Defence procurement bungles and wins

[Mav]

I wonder what military genius committed to a set-date withdrawal of US forces in direct negotations with the Taliban to the exclusion of the Afghan Govt ...

[LP]

I wonder what military genius committed to a set-date withdrawal of US forces in direct negotations with the Taliban to the exclusion of the Afghan Govt ...

It was Birther Obama wasn't it? ;D

[Mav]

Yes, we have a very stable genius to thank for that.

[capcom]

So in a war zone, you want to allow thousands of "civilians" unfettered access to a defensive military stronghold!

Thousands of "friendly foreign eyes" inside the airfield boundary!

I suspect there is a reason all the various allied forces used the public airport for evacuations, rather than expose the positions and layout of the military targets.

Ever thought about US passport holders?  Ever considered Bagram was effectively lost anyway once those citizens were cleared?  Kabul was a pathetic FU. 

[capcom]

I wonder what military genius committed to a set-date withdrawal of US forces in direct negotations with the Taliban to the exclusion of the Afghan Govt ...

The Afghan government?  Who crumbled inside weeks not once putting up any resistance?  Millions stolen ... Ashraf Ghani?  Ring any bells?

[LP]

Ever thought about US passport holders?  Ever considered Bagram was effectively lost anyway once those citizens were cleared?  Kabul was a pathetic FU.

I thought you were an air man, you're going to keep aircraft on the ground in observational range of thousands of unknowns while refuelling and loading. They used Bagram inside an exclusion zone for the slow process of refuelling and basically spent as little time on the ground in the public airport as possible.

[Mav]

The Afghan government?  Who crumbled inside weeks not once putting up any resistance?  Millions stolen ... Ashraf Ghani?  Ring any bells?

After the US left the Afghan Govt out of the talks with the Taliban, it was stripped of any status when the US commenced to pull out. That pretty much killed any chance of the army or police force holding the line against the Taliban during the withdrawal and that was what the US needed them to do. The US didn't need them to hold the line for long. Just long enough to cover the withdrawal was all that was needed.

[capcom]

I thought you were an air man, you're going to keep aircraft on the ground in observational range of thousands of unknowns while refuelling and loading. They used Bagram inside an exclusion zone for the slow process of refuelling and basically spent as little time on the ground in the public airport as possible.

I am .. but you don't need to fly far when a C 17 has a full load range of 4500 kms ... a flight between (for example) Delhi to Bagram is only 1000 kms.  i.e. Full pax load from Bagram, no refuel necessary, return flight to India.  VERY easy.

[LP]

I am .. but you don't need to fly far when a C 17 has a full load range of 4500 kms ... a flight between (for example) Delhi to Bagram is only 1000 kms.  i.e. Full pax load from Bagram, no refuel necessary, return flight to India.  VERY easy.

You know it's not that simple, you know the bureaucracy stops them using the simplest routes. Subject to who is onboard and which countries are involved.

[capcom]

So you seriously think India would not be a more than a willing participant in refuelling a US military aircraft?  Do you really understand that passengers don't have to deplane at ALL until their final (U.S) port where they are cleared and processed?  India would be no more than a fuel refill.  I know a helluva LOT more about the operational logistics than you appear to think.