You can forget all the images and cartoons of the last decade that compared America’s withdrawal from Kabul with that of Saigon, all those choppers lifting away into the air.

This catastrophe now has it’s own images. Images we have become used to in the last twenty years. Images of the early 21st century. Images and horrors entirely unique to our age.

Deadliest Day for Troops in Afghanistan Since 2011

At least 12 Marines participating in the Afghanistan evacuation were killed in a terrorist attack at the Kabul airport on Thursday morning, making it the deadliest day in the war since 2011.

The civilian death toll will almost certainly be higher – current reports are 120, and given the images below that seems entirely possible. It appears to be multiple suicide bombing attacks, likely with vehicles on gates where people were entering the airport. The explosive attacks were accompanied by ISIS gunmen shooting at both US troops and civilians.

To anybody with even a faint knowledge of logistics it was obvious days ago that thousands of Americans and others were going to be left behind in the country as the US military itself would be drawing down towards the Taliban demand for a final departure date of August 31. Civilians were not going to continue to leave in packed planes right up until midnight on that day, at which point it would all magically stop. The troops would be the last ones out, as usual.

But now, even as confused and disorganised as the withdrawal has been, with the State Department suspending processing of Visa applications, with six Afghan’s on a no-fly list departing anyhow, and other insanities, despite heroic efforts from the troops on the ground, it’s possible that it will to come to a complete stop, especially if such attacks are ongoing.

Last week, Joe Biden bragged about evacuation efforts during an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC by saying:

“But, look – but no one’s being killed right now, God forgive me if I’m wrong about that, but no one’s being killed right now.”

Another boast from President Ice Cream that will now have to be chucked down the memory hole, possibly where even God cannot reach. Even at the time there were multiple, solid reports of at least seven deaths amid the chaos.

More than this was that none other than the State Department had issued this warning a few days ago:

Due to threats outside the Kabul airport, US citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid airport gates unless you receive instructions to do so. Those at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate now should leave immediately.

As with other recent events where the President was contradicted in his statements within hours by his own agencies, the Pentagon and State Department, it seems that the entire Administration is confused and not communicating well internally. That alone is a condemnation of the Biden crowd.

The bombing appears not to be the work of the Taliban but ISIS, which matches recent reports, both from unsourced intelligence reports to reporters, that ISIS and Al Queda were once more on the ground in Afghanistan.

UPDATE

Reports and video coming in of more explosions at the airport.

FFS:

U.S. officials gave the Taliban a list of names of U.S. citizens, green card holders & Afghan allies to grant entry into the outer perimeter of the city’s airport, prompting outrage behind the scenes from lawmakers and military officials.

What were they thinking? They basically handed the Taliban a kill list.