US scrambles to avoid Vietnam moment in Kabul as panic spreads through Afghan capital
Jamie McIntyre
Fri, August 13, 2021, 7:18 AM·11 min read
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‘A TEMPORARY MISSION WITH A NARROW FOCUS’: With the Taliban offensive gaining momentum at a startling pace, and more provincial capitals falling with each passing day, the United States is dispatching three infantry battalions, roughly 3,000 troops, already forward deployed in the region, to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul for what is described as a short term mission to provide security for emergency evacuations.
“These forces are being deployed to support the orderly and safe reduction of civilian personnel at the request of the State Department and to help facilitate an accelerated process of working through SIV [Special Immigrant Visa] applicants,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. “This is a temporary mission with a narrow focus. As with all deployments of our troops into harm's way, our commanders have the inherent right of self-defense, and any attack on them can and will be met with a forceful and appropriate response.”
In addition, a joint Army-Air Force support element of around 1,000 personnel will deploy to Qatar to facilitate the processing of SIV applicants, and a combat brigade numbering around 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg will be on standby in Kuwait, in case things go south.
https://news.yahoo.com/us-scrambles-avoid-vietnam-moment-111800445.html
