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Vox: Terrorists just tried to assassinate Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Afghanistan

M

Madness

Member
https://www.vox.com/world/2017/9/27/16374772/mattis-afghanistan-kabul-airport-attack-taliban-isis

Suspected militants unsuccessfully tried to target Secretary of Defense James Mattis in a massive rocket attack during his surprise visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, on September 27.

Insurgents fired more than two dozen rocket-propelled grenades toward Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, where Mattis, along with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, had landed for an unannounced visit to meet with Afghan officials.

Fortunately, Mattis and Stoltenberg had already left the airport hours earlier, but Afghan Interior Ministry spokesperson Najib Danish told reporters that at least one woman died and 11 other civilians were injured in the attack.

Mattis is in the country to discuss the Trump administration’s new Afghanistan strategy, which calls for defeating terrorists in the country. Having the Taliban attempt such a brazen attack on him the very first day he arrives — perhaps based on information that came from inside the Afghan security establishment itself — is not exactly the most auspicious start to his trip.
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Damn, crazy that they knew he was scheduled to land soon. How poor is US intrlligrnce these days. Luckily he survived and avoided this. Can you imagine if they took out the US Secretary of Defense? Especially one of the more level headed members of Trump's adminsitration. Luckily Afghan special forces killed all the terrorist attackers.
 
Captain Zyrain

Captain Zyrain

Member
I mean he left hours earlier. So that seems like enough time for word to get out that he was there. Seems like they should've known if he was Still there before attacking.. But I'm sure their Intel isn't too great.
 
K

kirblar

Member
Madness said:
Damn, crazy that they knew he was scheduled to land soon. How poor is US intrlligrnce these days. Luckily he survived and avoided this. Can you imagine if they took out the US Secretary of Defense? Especially one of the more level headed members of Trump's adminsitration. Luckily Afghan special forces killed all the terrorist attackers.
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Leaks inside/out in Pakistan/Afghanistan has been an issue prior to and since 9/11.

Thankfully they clearly didn't have full information on this, but it is absolutely terrible that people still died as a result.
 
S

Steel

Banned
Glad it didn't actually succeed. Not just for the obvious reason, but also because Trump woulda used it as an excuse for more bullshit. Hell, he'll probably use it as an excuse anyway.

Terrible about the people caught in the crossfire, though.
 
M

Madness

Member
Captain Zyrain said:
I mean he left hours earlier. So that seems like enough time for word to get out that he was there. Seems like they should've known if he was Still there before attacking.. But I'm sure their Intel isn't too great.
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Keep in mind it takes time to organize an operation, gather people, arm and stock up. They probably knew of his arrival as soon as Afghanistani radar towers and airport was informed of his arrival and these terrorists probably rushed there only to be late by what seems to be 1-2 hours.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the strike, as did ISIS. But two Taliban commanders told NBC News that they had “insiders” in Afghanistan’s security bureaucracy that had informed them of Mattis’s impending arrival.
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N

NullPointer

Member
2 dozen RPGs launched 'towards the airport'.

That's rather vague.

Were they trying to hit an airplane taking off or landing? Some waiting area? Obviously it was somewhere people were gathering because of the death and injuries.
 
H

Hazmat

Member
The language used is a little extreme. Brian Williams was closer to danger during his time over there than Mattis was today. Still, fuck them.
 
J

JustenP88

I earned 100 Gamerscore™ for collecting 300 widgets and thereby created Trump's America
I get so proud when I think of all the good good progress we've made in Afghanistan over the past decade+. Here's to 20 more years!
 
M

Master Yoshi

Member
Excuse my tinfoil hat shit, but could Russia be involved in this in any way? Everything that happens lately, it's like there's strings leading to everything.

ce56d86e44f653b88497867e6383dfaa.jpg


I know it's too early to know much of anything, but damn. This seems like the biggest lapse in US intelligence in years.
 
J

Jackpot

Banned
Master Yoshi said:
Excuse my tinfoil hat shit, but could Russia be involved in this in any way? Everything that happens lately, it's like there's strings leading to everything.

ce56d86e44f653b88497867e6383dfaa.jpg


I know it's too early to know much of anything, but damn. This seems like the biggest lapse in US intelligence in years.
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Ugh, spare us this BS.
 
N

NullPointer

Member
Was just watching Korengal again last night, and listening to the Hardcore History podcast 'Destroyer of Worlds' about nukes this week.

Neither of those made me feel very comfortable with current events.
 
Z

Zubz

Banned
My heart goes out to all those who lost their lives, but I'm glad Mattis got out safe. Death is never ok, but it's additionally wore because Mattis is the one competent person in the White House right now, & I have a strong feeling he's prevented a fair number of unnecessary conflicts this way.
 
M

Madness

Member
Majine said:
Head of NATO wasn't big enough deal to be part of the headline, huh?
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Well the US Secretary of Defense is second only to the President when it comes to the military of the world superpower. Him being assassinated would have far more repercussions than the head of NATO to be honest.

Hazmat said:
The language used is a little extreme. Brian Williams was closer to danger during his time over there than Mattis was today. Still, fuck them.
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I agree, but it still is the exact goal. They got intelligence he was coming and launched an attack directly where he 'was' damaging several Afghan and US aircraft, wounding and killing others.

NullPointer said:
2 dozen RPGs launched 'towards the airport'.

That's rather vague.

Were they trying to hit an airplane taking off or landing? Some waiting area? Obviously it was somewhere people were gathering because of the death and injuries.
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They seem to have brought grenades, RPG's and mortars. Probably just a blunt force hail mary chance they learned he was coming.
 
M

Madness

Member
Hollywood Duo said:
Sorry but how do we know they were actually targeting him?
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The Taliban claimed responsibility for the strike, as did ISIS. But two Taliban commanders told NBC News that they had “insiders” in Afghanistan’s security bureaucracy that had informed them of Mattis’s impending arrival.
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They didn't just lob grenades and mortars and rockets at the exact spot Mattis landed just an hour or two earlier for fun you know...
 
S

Shauni

Member
Steel said:
Glad it didn't actually succeed. Not just for the obvious reason, but also because Trump woulda used it as an excuse for more bullshit. Hell, he'll probably use it as an excuse anyway.

Terrible about the people caught in the crossfire, though.
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Like what? He's already committed more troops and basically framed it as the Forever War. I guess he could commit even troops
 
K

Kinsei

Banned
Thank goodness they failed but the fact someone died is awful. RIP to the victim.

I don't even want to think about how Trump would have reacted had they succeeded.
 
D

Dopus

Banned
Master Yoshi said:
Excuse my tinfoil hat shit, but could Russia be involved in this in any way? Everything that happens lately, it's like there's strings leading to everything.

I know it's too early to know much of anything, but damn. This seems like the biggest lapse in US intelligence in years.
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Yes. Everything bad or shocking that happens when it comes to the United States is because of Russian meddling.
 
A

Afrikan

Member
they probably knew he was gonna be gone by the time they tried...but they are just trying to send a message.... playing mind games for any other future surprise visit.
 
M

Madness

Member
Smiley90 said:
From the less clickbaity WaPo article

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...l-940am:homepage/story&utm_term=.719e8864985b

"The Taliban and the Islamic State issued competing assertions of responsibility for the airport attack, which was carried out while Mattis and the NATO secretary general met with President Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan leaders miles away at the heavily fortified presidential palace."
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Afrikan said:
they probably knew he was gonna be gone by the time they tried...but they are just trying to send a message.... playing mind games for any other future surprise visit.
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Yes but also think about this. He was gone by the time the attack happened. But this was coordinated and planned and carried out hastily and quickly. They probably knew as soon as his plane was coming in because of the leaks it seems. But by the time they suited up for the attack, headed to the airport he was already gone. This was an unannounced visit and the goal was either kill the US Secretary of Defense or show the US the Taliban is again brazen enough to know intelligence and attack fortified airports.
 
L

lunlunqq

Member
What?! Wasn't a Russian general killed Syria just recently by ISIS in similar circumstances? Someone leaked the general's itinerary and ISIS picked him out with mortars.
 
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