I need prayer...

[rogue06]

I'm wondering if there's a book to be written here.

From what I can gather, the German military, through a particular "in country" commander, has been helping a whole lot with extricating people from Afghanistan, with a good working relationship with Pakistani military personnel. In either case, the German and Pakistani military appear to be working in violation of policies of their respective countries.

I'm guessing, however, this is for political cover ---- shouting "NO, DO NOT WORK IN AFGHANISTAN TO HELP PEOPLE GET OUT" while whispering "what can we do to help you make this work?"

On the other hand, I cannot figure out why our State Department seems to be blocking every attempt -- whether it's diabolical intent, or absolute incompetence, I cannot tell.

What?!? Wait! The guberment saying one thing while doing the opposite?

Actually the shocking and stunning part is this time they're doing it to actually, legitimately help.

BTW, one of the voices rattling around in my brainbox, rogue0 (going by rogue zero), has been busy...

Never knew he was into techno-rap fusion

[Cow Poke]

On the Afghanistan front, everybody I know (or know of through our organizations) has made it out of Afghanistan. For that I praise God.

The ordeals they have been through where State Department seemed to be working against them FAR more than helping them has us a bit disgusted with our government. We received help from Pakistan and Germany, who seem to have a very unique alliance in this matter.

I'm wondering if there's a book to be written here.

From what I can gather, the German military, through a particular "in country" commander, has been helping a whole lot with extricating people from Afghanistan, with a good working relationship with Pakistani military personnel. In either case, the German and Pakistani military appear to be working in violation of policies of their respective countries.

I'm guessing, however, this is for political cover ---- shouting "NO, DO NOT WORK IN AFGHANISTAN TO HELP PEOPLE GET OUT" while whispering "what can we do to help you make this work?"

On the other hand, I cannot figure out why our State Department seems to be blocking every attempt -- whether it's diabolical intent, or absolute incompetence, I cannot tell.

[rogue06]

I'm feeling a blue funk over this. Some day I'll tell the whole story, but I was very upset with our country back in my younger days concerning a feeling of abandonment in SE Asia. This is bringing all those bad memories, and sometimes I just feel overwhelmed. This "leave no man behind" battle cry is, unfortunately, for many, not taken very seriously.

The truly heart sickening part is that this was 99% avoidable.

[Cow Poke]

I'm feeling a blue funk over this. Some day I'll tell the whole story, but I was very upset with our country back in my younger days concerning a feeling of abandonment in SE Asia. This is bringing all those bad memories, and sometimes I just feel overwhelmed. This "leave no man behind" battle cry is, unfortunately, for many, not taken very seriously.

[rogue06]

That's what we're hearing from in Afghanistan, but the numbers range more from 500 to 1,000.

Old Joe just checked his watch and says he doesn't have time for this and left on yet another vacation (at least the fourth since Afghanistan).


Actually, the duffer did tell Anderson Cooper over on that bizarre "Town Hall" that he was too busy to go to the border before drifting off into some fabricated recollections about crossing the border when he was in El Paso (I think as VP), but there is no indication it ever happened. And, yes, he really is going back to his basement in Delaware.

[Cow Poke]

Recent reports place anywhere between 200 and 400 American citizens still trapped in Afghanistan. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb) has been castigating the Biden Administration concerning the "official" numbers

The Biden Administration has shamelessly and repeatedly lied about the number of Americans trapped behind Taliban lines. For weeks, their official number was ‘about a hundred’ and it magically never changed -- as Americans slowly got out the total number never went down. Now they say more than 300 Americans are still in Afghanistan. The Biden Administration lied to hide the consequences of the President's morally indefensible decision to abandon our people in a war zone. This slow-motion hostage crisis and the administration’s coverup are disgraceful. Mr. President, bring our people home.

That's what we're hearing from in Afghanistan, but the numbers range more from 500 to 1,000.

[rogue06]

On the Afghanistan front, everybody I know (or know of through our organizations) has made it out of Afghanistan. For that I praise God.

The ordeals they have been through where State Department seemed to be working against them FAR more than helping them has us a bit disgusted with our government. We received help from Pakistan and Germany, who seem to have a very unique alliance in this matter.

Recent reports place anywhere between 200 and 400 American citizens still trapped in Afghanistan. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb) has been castigating the Biden Administration concerning the "official" numbers

The Biden Administration has shamelessly and repeatedly lied about the number of Americans trapped behind Taliban lines. For weeks, their official number was ‘about a hundred’ and it magically never changed -- as Americans slowly got out the total number never went down. Now they say more than 300 Americans are still in Afghanistan. The Biden Administration lied to hide the consequences of the President's morally indefensible decision to abandon our people in a war zone. This slow-motion hostage crisis and the administration’s coverup are disgraceful. Mr. President, bring our people home.

[Cow Poke]

Any updates?

On the Afghanistan front, everybody I know (or know of through our organizations) has made it out of Afghanistan. For that I praise God.

The ordeals they have been through where State Department seemed to be working against them FAR more than helping them has us a bit disgusted with our government. We received help from Pakistan and Germany, who seem to have a very unique alliance in this matter.

[Thoughtful Monk]

I maybe need to back away from the Afghanistan discussion - I think I'm way hotter about this than anything in a long long time.

We (Southern Baptists) have missionaries in Afghanistan. One of them has been in my Church before - we know him and his wife personally.

They (the ones we know and others) were pretty well known in their respective villages, and it's been several days now since we've heard anything from them or about them. Initially, we got word that the locals were helping hide them. Then nothing.

I'm concerned. But I'm angry. I have had really not-so-good thoughts about Biden and his whole kabal.

I am NOT wanting to start yet another "Biden messed up" thread --- I simply need prayer that I have a better attitude and not become bitter(er).

Meanwhile, our friends in Africa have returned feeling very much saddened that they couldn't accomplish what they have done in the past. Because of Covid, there are restrictions, and people coming from neighboring countries have to pay $10 to $50 to pass checkpoints to come for training. You might as well ask them to sell their homes and families. Where we have had HUNDREDS of pastors and missionaries and students come from all over Africa to be trained, there were maybe 40 to 50 total.

Our Missionaries (Jake and Jacob) are kinda bummed out, though they have no idea what eternal things God may have done of which they are not aware.

I guess that's enough for now.

Any updates?

[Ana Dragule]

Lord have mercy.

[Cow Poke]

All in all, thank God that's good news.

Obviously, praying the situation continues.

I might add, at the risk of being political, that it's really maddening that this NGO is getting ZERO help from our State Department, and has to work through Germany and Bahrain, of all places.

[Thoughtful Monk]

It appears that the NGO that is working with "our people" is pretty confident that they are in no immediate danger, and there is no need at this point take unnecessary risks of travel. They are hunkered down and, thus far, being protected by an Afghani community.... let's leave it at that, for now.
It is confirmed that the missionary family that made it to Germany was actually exfiltrated by members of the German military who were officially not in Afghanistan.

All in all, thank God that's good news.

Obviously, praying the situation continues.

[Cow Poke]

I thought I posted it here - but it was in another thread.

We've heard that ONE family has actually made it to Germany --- and we have heard that other families (or individuals) are still in country but are "being kept safe", whatever that means.

So far, we have not heard of ANY deaths to the people we support, or know of... we praise God for that.

There is a NGO that is working diligently with "our people" and others, shepherding them across Afghanistan, and we hear that an "underground railroad" is emerging.

It appears that the NGO that is working with "our people" is pretty confident that they are in no immediate danger, and there is no need at this point take unnecessary risks of travel. They are hunkered down and, thus far, being protected by an Afghani community.... let's leave it at that, for now.

It is confirmed that the missionary family that made it to Germany was actually exfiltrated by members of the German military who were officially not in Afghanistan.

[DesertBerean]

We had sponsored a couple to either Chile or Peru who were martyred. Know the feeling.

[Cow Poke]

We had our annual Missions banquet last night and some missionaries "in the know" told us that many missionaries had fled to the northern areas (provinces?) where the tribal lords were, and that most, if not all those hated the Taliban and so, they were in reasonably safe conditions for now.

Yes. Again, Afghanistan is not a "country" so much as it is a land filled with a bunch of people groups.