It turns out our troops on the ground were ready, but their leaders weren’t.
Based on this testimony, at the very least DOD officials should be resigning.
On the day of the suicide attack at the Kabul airport, Marine snipers living in an overwatch position reported that they observed the enemy “perform an IED test run.”
From National Review:
On August 22, the sergeant and his fellow service members reported to the chain of command that the enemy performed an IED test run. Days later, they received intelligence of IED threats and a detailed description of a suspected suicide bomber and his companion. On August 26, Vargas-Andrews and others spotted a pair at Abbey Gate matching the description exactly and they requested permission to engage.
According to testimony from Marine Core Sargeant Tyler Vargas-Andrews they “were ignored.”
“The response: ‘Leadership did not have the engagement authority for us. Do not engage,’” he explained adding that they waited a long time for a response.
“Eventually the individual disappeared. To this day, we believe he was the suicide bomber,” he said.
“Plain and simple, we were ignored,” explained Vargas-Andrews. “Our expertise was disregarded. No one was held accountable for our safety.”
Later that day, Vargas-Andrews was a victim of attack losing two limbs and a kidney. The sniper has had 44 surgeries since the attack that sure seemed like it could have been stopped.
The blast killed 13 Americans and at least 170 Afghans.
Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, a U.S. Marine Corps sniper, says that he was denied permission to shoot the suicide bomber in Afghanistan that killed 13 service members and over 170 civilians.
Inaction was a choice. Inaction should have consequences. pic.twitter.com/lW99hLDeXz
— Sam (@SunshineSt8Sam) March 8, 2023
It’s no wonder why the military is having trouble recruiting soldiers.
“Countless Afghans were murdered by the Taliban 155 yards in front of our position…We communicated the atrocities to our chain of command and intel assets but nothing came of it.” https://t.co/WUSGBV93SU
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) March 8, 2023
