No Need To Plunder -- It's a Gift!

"The helicopters are the most expensive item, but the ability of the Taliban to operate and maintain them without outside help is modest."  

"The absence of U.S. logistical support will lead to a steady decay in the state of the residual Afghan military arsenal. Even small arms will gradually become unusable if not properly maintained."

"MRAPs are real gas-guzzlers, so their value in a country where fuel supplies are scarce and terrorist attacks have largely ceased is doubtful."

Dr. Loren Thompson, military analyst, Lexington Institute think-tank

 

"I would tell you that they can inspect all they want. They can look at them, they can walk around, but they can't fly them." 

"They can't operate them. We made sure to demilitarize - to make unusable all the gear that is at the airport,"

"The only thing we left operable are a couple of fire trucks and forklifts so that the airport can remain more operational going forward."

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby

 

"They'll never be able to be operated by anyone."

"Most of them were non-mission capable, to begin with, but certainly they'll never be able to be flown again."

Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command

 Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle (MRAP), light utility vehicle

"Certainly, our objective was not to leave them with any equipment, but that is not always an option when you are looking to retrograde and move out of a war zone."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki

 

Humvees parked at Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan    Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The victory parade held by the Taliban in Kandahar City where they showed off dozens of American-made armoured vehicles along with other weapons captured during its victory over the Afghan national police and military was as much a celebration over their claims to have won a battle over the most powerful nation and army on Earth, as it was to preen over the wonderful gifts so generously left behind for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. 

As for the complacency assumed by the U.S. military elite that these technologically advanced planes, helicopters and armoured vehicles were too complex in their performative operation for the uncouth savages represented by the Taliban to ever master; the helicopters and the planes would never see a Taliban fighter at the controls. A Black Hawk helicopter trailing a Taliban flag was flown over the celebrations amply demonstrating that even savages 'get' sophisticated equipment.

True, some gear was disabled with the retreat of the U.S. from Afghanistan. Head of U.S. Central Command informed journalists of the disabling of 70 armoured vehicles, 27 Humvee trucks and 73 aircraft. Presumably he was not asked by journalists and therefore had no need to respond to a hypothetical question of the practicality of having American pilots fly all those helicopters and planes back to the U.S. or to friendly countries from which they could later be retrieved, leaving personnel more time to destroy the rolling stock.

 

Taliban fighters atop a Humvee vehicle in Kabul as they celebrate after the US pulled all its troops out of the country (Photo: AFP)

 

What he did, however, state with pride was: "Those aircraft will never fly again. They'll never be able to be operated by anyone." No, not those particular aircraft, but there are plenty of others. Others in great numbers thanks to the generosity of the U.S. and other Western powers that provided the Afghan Army  with large numbers of flight machines. They'll be in flight for awhile. Perhaps not for long, since the American technicians that serviced them also departed.

The only 'usable gear' left intact, stated Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby included some fire trucks and fork lifts. They'll certainly come in handy. That's one air base accounted for but dozens of other bases are located around Afghanistan now in the happy hands of the Taliban who have there as well acquired with the greatest of serendipity, tons of military equipment. Over 600 armoured vehicles were in the possession of the Afghan army; contrast that with 500 Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles possessed by the entire Canadian Forces.

Over 22,00 Humvees, 140 mine-proof vehicles, 8,000 transport trucks, 150 M113 armoured vehicles, over 350,000 assault rifles, 64,000 assorted machine guns, 120,000 pistols and over 170 artillery pieces, according to various reports, were owned by the Afghan military. Weaponry exceeding in number and advanced technology what is currently in the possession of many G20 countries. From the Afghan military to the Taliban, once again masters of Afghanistan.

Over 30 Black Hawk helicopters, 40 light helicopters and 33 transport helicopters were also left to the Taliban. Little wonder they're celebrating. Pakistani instructors must be very busy right now, teaching their Taliban cohorts. Oh, and 65 fixed-wing aircraft of assorted types. Over $500 million was spent by the U.S. on 15 military transport aircraft alone for the Afghan military. They sit derelict now in Kabul, the result of spare parts lacking.

A helicopter displaying a Taliban flag fly above of supporters gathered to celebrate the US withdrawal of all its troops out of Afghanistan, in Kandahar on September 1, 2021. (JAVED TANVEER / AFP)

As for funding on military equipment on the part of Canada, when the Canadian military left Afghanistan in 2014, it earmarked $330 million to fund the Afghan security forces. Infrastructure built and paid for by taxpayers is now inherited by the Taliban who don't particularly appear as fond of that kind of gifting as they are enamoured of military gifts. Once home to Canadian troops, the Kandahar base, full of thousands of Canadian military personnel, is now the Taliban's to hold and to keep.

When Russian troops departed from Afghanistan in 1989 after their disastrous ten years of occupation they left behind thousands of kilometres of roads, tunnels, bridges, schools, apartment buildings and military bases. When the Taliban moved in after the Soviets moved out that infrastructure mostly fell into disuse and disrepair. 

 

One of those bridges, the "Friendship Bridge" that links Afghanistan to Uzbekistan was used by the retreating Soviet troops. It is the very same bridge that last week saw troops from NATO-trained Afghan National Army traverse as they fled the conquering Taliban horde.