Donald Trump suggests US to 'bomb' its $85bn military equipment in Afghanistan

Former US President Donald Trump on August 30 suggested that the left-out American military equipment in Afghanistan should be ‘bombed’ if it is not returned on demand. Trump lashed out at his successor Joe Biden for handling the end of the 20-year-old war in Afghanistan “badly” and “incompetently.” According to Trump, the military equipment should be “demanded” to be returned to the country because it includes “every penny of the $85 billion” in cost. 

While pictures and images of chaotic withdrawal from Kabul airport have triggered criticism against Biden, Trump said, “Nobody ever thought such stupidity, as this feeble-brained withdrawal, was possible!” The US also flew its last military flight out of Kabul on August 31 with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that hundreds of Americans still remain in the war-torn country.

Trump said on Monday, “Never in history has a withdrawal from war been handled so badly or incompetently as the Biden Administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

“In addition to the obvious, ALL EQUIPMENT should be demanded to be immediately returned to the United States, and that includes every penny of the $85 billion dollars in cost. If it is not handed back, we should either go in with unequivocal Military force and get it, or at least bomb the hell out of it,” he added.

Meanwhile, Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who has previously advocated for Biden's resignation over US chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, on August 30 said that US President completed the "shameful retreat" from the South Asian country. She also criticised the Biden administration for leaving out American allies and citizens in the Taliban-controlled country.

Qatar New Base For US' Afghanistan Diplomatic Mission

Meanwhile, the US has “suspended” its diplomatic mission in Afghanistan capital, Kabul and transferred the operations to Doha, Qatar, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on August 30. In his remarks to the press on Monday, he said that while US withdrawal is approaching its completion on Tuesday, “the new chapter” to America’s engagement with the war-torn nation involves building a new team. US Secretary of State announced on Monday that for Washington, “a new diplomatic mission has begun” as the “military mission is over.”

The US Secretary of State also addressed the situation of some Americans who still remain in Afghanistan, and said, “We made extraordinary efforts to give Americans every opportunity to depart the country – in many cases talking, and sometimes walking them into the airport.” He said that out of all the “self-identified Americans” who were considering leaving the country, the US has received confirmation that at least 6,000 have been evacuated or they have departed otherwise. 

Blinken said, “This number will likely continue to grow as our outreach and arrivals continue. We believe there are still a small number of Americans – under 200 and likely closer to 100 – who remain in Afghanistan and want to leave. We’re trying to determine exactly how many.”

IMAGE: AP