No Raf Planes Will Leave Kabul Empty
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Sussexes reignite royal feud - page 3 California’s British Accent ™ - Since 1984 Saturday, August 21, 2021 • Number 1901 Always Free ‘NO RAF PLANES WILL LEAVE KABUL EMPTY’ n As anger mounts over Taliban fiasco, Defence Secretary pledges to evacuate all Britons and up to 20,000 Afghans No plane carrying Britons and Afghans from Kabul has left empty, the UK defence secretary has said. Ben Wallace on but said the government Dominic Raab of putting Thursday rejected was investing in “third interpreters’ lives at reports that some flights country hubs” for risk after he declined to from Kabul contained processing people in the phone the Afghan foreign only a few people, saying region. minister to get help for the the UK was “absolutely He said the passengers evacuation. ploughing through the on the fights out of But Mr Wallace said numbers”. Afghanistan this week “the only thing that He told BBC Breakfast have included British mattered” was whether “every hour counts” and government personnel, Kabul airport would confirmed “the Taliban British citizens, media and continue to allow are letting our people human rights staff and people to get out, telling through”. Afghans who had worked Breakfast: “No amount of Mr Wallace said seven for the UK. phone calls to an Afghan to 10 RAF planes were government at that time taking off every day, with deadline would have made any at least 138 due on the The UK has committed difference.” next flight out. to take in up to 20,000 US President Joe Biden About 4,500 US troops Afghan refugees over the said US troops may stay INTO HARM’S WAY: British paras at RAF Brize Norton en route to Kabul are in temporary control next few years under a in Afghanistan beyond his of Karzai International new resettlement scheme withdrawal deadline at morning. He said: “We have a of the way those planes Airport in the nation’s - including 5,000 this year. the end of this month. Mr Wallace said a plane full programme today are flying in safety, so we capital, but Taliban About 2,000 Afghan He told ABC News left Kabul Thursday of many more people are taking considerable fighters and checkpoints former staff and their between 10,000 and 15,000 morning carrying “115 coming out - trying to risk”, he said, adding: ring the perimeter. families have already Americans needed to be people and their families reach our... capability “Alongside those people The Taliban are blocking come to the UK under evacuated, along with - those are the Afghans on towards the end of the will be troops or others Afghans without travel the separate Afghan 50,000 to 65,000 Afghans there as opposed to other month. And that is so far coming in and out.” documents - but even Relocations and such as former translators personnel”. on track.... we are doing it The defence secretary those with valid papers Assistance Policy (ARAP), for the American military. He added: “None of as fast as we can.” said additional UK troops have struggled. according to the Home The latest UK flight our planes are leaving Mr Wallace said many would be deployed to Mr Wallace said the UK Office, with a target of from Afghanistan landed empty... our planes never of the flights were at full Afghanistan to help would continue to stay 5,000 by the end of 2021. at RAF Brize Norton leave empty. If we have capacity. manage public order in Afghanistan as long Meanwhile, Labour has in Oxfordshire in the spaces on them, we offer “You and I wouldn’t on the ground at Kabul as the US ran airport, accused Foreign Secretary early hours of Thursday them up to other nations.” be allowed to fly some airport. News from Britain 2-4 • Stargazing 5 • Puzzles 5 • Brits in LA 8, Local News 9 • Sport 15-16 Page 2 The british Weekly, Sat. August 21, 2021 News From Britain 200 Paras go in as Taliban take over 200 British Paratroopers to get people out and flew into Afghanistan stand by our obligations this week to save and 20 years of sacrifice.” thousands of Britons The Prime Minister fleeing Taliban forces in increased the Army Kabul. contingent after a third As the nightmarish meeting in recent days scenes from the capital of Cobra – the Whitehall were beamed around the emergency committee world - showing hordes of senior ministers of terrified Afghans and security officials – attempting to escape, discussed the crisis and with many falling to their possible fresh terror deaths as they tried to threats. cling to the few departing He also pressed for a jets in the hope of fleeing united Western response the radicals’ lightning to the militants’ violent coup, Mr Johnson sent return to power after in 200 soldiers from 2nd two decades, speaking Battalion, Parachute to French President Regiment (2 Para) to Emmanuel Macron in a bolster the evacuation flurry of calls from No 10. to the UK of Britons and A Downing Street THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD: The PM this week sent in 200 soldiers from 2nd Battalion, Parachute key Afghan aides by the spokeswoman said: “The Regiment (2 Para) to bolster the evacuation to the UK of Britons and key Afghan aides 700 members of 16 Air UK team in Afghanistan Assault Brigade in place. is working around Dominic Raab insisted world was “taken by silence provoked dismay was as the Taliban seized But Defence Secretary the clock in incredibly the UK will lead efforts surprise” but said he from fellow Tories and control but added: “I’ve Ben Wallace, his voice difficult circumstances to to “hold the Taliban to was in constant touch from Labour – its leader Sir spoken to him every breaking with emotion, help British nationals and account” and to stop with events throughout Keir Starmer said Mr Raab day.” Tobias Ellwood warned: “It’s a really as many others as we can Afghanistan returning to his break – thought to ought to have returned MP, chairman of the deep part of regret for me, get to safety as soon as be a breeding ground for be Cyprus – as the crisis sooner and described the Commons defence select erm...some people won’t possible. terrorism. worsened. Government response a committee, said: “This get back. “At the same time, we The Foreign Secretary He only cut short his “slow pace”. is the biggest military “Some people won’t get are bringing together the said up to 500 evacuated trip as Kabul fell on Mr Wallace said challenge in a generation. back. international community persons were due to land Sunday. yesterday he had not “Everybody should be And we will have to to prevent a humanitarian back in the UK this week, But his absence and known where Mr Raab working their hardest.” do our best, and third crisis emerging in most of which were countries, to process those Afghanistan – it’s in British nationals but some ‘Big-hearted’ Britain to take 20,000 refugees people.” everyone’s interest not to of whom were Afghan BRITAIN is ready to live safely in the UK.” surprise. Asked why he was let Afghanistan fail. interpreters. welcome more than Foreign Secretary “I haven’t spoken to an taking it so personally, “That means providing Mr Raab also had to 20,000 Afghan refugees Dominic Raab said: international interlocutor, the former Army officer whatever support we can defend himself against desperate to escape the “We’re working very including countries in replied: “Because I’m a to the Afghan people who criticism for being on Taliban. carefully. We are the region, over the last soldier – because it’s sad, have worked so hard to holiday as the Islamist Women and girls will obviously a bighearted week, who hasn’t been and the West has done make the country a better militants swept back into be given priority under nation. We’ve got the surprised.” what it’s done, and we place over the last twenty power. the plans announced criteria for asylum, that’s The new Afghan have to do our very best years.” He claimed the whole by the Government this set in law, we work with Citizens’ Resettlement week. the UN on that. Scheme will protect 171 Pier Ave. Ste. 121 • Santa Monica CA 90405 Downing Street officials “We’re working very women and girls from Tel: (310) 452 2621 • Fax: (310) 314-7653 [email protected] said thousands at risk carefully on what kind of threats of human rights www.british-weekly.com • Twitter/BritishWeekly following the extremist further commitment we abuses, along with takeover of their country might make.” members of religious Managing Editor: Neil Fletcher will come over the next Mr Raab also admitted minorities at risk of Deputy Editor: Nick Stark year. the Government had persecution under the Contributing Writers: Sean Borg, Alan Darby Drake, John Prime Minister Boris been taken by surprise Islamic emirate planned Hiscock, Eileen Lee, , Rick Parcell, Anne Shaw, Nick Stark, Johnson said: “We owe by the lightning takeover by Taliban chiefs who Craig Bobby Young a debt of gratitude to of Afghanistan by the took control of Kabul. Showbusiness Editor: Sean Borg all those who have Taliban as US and other The Prime Minister Advertising Manager: Mark Devlin worked with us to make allied troops withdrew. added: “The best solution Legal Notices and DBAs: Mirelle Woolf Afghanistan a better place The Foreign Secretary for everyone is an Distribution: Mirelle Woolf, Mercedes Grey over the last 20 years. said “no one” saw the Afghanistan that works Subscriptions: 6 months: $33, 1 year: $54 (1st class) “Many of them, situation in Afghanistan for all Afghans.