President Joe Biden’s administration is reportedly so troubled about weapons and equipment the Taliban seized after being left behind by Afghan forces, it is now considering several options.
“Everything that hasn’t been destroyed is the Taliban’s now,” an anonymous U.S. official told Reuters this week.
The outlet continued:
Current and former U.S. officials say there is concern those weapons could be used to kill civilians, be seized by other militant groups such as Islamic State to attack U.S.-interests in the region, or even potentially be handed over to adversaries including China and Russia.
President Joe Biden’s administration is so concerned about the weapons that it is considering a number of options to pursue. The officials said launching airstrikes against the larger equipment, such as helicopters, has not been ruled out, but there is concern that would antagonize the Taliban at a time the United States’ main goal is evacuating people.
Another official reportedly noted although there were no definitive numbers, a recent intelligence assessment found the Taliban was believed to control over 2,000 armored vehicles and nearly 40 aircraft which could include UH-60 Black Hawks, scout attack helicopters, and ScanEagle military drones.
Afghan armed men supporting the Afghan security forces against the Taliban stand with their weapons and Humvee vehicles at Parakh area in Bazarak, Panjshir province on August 19, 2021. (AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Afghan Air Force Black Hawk helicopter at the hydroelectric Kajaki Dam in Kajaki, northeast of Helmand Province. (WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images)
Current and former officials said despite concern over the Taliban’s access to the helicopters, the aircraft require frequent maintenance and some are complicated to operate without training.
“Ironically, the fact that our equipment breaks down so often is a life-saver here,” a third official told Reuters.
Thursday on Fox News Channel’s Hannity, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) spoke out regarding his frustration over the Biden administration’s mishandling of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
“I’m hearing reports that the Taliban now has more Blackhawks than our allies Australia, the weaponry that was left. This is a complete disaster and we should have a complete accounting of it. And yes, if it holds to that, we’ll uphold our constitutional duty,” McCarthy said.
“Right now, we are focused on bringing every single American home. Stop asking the Taliban for permission and let’s go bring the Americans home,” he added.
President Biden was reportedly struggling Friday to evacuate all Americans from Afghanistan prior to the August 31 deadline, according to Breitbart News.
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