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Planes in Northern Afghanistan held captive by Taliban

Following the coup, the Taliban is holding hostage in Nothern Afghanistan several planes carrying American citizens. Following earlier reports, there were several retired Special Forces and US Veterans who flew to the war-torn country to rescue and bring back home many Americans which President Joe Biden has left stranded.

The report mentions that the US heroes were scheduled to fly in 6 chartered airplanes (four 737s and two others) on the Tarmac across Northern Afghanistan with the rescue team but unfortunately they couldn’t rely on the help of the administration.

Commercial airplanes are seen near the main terminal of the Mazar-i-Sharif airport, in northern Afghanistan. Image credit: Maxar Technologies.

 

It’s an impossible task for the planes to take off unless it obtains clearance of the Taliban which can be handled easily and often entails just a phone call. Our heroes and the rescued are sitting ducks as hostage of the Taliban where the latter administers the airport at Mazar-i-Sharif. The danger looms that the hostage might be targeted at any time with the Taliban seeking US recognition to receive a lot of money.

Since the past few hours, there has been so much happening that will propel the media to report on what is dubbed as one of the biggest stories. It started with Congressman Michael McCaul joining Chris Wallace on FOX News Sunday this morning. At the onset, Rep. McCaul who is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee didn’t beat around the bush saying that the plane will not be allowed to leave unless the US gives legitimacy to the Taliban terrorists as the Government of Afghanistan.

 

The State Department has finally conceded that the hostage-ransom situation is all true with several news outlets reporting on Biden’s latest nightmare situation. There are speculations and a suspicion that the media knew all along and kept quiet for the Biden gang. For instance, Emily Miller is in direct contact and carrying all information on her substack page which reads:

Dave and I have been talking daily about the Americans waiting in the airport for those planes to get permission to leave. I told Dave yesterday that the planes weren’t moving (read Friday update), and he thought they would. This is what he texted me today:

Well, your guy was right. We kept getting told we would fly out today but they just told us definitely not. Planning for resumption of flights tomorrow or Sunday. Taliban cooperating.

I asked Dave about the people waiting for seven days in the airport:

The waiting is horrible. And no one is being told anything. And the conditions are terrible. Sleeping on hard floors and people are hungry.

But, you know, Taliban are actually cooperating. The only ones they are giving a hard time to are former Afghan govt leadership. The day before yesterday they came in and arrested a former official. But everyone else they have left alone.

Sam in Project Exodus still says that the planes aren’t leaving because the airline hasn’t gotten documents from the State Department for the destination airfield. “I’ve been told things are stalled,” he texted me tonight.

We both hope Dan is right, and we’re wrong. Dan texted this:

There is no way they are not letting these people leave. They have no reason to detain them (other than money and negotiating leverage).

If you thought that’s was a revelation of sort, think again for Kevin Moncla has more to tell.

These heroes have the people, four Boeing 737s and two Airbus 343s on the tarmac at Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport, but they cannot take off. The Taliban now controls the airspace and they have to grant permission before the planes can depart. Neighboring countries must also provide clearance to allow flights through their airspace.

The veterans have been ignored by the White House despite pleading for three days with President Biden who could easily push his way through to negotiate and ultimately secure necessary authorizations with Taliban.

He further added: “The bottom line is that we have people stranded there and could be killed at any time. Our government has already failed in its most basic and fundamental responsibility to protect Americans. We must demand they do whatever it takes to get our people to safety NOW! Anything less is unacceptable.”

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Idaho House approves Armed School Staff Bill

As it stands, the current Idaho statutes make it possible for school staff in the possession of an enhanced concealed carry license to be able to carry on campus subject to the local school board’s permission beforehand.

The bill cleared by the Idaho House won a massive approval vote in its favor by 52 against 18 on Thursday. However, the school staff could carry a gun even if the school board doesn’t approve. For Rep. Chad Christiansen the author of HB 122, the issue doesn’t pertain to local control but depends on the Second Amendment. He emphasizes that while the Idaho Sheriffs Association, state chiefs of police, and schools oppose the bill, his local sheriff Caribou County has lent its full support to it. “The bill is about school safety and our children”, Christensen insists while arguing: “Simply put, a firearm is a tool and I don’t understand its fear. A tool to help our children and save lives.”

The bill seeks to prevent schools from posting signs such as Gun-Free School Zone”. On one hand, House Education Chair Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, asked Christensen whether the bill would allow the public at large to bring guns at school, to which the latter told no. It led Clow to question the provision which could be interpreted by the public as, “Don’t bring guns to schools.”

Christensen replied, “This wouldn’t apply in that case as a gun-free school zone. In my view, it would imply saying that you come inside the premises of our schools and shoot us. It needs to be thrashed.” Those opposing the bill argue that it is flawed and hinting at objections coming from police agencies and county sheriffs. The bill was also debated by Rep. Chris Mathias, D-Boise. He told: “Our school districts can authorize employees to carry firearms on school grounds as opposed by police chiefs and sheriffs with schools being exposed to the danger.

He spoke on the bill’s implication that staffers carrying a concealed gun would feel no moral obligation or duty in protecting children while putting schools to risk without any benefits.

He asked, “The bill is designed in such a way to nurture opportunities where a good guy with a gun can stop the bad guy with the gun. But, in the case, weapon holders don’t feel accountable or part of their duty to emulate our law enforcement officers, I see no point in exposing our children to all the hazards.

Countering the criticism, Christiansen tells on law enforcement has no duty as such to protect the individual citizen either. He inferred to the Supreme Court ruling in Castle Rock vs. Gonzales though there is a police presence in the former, Colorado was unable to enforce a restraining order and a woman saw her three children murdered by her estranged husband. He argues on law enforcers having no specific mandate to enforce the law.