leaving on private charters, but they should be able to do that after evacuating them. Thats what we're doing with thousands of other evacuees.Comment
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Right. There are thousands of unvetted refugees here already. Something funny is going on.I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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If they are vetted afterwards one can be sure that private charter flights will take anybody who can pay the fare. All of those people would then be flown out of Afghanistan and simply dumped at some US air field. The charter plane flies away, counts the profits and leaves the problem to Uncle Sam. What can Uncle Sam do to those who do not pass vetting and you can be certain there will be many who do not?Originally posted by Berzerker View Post
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Do you think they are going to deport any of these refugees that don't pass vetting? Not the Democrats.I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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I'll be interested to see what they do about all these refugees with little girl brides.I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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US citizens are being held by the Taliban by request of the US government. Unbelievable.I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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I think there would be as you seem to suggest, a reluctance to deport them back to Afghanistan.Originally posted by Kidicious View Post
That raises the question of what is to be done with these unwanted people. The American people seem reluctant to accept unlimited refugees as evidenced by the border controls along the southern border. Border controls seem to be in place regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans are in charge.Comment
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The Democrats are not controlling the border. That's all talk. The American people mostly do not feel safe with whoever coming into the country.Originally posted by Braindead View PostI drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
- Justice Brett KavanaughComment
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I was thinking that many of these Afghans are on US bases in foreign countries and they can not stay on those bases. They must go to somewhere. As you say the Democrats will not want to deport them back to Afghanistan. The American people do not want "whoever" coming into the country. That leaves the question of "where do they go?".
I do not know the answer to that question.Comment
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