SAN DIEGO: People like congressman and former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw know the last twenty years fighting terror in Afghanistan was a driving reset of the chessboard. American and allied troops played the war game with lethal ferocity. They won their victories year after year and knocked the Taliban and their allies off the board and into hiding. Now their enemies have emerged in full fury and blood is on the ground in Kabul. Tragic casualty numbers are in from two separate attacks.
The signs are clear to Crenshaw; we must change our Afghanistan plan immediately. He’s not sure Biden has the stomach to go on offense and fix this. Fox News reports 12 Marines, and a Navy corpsman among at least 90 killed and 140 injured in ‘ISIS’ suicide bombs. Said to be “coordinated and complex terror attacks,” one just outside the Abbey Gate at HKIA and one at the Baron Hotel. Officials predict that death toll will rise.
“We can confirm at this time 10 Marines were killed in the line of duty at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Additionally, several more were wounded and are being cared for at this time. We mourn the loss of these Marines and pray for their families. The identities and units of those killed will be withheld until 24 hours after all next-of-kin notifications are complete,” states Maj. Jim Stenger, Marine Corps spokesperson.
Over the past 12 days,
Thousands of people amassed at the airport trying to flee the Taliban, who seized power in capitol city Kabul. The airport was a very attractive target to terror groups. Hours before the attack, both UK and U.S. officials warned of a ‘imminent, highly lethal’ attack.
In addition to 13 troops killed, 15 were wounded, CENTCOM Commander General Kenneth McKenzie told reporters in a briefing conducted hours after the attack. McKenzie blames ISIS. When Biden deserted Bagram the Taliban let 5,000 prisoners go, many who were ISIS fighters. Who spent a lot of time in prison feeding off hate for infidels.
ISIS-K, a sub terror group of mother ISIS, says they’ll hunt us down. The threat from them “extremely real,” says the Pentagon.
Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) speaking to Fox News admonished, “It’s time to reset the chessboard and gain superiority over the enemy.”
Move over Biden and let a military leader take charge.
If you run from terrorists, they will chase you forever – like the hound after the fox. That terror hound will find you in your political thrones here in America.
Our success in the last twenty years did not happen without tough, enduring military leadership. Balls of courage. Skills and savvy. Tenacity and tears for losses drove our warriors on to the next victory over evil.
“We still have capability,” says Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. So while you’re making your military leaders make those hard phone calls to family members who lost their Marines and a Navy corpsman today, remember the superiority over the enemy our warriors rose to meet for 20 years.
Biden let them down – he compromised their survival at HKIA. He is clearly unable to lead or protect them against terror. This Nation deeply mourns their heroes.
Statement from Commandant of the Marine Corps, David H. Berger:
“These fallen heroes answered the call to go into harm’s way to do the honorable work of helping others. We are proud of their service and deeply saddened by their loss. As we mourn, we also keep those who are still over there protecting Americans and our Afghan partners at the forefront of our thoughts. Our Marines will continue the mission, carrying on our Corps’ legacy of always standing ready to meet the challenges of every extraordinary task our Nation requires of her Marines.”
“I am continually humbled by the courage and warrior spirit exhibited every day by Marines across the globe. The sacrifices Marines make on behalf of freedom must never go unnoticed or unappreciated. I ask that you keep these Marines and service members, and especially their families, in your thoughts and prayers.”
For 20 years our warriors hunted the enemy down. Not for this crushing finale.
This writer has interviewed hundreds of U.S. troops, who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. Marines, Navy, Army, and Air Force faced off with the Taliban and ISIS terror respectively. Every combat experience was different and eye-opening. They did not run from their enemies; they ran to them and chaos. In the dead of night during surprise attacks- they found them and destroyed their plans.
In the day, they patrolled endlessly, clearing, clearing, and more clearing until they were gone. From the sky – we dropped our munitions. On the sea – we carried ground battalions, air squadrons and logistic units who were the glue for missions accomplished all over Afghanistan. Seeking no recognition for themselves.
So how in the heck do a few thousand troops that include Marines, Navy, Army, and Air Force end up surrounded by the enemy at HKIA? Hugely disadvantaged, bending our backsides over to the will of the Taliban? Hit broadside by ISIS bombers, outrageously killing 13 U.S. troops. How does that happen after twenty years of owning the chessboard fighting these vengeful terrorists?
Our troops made life free for Afghans with the help of our Afghan allies.
During the many years our troops engaged the Taliban, we pushed them back to their hiding places, beaten and depleted of fighters. This came at a very heavy human cost in American lives and limbs. There are so many stories that Americans do not know. But this writer knows a good amount.
The Obama/Biden White House painted a rosy picture of those years of heavy fighting. Not unlike the rosy glow, Biden has put on this grim and deadly Afghanistan withdrawal. Biden should know never to underestimate the fierceness of the Taliban, ISIS, or al Qaeda who campaign with terror in Afghanistan. Our troops respected that fierceness but toppled it. They gained the Taliban respect exuding power and unrelenting bravery.
Our warriors won their battles snaring the Taliban in their dens of evil. Bombed their battlements and destroyed their ability to move weapons and fighters. They struck the enemy when they planted their unforgiving IEDs…
And had them running at the sound of our helicopters approaching.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE DWYER, AFGHANISTAN, 2010. An AH-1W Super Cobra with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) departs to provide close air support on a joint Tactical Airstrike Request. The Cobra is one of several stationed at FOB Dwyer as part of a HMLA-169 detachment, which provides quick-response close air support for coalition and Afghan forces within the area. Photo Sgt. Derek Carlson
Now, who is talking about running from the enemy? NOT those trained to fight them.
Couldn’t agree more with Crenshaw, who lost a critical body part in Afghanistan.
The Texas Congressman lost one eye in Afghanistan in 2012 when his interpreter stepped on an IED and he was hit by shrapnel. Not an uncommon story, unfortunately, for veterans with traumatic combat injuries. Crenshaw served multiple deployments as a Navy SEAL.
“We bring the fight to the enemy so that they don’t bring it to us,” says Dan Crenshaw.
He warned, from his combat perspective, both Trump and Biden, about pulling troops out.
Crenshaw wants Biden to admit his plan failed and make a new one. Biden pushed the lie, ‘If just leave, the war will end.’ Was a myth, any future terror attack a specter, not going to happen in Afghanistan. The Taliban broke the peace deal before we even started the withdrawal. By not reducing violence and letting other terrorist groups remain in Afghanistan promising future attacks – sure to come to our shores. Already al Qaeda is recruiting lone wolf terrorists to go active in America.
Only a fool trusts a terrorist. And now Biden has a lot of blood on his hands.
It’s impossible to salvage his plan now.
It will take time to get Americans and our allies out.
We should take offense and remember the lessons of great military leaders.
“U.S. Army General Norman Schwarzkopf was considered one of the greatest military leaders of all time, due to his ability to persuade different military leaders from 30 countries to work together as one team.”
“Under Schwarzkopf’s able leadership, there were only a few casualties in the Persian Gulf War. In the said conflict, the war ended after only a few months of sustained warfare. The astounding success of the Persian Gulf War must be attributed to Schwarzkopf’s leadership style… [to] humility, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity embodied by Schwarzkopf.” (Essay on IvyPanda)
Biden has terrible foreign relationships, no adaptability or humility. He receives horrible international criticism for his troop withdrawal failure. Blamed now for making it impossible for other countries to get their nationals to HKIA and get them out. This is hardcore reality because he’s taking U.S. troops out ahead of the deadline.
The intelligence community saw attacks coming; now we must fix it.
Excerpts from Crenshaw’s ‘fix’ given in Fox News interview:
- Tell everybody there, we’ll take as much time as we need.
- Retake more airfields throughout the country. He says we can’t expect everyone to be going to the hellhole that is now HKIA.
- Retake Bagram and funnel evacuees to there.
- More troops on the ground to get everyone out.
- Critical reassessment of strategy.
“The military can do it, just need the will politically to do it,” says Crenshaw.
When you talk about retaking things, what does that look like militarily? asks the Fox News reporter.
“Remember we lost Kabul completely; then we retook it,” answers Crenshaw. This is what we train for. I like to hear the enemy is amassing. I like to hear they are finally out in the open and not hiding in the population. By the way, which has made these wars so difficult over time. I encourage American people to accept the reality of the situation.”
“We have to acknowledge there are people out there that want to kill us. That wake every single day and if they have any space whatsoever, they’re planning an attack on the homeland.”
Yet Biden and DoD burrow in CRT, extremists in the ranks, and mandatory COVID vaccines.
We’ve been taking, retaking from insurgents since 9/11.
We lost Fallujah and Ramadi in Iraq and then we retook them both to defeat ISIS.
Enduring 20 years, when the enemy ambushed us, we came back at ‘em, guns blazing, moving towards their murder holes. Troops took their snipers out with precision and sent many Taliban and ISIS fighters to their graves. That would have otherwise sent them to their own.
Crenshaw says, “These people will never stop fighting us.” He’s so right. They obviously still have the capabilities.
CDN prays for the families of those service members and all others slain today.
We will never forget.
UPDATE AUGUST 27
Maj. Jim Stenger, Marine Corps spokesperson, states the following:
“We can confirm, at this time, 11 Marines were killed in the line of duty at Hamid Karzai International Airport. This is an update to the information we provided yesterday.
We continue to mourn the loss of these Marines and pray for their families. Our focus now is taking care of the families of those who were killed and caring for our injured. The identities and units of those killed will be withheld until 24 hours after all next-of-kin notifications are complete. Further inquiries should be directed to ontherecord@usmc.mil.”
