Afghanistan: US begins Kabul embassy evacuation as Taliban close in

The parallels between the American exodus from Vietnam on April 30, 1975 and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 are uncanny.

America was in Vietnam for 20 years, fought a long war which resulted in the deaths of nearly 60,000 American soldiers, cost the country billions and disrupted the social and political fabric of both nations.

America has been in Afghanistan for 20 years fought a so called War on Terror which resulted in the deaths of over 2300 American soldiers, cost the country billions and disrupted the social and political fabric of both nations.

America, thus far, is not leaving Afghanistan from the roof of the Embassy by helicopter as occurred in Vietnam in 1975. It could happen as Afghanistan falls to the brutal Taliban.

Afghanistan II 8.14.2021.jpg — Afghanistan people await their fate

The Guardian 8.14.2021

A summary of the situation in Kabul as this story unfolds:

Kabul’s population of 5 million people has been swollen with thousands fleeing other parts of the country. Thousands of troops from the United States and Britain are flying in to secure the airport.
The Afghan army has vowed to defend the capital.
Kabul covers an area of about 1,000 square km (400 sq miles) and is ringed by mountains. There are four main roads into the city: from Maidan Shahr in the southwest, Pul-e-Alam in the south, Surobi in the east and Bagram in the north.
The Taliban took Pul-e-Alam on Saturday without much resistance, a local provincial council member said.
The Taliban say they are close to capturing Maidan Shahr. They have already taken Ghazni, down the road from Maidan Shahr, and have a strong presence in surrounding areas.
On Sunday, the Taliban took the eastern city of Jalalabad without a fight. The main highway from there to Kabul passes through Surobi.
The US has started evacuating diplomats from its Kabul embassy, according to two US officials.
US Embassy personnel were destroying sensitive documents, according to two US military officials who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Arrangements are being made to airlift the British ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow our of Kabul by Monday evening.