The first thing the Taliban did even before they had finished chasing U.S. troops out of Afghanistan was to confiscate privately owned guns.  Because "because people no longer need them for personal protection," they said.

That's the first thing all despots do.  It tends to reduce political opposition.  Interestingly, it's what President Joe Biden and his Democrat cohorts say is needed in the U.S. as well.

The next thing the Taliban did was search for people who had "worked with" the Americans over the last 20 years.  What do you think is in store for those folks?  Particularly the ones who no longer have guns.

When world opinion unanimously feared out loud for the fate of Afghanis who were unable to hitch a ride out of town on a U.S. airplane, the Taliban graciously negotiated a way to let people flee for their lives at the airports.  Sounds almost considerate, no?

Could the Taliban be achieving something other than just a P.R. coup of feigned benevolence?  If the Taliban wants to identify U.S.-friendly, Taliban-hating Afghanis, what better way than see who fills the roads leading to the airport?

What do you think the odds are of dozens of checkpoints being set up to stop and question — and then arrest and torture and kill — those people trying to get to the airport?  Who would risk going to the airport?  Might as well hang a sandwich board on their shoulders to advertise whose side they aren't on.

How many on those roads do you really think the Taliban will allow to pass?  Half?  One out of 10?  How many would be consistent with their bloodthirsty reputation?  One out of 100,000?  Who could possibly know, considering that freedom of the press has no doubt taken a massive step backward in the landlocked Asian crossroads?

What do you think the odds are of mass beheadings and gang rapes and forced marriages?  Just asking.  What are the odds we will ever know the body count, considering that the U.S. news contingent is pleading with the White House to get them out of Afghanistan where, they've been abandoned like so many others?  Maybe the Taliban-controlled Afghan news coverage will inform us.  Yes, that was sarcasm.

How many of those lives are on Joe Biden?

Why weren't female activists helped to get out months ago?  No Afghans are more at risk then they.  Why during Biden's seven months in office did the U.S. military not provide protection and assist in the exit of thousands who now face all but certain oppression, if not death?

Biden's moral compass apparently tells him it is compassionate to encourage a million illegal aliens to break the law and flood across America's southern border, unscreened for COVID, to burden taxpayers with huge costs for welfare, health care, and housing.  But apparently his compassion doesn't extend even to planning in advance to protect countless Afghanis who risked their lives once by welcoming and cooperating for 20 years with U.S. troops, and now face very likely torturous deaths.

Well, at least "nice guy" Biden, who promised to return "competency" to government, doesn't send mean tweets.

Biden's competency took another hit this week after he begged OPEC to increase oil production, which is badly needed amid soaring gas prices thanks to his crippling of U.S. energy production.  OPEC refused, apparently unpersuaded by Biden's argument from a position of weakness.  Go figure.

How long before another huge Biden failure?  Maybe not long.

Is anyone taking bets on how many weeks until the Chinese communists overwhelm Taiwan?

Chinese state media are predicting that once war breaks out with Taiwan, the U.S. will abandon its ally of 70-plus years.  What could possibly give them such an idea?

Who knows?  At this rate, the incompetent in the White House might just resort to some mean tweets.  Or maybe he'll just take another vacation.

Mark Landsbaum is a Christian retired journalist, former investigative reporter, editorial writer, and columnist.  He also is a husband, father, grandfather, and Dodgers fan.  He can be reached at mark.landsbaum@gmail.com.

Image: National Archives.

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