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  • U.S. Freezes Nearly $9.5 Billion Afghanistan Central Bank Assets

    From bnnbloomberg.ca

    The U.S. has frozen nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank and stopped shipments of cash to the nation as it tries to keep a Taliban-led government from accessing the money, an administration official confirmed Tuesday. The official said that any central bank assets that the Afghan government has in the U.S. will not be available to the Taliban, which remains on the Treasury Department’s sanctions designation list. Ajmal Ahmady, acting head of Da Afghan Bank, the nation’s central bank, early Monday tweeted that he learned on Friday that shipments of dollars would stop as the U.S. tried ... (full story)

Why? Its not as if the Taliban need the dosh to acquire war machines.

Because America left a significant quantity its military firepower and other high tech equipment there for the taking.

Exactly who is America punishing now? Think.

{Don't get me started on sanctions}
Quoting LloydOz
Why? Its not as if the Taliban need the dosh to acquire war machines. Because America left a significant quantity its military firepower and other high tech equipment there for the taking. Exactly who is America punishing now? Think. {Don't get me started on sanctions}
Agree but it is still going to be used by the new Taliban government for training, attacks, whatever.
And you don,t think the US Military would cover their tracks and destroy the hi tech functionality before leaving ? The Art of War is an old art , not for the naive.
the real battlefield is not troops any more but remote RAV,s drones etc, and cyberspace , has been for some years now, the flesh and blood “assets” are to costly and messy for the generals to deal with.
Old Dog Kiwi
Quoting gat
{quote} Agree but it is still going to be used by the new Taliban government for training, attacks, whatever.
That's true. From what I understand though, and correct me if I'm wrong, but they are pretty well trained up already with their own resources. Probably wouldn't hurt to have a few lazy billion bucks to pay some consultants. Are poppies currency?
Quoting aquavox
And you don,t think the US Military would cover their tracks and destroy the hi tech functionality before leaving ? The Art of War is an old art , not for the naive. the real battlefield is not troops any more but remote RAV,s drones etc, and cyberspace , has been for some years now, the flesh and blood “assets” are to costly and messy for the generals to deal with.
Well, perhaps time to re-assess any definition of common sense. The US did have the foresight to remember to take the really sophisticated equipment but -

"Just to give an idea, in just the last three months from April to July 2021, the US handed over to the Afghan National Defense and Security forces (ANDSF) six A-29 light attack aircraft, 174 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (Humvees), about 10,000 2.75 inch high-explosive rockets, 61,000 40-mm high explosive rounds, 9,00,000 rounds of .50 calibre ammo, and 20,15,600 rounds of 7.62 mm bullets.

But Afghan defence forces have shown little appetite for that fight and, in their tens of thousands, have been laying down their arms - only for the Taliban to immediately pick them up."

https://www.firstpost.com/world/us-e...e-9892981.html
While the sudden collapse of ANDSF was quite clearly as a result of a series of prearranged deals (very little fighting) with the Taliban, brokered on foot of Trump-Taliban Deal and that the media emphasis will naturally be on dishing out Political blame,on a partisan basis, this smacks of a catastrophic US Intelligence failure. I find it astonishing that given the truly enormous budgets of CIA, NSA and US Military Intelligence that any of this should have placed the Administration in this position. IMHO an intelligence failure on a par with the infamous "WMD" intelligence failings in 2003. Heads should roll (metaphorically)
Astonishing.
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Quoting RossEdwards
this smacks of a catastrophic US Intelligence failure. I find it astonishing that given the truly enormous budgets of CIA, NSA and US Military Intelligence that any of this should have placed the Administration in this position. IMHO an intelligence failure on a par with the...
We agree on something that is so blindingly obvious. I understand that there are many intelligence agencies with teams of analysts with PhDs and astonishing technology that we can only imagine. Or see in science fiction films.

The spooks were either incompetent or...and I say this with trepidation - corrupt. Somehow I doubt they were incompetent.

Half jokingly, I have said that Pres Biden is in the wrong place at the wrong time and is not to blame. I'm beginning to think that is not a source of mirth. The poor bloke, while he ought to have known better, was obviously deceived by those who he trusts.

Should he go down for this (and if so, all those who have sworn an oath of allegiance or whatever appropriate, and knowingly lied to his office), we have the VP to look forward to. She may well become one of the {?the?} longest serving presidents if she wins two terms.
Biden has a history of being wrong on all things foreign policy. Here he was being told Kabul would fall in three to six months. Turns out it is four. It is not an intelligence failure except within the administration. Biden is dementia addled threatening to take dissenters out back of the shed but on vacation while the Taliban run over everything. His administration can not tell us how many Americans are in country. They are Tweeting you are on your own and we can not guarantee your safety getting to the airport. Pathetic. You want naïve? Giving up our air force base to rely on a commercial airport. And turning the equipment/weapons over to the obviously vapor army that was losing provinces we drew back.

The Taliban are pretty well trained. Not like our forces but plenty well for their guerilla tactics.

A President Harris would only be able to run one time on her own "merits" unless Biden serves less than two years. Any combination of 8 or 12 years of these incompetent fools is dangerous for the world.
Quoting gat
Biden has a history of being wrong on all things foreign policy. Here he was being told Kabul would fall in three to six months. Turns out it is four. It is not an intelligence failure except within the administration. Biden is dementia addled threatening to take dissenters out back of the shed but on vacation while the Taliban run over everything. His administration can not tell us how many Americans are in country. They are Tweeting you are on your own and we can not guarantee your safety getting to the airport. Pathetic. You want naïve? Giving...
Trumps historic plan. What was there to go wrong? Only his deadline for withdrawal was Mid-May.
"On February 2, 2020, the Trump Administration signed a preliminary peace agreement with the Taliban that sets the stage to end America's longest war. Under the agreement, the U.S. will withdraw nearly 5,000 troops from the country in 135 days in exchange for a Taliban agreement to not allow Afghanistan to be used for transnational terrorism. The war in Afghanistan is the longest in U.S. history, a conflict that has killed more than 3,500 U.S. and NATO troops and cost U.S. taxpayers nearly 900 billion dollars."

But its NOT Trumps plan now.
The Tweet has been deleted Sunday last from GOP website.
("Due to routine maintenance")

What a crowd of tossers.

On trading front ...Not stopped the Dollar strengthening further cable/fibre.
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Quoting gat
Biden has a history of being wrong on all things foreign policy. Here he was being told Kabul would fall in three to six months. Turns out it is four. It is not an intelligence failure except within the administration. Biden is dementia addled threatening to take dissenters out back of the shed but on vacation while the Taliban run over everything. His administration can not tell us how many Americans are in country. They are Tweeting you are on your own and we can not guarantee your safety getting to the airport. Pathetic. You want naïve? Giving...
I agree that its all pretty pathetic and quite tragic and that Pres Biden and his administration is unfit.

Taking a larger view, I'm just wondering about all the other influences that enabled this situation. I have ranted about the intelligence agencies. I'd also include those senior in the military - the generals and their advisors and those with skin in the game. There are others - how complicit was the media? {edit - nearly forgot! Congress? etc, etc}

Knowing how organised and motivated the Taliban was and is, where was the the prudent advice provided? Was Biden lying when he said what he did some weeks ago now about the almost minimal risks? It beggars belief that he knew the actual risks and yet said those things, along with other senior people, forget his name.

Given the obscene amount of money and human resources and loss of life incurred already in the 20 year campaign, what was it "costing" to continue just "ticking over" as it were - as a peacekeeper, in caretaker mode or whatever one wants to call it - for the indefinite future? I'd guess, in relative terms, minimal. Nothing.
Quoting RossEdwards
{quote} Trumps historic plan. What was there to go wrong? Only his deadline for withdrawal was Mid-May. "On February 2, 2020, the Trump Administration signed a preliminary peace agreement with the Taliban that sets the stage to end America's longest war. Under the agreement, the U.S. will withdraw nearly 5,000 troops from the country in 135 days in exchange for a Taliban agreement to not allow Afghanistan to be used for transnational terrorism. The war in Afghanistan is the longest in U.S. history, a conflict that has killed more than 3,500...
You conveniently ignore the rest of conditions put on the Taliban. They knew Trump would scrap the agreement so they did not attack. Once Biden "won" the election they could start being more aggressive. And once Biden took office they had no reason to fear any retaliation. Besides the political bungling the military approach of vacating Bagram to rely on the municipal airport was plain stupid resulting in this horror show. News today has Brit troops going outside the airport to rescue their people while US commanders are yelling vehemently that it will screw up the deal. Miley and whoever is in charge on the ground there should be resigning over this. Trump would be handling everything differently. How could anyone imagine doing worse than Biden and comrades?
Quoting gat
{quote} You conveniently ignore the rest of conditions put on the Taliban. They knew Trump would scrap the agreement so they did not attack.
Such an undertaking or qualified statement of intent becomes null and void should circumstances change.

Just as if Trump had promised everyone a subsidised Tesla to everyone if Elon Musk landed on the moon after the election and should he remain el presidento.

Circumstances changed. The condition precedent did not occur. The word "irrelevant" springs to mind.

To think otherwise would mean that the person who takes that position is OK with the incoming President honouring any and all commitments made by the previous administration. Other words spring to mind about such thinking.
On behalf of the Trumpists I will say, thank you President Biden for doing this Trump's way. We will never admit this publicly but we thank you for leaving Afghanistan the most idiotic way possible namely America first, make ourselves look like the backend of a donkey, create a big mess and screw everybody else preferably our allies who have troops there.
From now on we will attend your rallies in our beautiful Rustbelt, Thank you and God bless you President Biden we were so wrong about you.
Quoting barkie
On behalf of the Trumpists I will say, thank you President Biden for doing this Trump's way. We will never admit this publicly but we thank you for leaving Afghanistan the most idiotic way possible namely America first, make ourselves look like the backend of a donkey, create a big mess and screw everybody else preferably our allies who have troops there. From now on we will attend your rallies in our beautiful Rustbelt, Thank you and God bless you President Biden we were so wrong about you.
"As I said, this was my sarcastic summer. It was only long after that I recognized sarcasm as the protest of people who are weak."

John Knowles, A Separate Peace.

A Separate Peace - Wikipedia
Quoting barkie
On behalf of the Trumpists I will say, thank you President Biden for doing this Trump's way. We will never admit this publicly but we thank you for leaving Afghanistan the most idiotic way possible namely America first, make ourselves look like the backend of a donkey, create a big mess and screw everybody else preferably our allies who have troops there. From now on we will attend your rallies in our beautiful Rustbelt, Thank you and God bless you President Biden we were so wrong about you.
A mind of truly iconic intellect we should all be paying to read such wisdom
Quoting gat
{quote} .. Trump would be handling everything differently. How could anyone imagine doing worse than Biden and comrades?.
My honest opinion as a non American, based on the last 5 years?
Answer is Yes.
Mr Trump.. substantially worse.

BUT.. Hey mate you and I bickering about Partisan POLITICAL blame game issues MISSES THE POINT.

With everyone I talk to in the MSM world, the catastrophic failure is in the US Intelligence and Military.
The Taliban didnt over-run Afghanistan in a fortnight by force of arms. Any idiot can see that.
The folding of the Afghan National Army was all prearranged. In the villages, the towns, the provinces and right up to the defense of Kabul.
How come every Afghan in the street knew that and the CIA, NSA and the numerous US military intelligence.
didnt. For a national intelligence budget over $85 Billion a year I would have expected a bit better on its Afghan briefing? Wouldnt you?
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When they have to send out Yellen, to talk about Delta, so as to deflect from Mr. Potato heads inability to administrate........
Quoting LloydOz
Why? Its not as if the Taliban need the dosh to acquire war machines. Because America left a significant quantity its military firepower and other high tech equipment there for the taking. Exactly who is America punishing now? Think. {Don't get me started on sanctions}
LloydOz

You ask a valid question. My opinion is that the USA wants to cut off the cash flow to the "new" Taliban government because "we" (the USA) thinks that the Taliban is an illegimate governing body.

Having said that I totally disagree with this. WHY? Think about this. If the Taliban is not allowed to access the money that their government/country has where will they get funds to run their country? OPIUM!

The Taliban will grow as many poppy plants as possible to flood the West with opium for the cash that they get from it. In addition it weakens the countries due to the drug epidemic as well.

So while I despise the Taliban and what they stand for I believe that freezing the countries money is short sighted and dangerous. But then again that is why I am not an elected official - just a civilian who like to trade Forex.
...because you never know - until you do!
Quoting LloydOz
{quote} We agree on something that is so blindingly obvious. I understand that there are many intelligence agencies with teams of analysts with PhDs and astonishing technology that we can only imagine. Or see in science fiction films. The spooks were either incompetent or...and I say this with trepidation - corrupt. Somehow I doubt they were incompetent. Half jokingly, I have said that Pres Biden is in the wrong place at the wrong time and is not to blame. I'm beginning to think that is not a source of mirth. The poor bloke, while he ought to have...
LloydOz

Surely you jest in the above comment...The last USA President was impeached for rumors and innuendo's. In addition under the prior administration there were guidelines in place to prevent the Taliban from occupying important towns/capitals. Under the prior administration if the Taliban attempted to take control of any of the cities that it NOW OCCUPIES the prior administration would have bombed their turbans into the stone age. As Syria and the former leader of the Iraq army.

There WAS PROTOCOLS IN PLACE to prevent what occurred in Afghanistan - the current USA administration chose to ignore them and the result is a Taliban controlled country ready and willing to flood Western countries with opium in order to fund their country.

It is a sad day in America.
Attached Image
...because you never know - until you do!
Let's be totally honest. The war in Afghanistan was a total failure from beginning to end. It shouldn't have been initiated and if so we shouldn't haven't been there this long. After 20 years and all the money spent there's literally nothing to show for it. It's cost lives and cost taxpayers. Most Americans weren't fans of this shit show to begin with.
The markets are like water it ebbs and flows.
Quoting fxsport
{quote} LloydOz You ask a valid question. My opinion is that the USA wants to cut off the cash flow to the "new" Taliban government because "we" (the USA) thinks that the Taliban is an illegimate governing body. Having said that I totally disagree with this. WHY? Think about this. If the Taliban is not allowed to access the money that their government/country has where will they get funds to run their country? OPIUM! The Taliban will grow as many poppy plants as possible to flood the West with opium for the cash that they get...
Yeah, I wonder if this will present significant governance challenges to the Taliban, whatever one may think of them.

But they are "the state", that is conceded.

Should this financial crackdown backfire, the US may be asking for trouble -what it fears most.

An actual weakening of the Taliban leaving room for "non-state" actors. Terrorists.

Back to square one. Did ya mention something about the stance taken by the US being short sighted?

In the meantime, the IMF is also withholding funds at the insistence of the US. This will hurt. The people. In the realm of speculation - some humanitarian crisis around the corner.
In my assessment Afghanistan represents a Crisis in Leadership.
It does so from a viewpoint based upon the world order as it has been since end of WW2.
Pax Americana which was the period of relative peace, has been in place since WW2 with US military Hegemony keeping global trade flowing.
The downside of being the worlds hegemony is that corruption becomes inevitable as every Governmental decision currently is based upon a Political motive rather then the founding principles of the US Republic.

No longer is adherence to principles such as Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness to be the guiding Light as to goal of Policy. While regular people still practice these ideals and that is the only thing which can maintain a civil society, the elites are only focused upon money. Money the God of this world has now final say over policy direction. This is a Luciferian economy and political structure

The Republic has lost its' way and Power and Control is all that drives the elites.

add: Afghanistan failed because the elites did not win over the hearts and minds of the people they only believed that everything was for sale and it was possible to buy the people with trinkets.

Afghanistan exit policy was purely a Politically driven decision rather then based upon a real world assessment or what should have been adherence to the founding principles of the Republic.
Chaos was the inevitable outcome and there will be more to come from other Theaters.
When a Nation loses its' reason for being things are going to get worse until it either refinds that reason for being or fails completely from the corruption that political leadership has fallen into.
Quoting foto
The Republic has lost its' way and Power and Control is all that drives the elites..
To this I'd add this quote attributed to {perhaps} Karl Rove at some point during the Bush administration -

"We're an empire now, and when we act we create our own reality".

I'm aware this could mean different things to different people, and to say that it makes my head hurt is an understatement.
To cheer things up fellas there are a couple of belting gags on the comedy forum concerning this subject. I suggest you have a look and have a nice weekend.XX
The elites think we are stupid. They are in the main quite correct.
Quoting Momofrmnyc
Let's be totally honest. The war in Afghanistan was a total failure from beginning to end. It shouldn't have been initiated and if so we shouldn't haven't been there this long. After 20 years and all the money spent there's literally nothing to show for it. It's cost lives and cost taxpayers. Most Americans weren't fans of this shit show to begin with.
Simply not true. We crushed the Taliban and eventually took out OBL. Should have happened very early on except for GWD's political insistence that it be an Afghan who "found" him. We gave them near 20 years of peace with opportunities for education and work, especially for women. But they remain a weak and lazy people willing to suffer Islamic fundamentalists. There was no choice but to respond to the 9/11 attacks. There was a great deal of support to kick butt. The Afghan army di fight losing over 50k over the years. That has been with our intel and moral support. W/o it they fold. In this end I agree there is no permanent gain to show. That is their choice. They will go back to growing poppy regardless of the freeze on their money. Their president has made off with a planeload of it too. Pakistan did their part to keep training camps to a minimum. Now they will operate freely in Afghanistan and more attacks are predictable in the next few years. They will have no fear of the incompetent boobs Biden has placed in charge.
Quoting LloydOz
{quote} To this I'd add this quote attributed to {perhaps} Karl Rove at some point during the Bush administration - "We're an empire now, and when we act we create our own reality". I'm aware this could mean different things to different people, and to say that it makes my head hurt is an understatement.
Yes I believe this to be very much the situation. An elite of like minded individuals using the two party system are all on the same page, everything is about Empire and Money. All the decision making apparatus is geared towards this concept.
It all totally fails when it comes up against a people who do not place money above their own belief structures about existence.
Someone who is able to live in a cave for 20 years is hardly going to get influenced by a second party who uses fiat as their weapon of choice.

Clash of Two worlds is a more appropriate way of viewing things. The only ones believing in their own invincibility is the Western Elites. The Golden Calf of Fiat they worship will be their undoing.

We have to Trade this and not get wrecked doing so, but at least being aware of the situation can temper enthusiasm one way or the other.
Quoting foto
The Republic has lost its' way and Power and Control is all that drives the elites.
To that our current leader says:



Attached Image

Is it just me or does Biden resemble Palpatine?
Attached Image
Attached Image
...because you never know - until you do!
Quoting fxsport
{quote} LloydOz Surely you jest in the above comment....
A bunch of malarkey?
This is the second major war in my lifetime that the US military has won and the politicians have pissed away.
You can win a battle
But you cannot win a people if they dont want you.
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True---as proven by the history of numerous nations, notably Ireland, Greece, Mexico etc etc.
Quoting IRISH37
This is the second major war in my lifetime that the US military has won and the politicians have pissed away.
It's foolish to think there are any winners in war, especially where the outcome is decided by opinion.
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  • Posted: Aug 17, 2021 8:25pm
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     Newsstand
    Category: Fundamental Analysis
    Comments: 33  /  Views: 3,555