Les Occidentaux appellent à quitter l'aéroport de Kaboul en raison de «menaces» terroristes

Des Australiens, escortés par l'armée, embarquent à bord d'un Air Force C-17A Globemaster III pour quitter Kaboul. Australia's Department of Defenc / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Une demande qui intervient alors que des milliers de personnes s'y massent toujours dans l'espoir de fuir le pays tombé aux mains des talibans.

Les États-Unis, l'Australie et la Grande Bretagne ont appelé leurs ressortissants à s'éloigner au plus vite de l'aéroport de Kaboul en raison de menaces «terroristes», alors que des milliers de personnes s'y massent toujours dans l'espoir de fuir le pays tombé aux mains des talibans.

Les trois pays ont émis simultanément des mises en garde très précises et presque identiques dans la nuit du mercredi 25 au jeudi 26 août. Les personnes «se trouvant actuellement aux entrées Abbey, Est et Nord devraient partir immédiatement», a indiqué le département d'État américain, invoquant des «menaces sécuritaires». La diplomatie australienne a pour sa part mis en garde contre une «menace très élevée d'attentat terroriste». Londres a émis une alerte similaire, ajoutant : «Si vous vous trouvez dans la zone de l'aéroport, quittez-la pour un endroit sûr et attendez d'autres instructions. Si vous êtes à même de quitter l'Afghanistan en sécurité par d'autres moyens, faites-le immédiatement».

Aucune précision sur la nature de la menace n'a été apportée dans ces avis, mais le ministre australien de la Défense, Andrew Hastie, a expliqué que «le risque de la présence d'un kamikaze est si élevé que la menace augmente», dans une interview avec la radio australienne 6PR. Le secrétaire d'État britannique chargé des forces armées, James Heappey, a pour sa part évoqué une menace «très sérieuse» et «imminente». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 26 août 2021

En France, l’impossible expulsion des réfugiés afghans «à risques» »

USA, Großbritannien und Australien warnen vor Terror am Flughafen: US-Bürger sollen die Gegend um das Abbey Gate, das East Gate und das North Gate „sofort verlassen“. Großbritannien spricht von einer hohen „Bedrohung“, die deutsche Botschaft warnt vor Schießereien und Terroranschlägen. »

Western countries begin to pull out of Kabul airlift amid terror threat »

No Guns to Shoot? Shoot a Few Kisses Instead!

L’intimità e l’affetto dei soldati.
Mille grazie a Gay.it per questa bellissima foto.

Karl Heinrich Ulrichs: Coming Out in Germany in the Nineteenth Century!

Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, a lawyer and journalist, helped forge the concept of sexual identity as an innate human characteristic in pamphlets he wrote from 1864 to 1879.
Quote: “I am proud, that I found the courage to deal the initial blow to the hydra of public contempt.” – Karl Heinrich Ulrichs
Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is known as one of the first gay men to publicly announce his sexual identity. Born in Germany in 1825, his coming out was a historic and brave moment. During his lifetime, Ulrichs wrote numerous essays discussing homosexuality and asserting that non-heterosexual orientations are natural and biological. Despite being arrested numerous times, Ulrichs stated in the above quotation that he was proud of the work that he did for the LGBTQ community. [Source: Human Rights Careers: 20 Powerful LGBT Quotes that made history

Overlooked No More: Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, Pioneering Gay Activist: Before the word “homosexuality” existed, he argued that same-sex attraction was innate, and that those who experienced it should be treated the same as anyone else. »

Handsome Arab

!هذا الرجل جميل جدا! حلو
Many thanks to Scott for this great photo on Pinterest.

Just Because!

With many thanks to Haseeb for this great, expressive photo.

Go for It, Dubya!

Many thanks to Olwen on Pinterest for this photo.

The Swim Was Great; the Kiss Is Even Better!

Many thanks to El Chulo Dominicano on Pinterest for this delightful photograph.

Tranquillité et satisfaction.

Photograph : Adobe Stock
Tranquillity and satisfaction. / Ruhe und Zufriedenheit.

Reporter's Fiery Interview with Taliban Leader after Afghanistan Devastation | 60 Minutes Australia

Aug 23, 2021 • The utter capitulation of the Afghanistan government and its incompetent army is one thing. More shocking has been the humiliation of the American military and its commander-in-chief, President Joe Biden, accused around the world of being weak and indecisive. But what's most disturbing is the plight of millions of Afghans, especially women and girls, who are abandoned and now staring at futures more reminiscent of the dark ages. It's a frightening time except for the Taliban, who've likely even surprised themselves at the ease with which they've regained control of this deeply troubled country. | Views on YouTube: 1,283,503

The abandonment of Afghanistan and the Afghan people by Biden and his administration is truly disgusting. In fact, it’s a disgrace! History will not be kind to America for this débâcle. Americans have gone from being led by a clown to being led by a fool. Doesn’t anyone in the American administration, either in the administration itself or in the military, understand the nature of Islam? This is not just about the Taliban, actually; it is about the very nature of Islam itself. Our rulers are clearly deluded!

Can anyone seriously believe that America is fit and able to be the world’s leader after this? Don’t these people realize that this is just the start of the re-igniting of Islamic terror all over the civilized world? Fasten your seatbelts, folks! The nightmare has only just begun!

I have had years and years of experience with Islam and its inherent nature; in fact, I foretold, to anyone that would listen, that a disaster lay ahead for the West. A long time before it happened, actually. Then, 9/11 happened!

If the so-called leader of the free world, America, needs any help understanding Islam and the dark future that lies ahead for us all, then please, they should not hesitate to contact me. My email address is above. But just in case, here it is again: markalexander.librabunda@gmail.com . You need my services more than you might realize! – © Mark

Frédéric Chopin: Nocturnes, Op. 9: No. 3 in B Major | Arthur Rubinstein

Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment | ℗ Originally Recorded 1965. | All Rights Reserved by Sony Music Entertainment

NastassjaCanCook: Uzbek Soup, Mastava, with Meatballs and Rice. The Art of Uzbek Cuisine.

Aug 21, 2021 • In general, Mastava Soup is sometimes called a "liquid plov" - suyuk osh - because the process of preparation is very similar. This soup is very rich in flavor and prepared all in one pot.

INGREDIENTS:

Soup:

1 large onion(cubed)
2 large carrots(cubed)
3 large roma tomatoes(cubed)
2 bell peppers, different colors (cubed)
2 large potatoes (cubed)
1 cup garbanzo beans, soaked overnight, washed and drained
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup rice, soaked, washed and drained
fresh herbs: cilantro, parsley and dill

Spices:

1-2 tbsp salt
1 tbsps black pepper
1 dry or fresh hot chili pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 tbsp cooking oil

Meatballs:

1.5 lb ground beef [UK: minced beef]
1 large onion (minced)
½ tsp each of chili powder, coriander and cumin powder
1 tbsp salt
½ tbsp black pepper

METHOD:

Make meatballs, cover and refrigerate until you make soup. Soak rice for 30 minutes in cold water, wash and drain (set aside) Soak Garbanzo beans the night before, then wash and drain (for dry ones) If you are using the ones from the can, just wash them with cold water and drain and set aside.

In a large heavy-bottom pot, or cast iron pot, (I used a 7 quart pot), heat up 3-4 tbsp of cooking oil (I used sunflower oil). Add onions, bell peppers and carrots. Fry up quickly until vegetables are soft. Add tomatoes and cook for couple minutes. Add tomato paste and mix, cook for 1 minute. Add spices. Add enough water. This is a soup, not a stew, so you have to have enough water for it not to be too thick and also not to be too thin. Add chili pepper and a bay leaf. Add Garbanzo beans. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat, and simmer for 25-30 minutes.

Form approximately walnut-sized meatballs and put on a plate. Add all the meatballs at the same time to the soup and mix right away, so that they don't stick to each other. Add rice and potatoes and cook on a low heat until the rice and potatoes are ready,, which is about 20-25 minutes. Add fresh herbs and, at the end, let the soup rest until it is served. Adjust seasoning to your taste. Enjoy!

‘I Saw Children Falling Down’: Panic and Despair in Kabul as Time Runs Out

THE GUARDIAN: Faced with crowd stampedes and Taliban reprisals, even those eligible for travel to UK start to give up hope

Tensions are rising in Kabul as hopes fade for the crowds who have waited outside airport since the start of the week. Photograph: TWITTER/DAVID_MARTINON/via REUTERS
For the past four days, Nangyalai, a 42-year-old minicab driver from south London, has been queueing with his wife and 11-month-old baby outside the Baron hotel on the edge of Kabul airport, trying to get close enough to the entrance gate to show guards his British passport.

There is a sign by the gate stating: British passport holders only. Inside the hotel, officials are working to grant evacuation visas for thousands of UK nationals and Afghan citizens who have worked for British organisations. Diplomatic staff say they are “processing hundreds every hour” but there is a growing sense of despair among the crowds who have been waiting outside since the start of the week – and tensions are rising.

Speaking by phone from outside the airport, Nangyalai (whose identity we are not revealing) said his repeated attempts to attract the attention of UK officials had failed. With reports suggesting military airlifts could end within 36 hours, he was beginning to lose hope. Others described giving up and going home, concerned the crowded streets were increasingly unsafe since the Taliban said they would prevent Afghans from leaving the country they now control. » | Amelia Gentleman and Lisa O’Carroll | Wednesday, August 25, 2021

«Comment les Occidentaux ont laissé l'Afghanistan redevenir le pays de la drogue»

Un groupe de talibans, à Kaboul, le 23 août 2021. Après la formation de leur premier Émirat islamique, en 2001, leur chef suprême, le mollah Omar, avait imposé la prohibition totale de la culture du pavot à opium. WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP
LE FIGARO : TRIBUNE - C'est un paradoxe très pénible : ces vingt dernières années, les autorités afghanes, les Britanniques et les Américains ont laissé se reconstituer la production massive d'opium en Afghanistan, que les talibans avaient auparavant presque éradiquée, explique Bernard Frahi, le Contrôleur général honoraire de la police nationale*.

Le 11 septembre 2001 avait sonné le glas de l'obscurantisme taliban en Afghanistan. Il est pourtant un domaine où les talibans avaient surpris positivement : le mollah Omar, chef suprême des talibans, avait imposé la prohibition totale de la culture du pavot à opium dans les territoires sous leur contrôle, soit plus de 90 % du pays et 95% des surfaces cultivées du pavot. En mai 2001, les talibans avaient quasi-éliminé la production d'opium la faisant chuter à 185 tonnes contre 4600 tonnes en 1998. Ce reliquat était concentré dans les territoires du nord-est du pays placés sous le contrôle de l'Alliance du Nord, ennemis des talibans. Or, par une sinistre ironie, pendant les 20 années de la présence américaine, production et trafic d'opium se sont reconstitués.

La culture de l'opium est ancestrale en territoires pachtouns. Le trafic d'opium, de morphine-base et d'héroïne vers les pays occidentaux consommateurs de cette drogue n'a pas commencé avec les talibans. Il est vrai que de la prise de Kaboul par les talibans en 1996 à l'été 1999, la culture de pavot à opium s'est étendue de 56.000 à 91.000 hectares environ et la production d'opium a progressé de quelque 2 200 à 4500 tonnes. Reste que, à l'époque, le bureau de l'Office des Nations unies contre la drogue et le crime (ONUDC) à Kaboul a engagé un dialogue nourri avec les talibans, sans naïveté mais sur fond de respect de la parole donnée, et couronné par des engagements réciproques. » | Par BERNARD FRAHI | mardi 24 août 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

«Frauen wie ich haben im neuen Afghanistan keinen Platz» – warum viele Afghaninnen die Taliban fürchten

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Bekannte Aktivistinnen werden von Taliban-Kämpfern gesucht und müssen untertauchen. Auch viele andere Frauen wagen sich in Kabul nicht mehr aus dem Haus. Sie fürchten um ihren Job und all die hart erkämpften kleinen Freiheiten.

Die Afghaninnen haben Angst. So grosse Angst, dass derzeit kaum eine über ihre Situation sprechen will. Schon gar nicht, wenn man sie namentlich nennen will. Selbst gestandene Politikerinnen und international bekannte Aktivistinnen sind untergetaucht. Viele haben Drohungen erhalten, andere fürchten, mit kritischen Äusserungen über die Taliban ihre Familien in Gefahr zu bringen oder ihre Organisationen und Hilfsprojekte noch angreifbarer zu machen, als sie sowieso schon sind. Einige sagen am Telefon aber auch entschuldigend, sie seien derart fertig und deprimiert, dass sie im Moment nicht reden könnten.

Drohungen und schwere Übergriffe

Afsana* ist schon wenige Tage vor der Machtübernahme der Taliban in Afghanistan untergetaucht. Sie ist die Gründerin und Leiterin einer NGO mit mehreren hundert Mitarbeitern. Sie sei völlig traumatisiert, für ein längeres Interview habe sie keine Nerven, sagt sie. Schliesslich fasst sie den Horror der letzten Wochen in Textnachrichten zusammen: «Die Taliban sind sechsmal gekommen, um mein Haus zu durchsuchen. Sie haben mein Geld gestohlen und meinen Schmuck. Sie haben alle Zimmer verwüstet, Fenster und Glastüren eingeschlagen. Sie haben Verwandte von mir stundenlang verhört, um meinen Aufenthaltsort herauszufinden.» Die Taliban gehen seit ihrer Machtübernahme in Kabul mit Listen von Haus zu Haus. » | Andrea Spalinger | Mittwoch, 25. August 2021

Democracy Now ! Top US News & World Headlines — August 25, 2021

Philippe Gélie : Directeur adjoint de le rédaction : «Goodbye de Kaboul»

Vous pouvez lire l'éditorial ici. (Réservé aux abonnés)

Peut-on comparer les talibans à un retour au Moyen Âge?

«C'est le retour au Moyen Age», une expression très entendue ces derniers jours. Christie's Images/Bridgeman Images/STRINGER / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : ENTRETIEN - Depuis la chute de Kaboul, nombreux sont ceux qui comparent le mouvement fondamentaliste à l'époque médiévale en Europe. Le rapprochement laisse perplexe.

Florian Besson est docteur en histoire médiévale et fondateur du blog Actuel Moyen Âge.
LE FIGARO. - La comparaison entre le retour des Talibans et le Moyen Âge est-elle pertinente ?

Balayer cette comparaison serait facile, mais elle conserve une forme de pertinence pour les milliers de personnes qui l'ont utilisée dans les médias ou sur les réseaux sociaux. Après la prise de Kaboul, c'est devenu une référence omniprésente, qui relève de l'histoire imaginée et dit beaucoup de la manière dont on se représente le Moyen Âge. » | Par Amaury Coutansais Pervinquière | mardi 24 août 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

DOSSIER : Afghanistan : tout comprendre à la prise de pouvoir des talibans à Kaboul »

Was ist die Scharia? Und was könnte das islamische Recht für die Frauen in Afghanistan bedeuten?

Müssen die afghanischen Frauen nach der Rückkehr der Taliban wieder unter die Burka? Viel wird davon abhängen, welche Interpretation der Scharia die Taliban anwenden. | Anja Niedringhaus / AP
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Die Taliban haben versichert, die Rechte von Frauen und Minderheiten zu achten – sofern ihr Verhalten im Einklang mit der Scharia stehe. Was dies bedeutet, ist offen. Denn die Gebote des islamischen Rechts sind nicht eindeutig definiert, sondern Interpretationssache.


Zum Artikel und zur Erklärung »

The Guardian View on the G7’s Great Game: The Taliban Rules in Kabul

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: Ordinary Afghans will pay the highest price for the west’s defeated ambitions

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, at a news conference in Kabul. ‘The Taliban have no experience of legislating within a sophisticated political and legal framework, especially one of the kind modelled on western democracies.’ Photograph: Hoshang Hashimi/AFP/Getty Images
It speaks volumes about the world today that a US president was more worried about the Taliban looking weak than about his western allies. Britain, France and Germany asked Joe Biden to continue evacuating civilians from Kabul past his self-imposed deadline of 31 August. But the US rejected these requests. Mr Biden wanted to end the chaotic TV scenes from Afghanistan that hurt his domestic poll ratings. But he also accepted that Kabul’s new rulers could not afford to look weak in front of their rival Isis, which is looking for an opportunity to embarrass its Taliban peer.

The west’s airlift will therefore be over by next Tuesday. It is the Afghan people who will pay the highest price for the west’s defeated ambitions for their country. They now face living under Taliban rule for a second time. There is no guarantee that a grinding civil war is over. The scale of the west’s failure is not just that the world’s biggest economies will almost certainly fail to evacuate all those who were employed by its armies and diplomats. It is that we have let down a generation of urban Afghans, especially women, who grew up believing that their lives would be better than their parents’. » | Editorial | Tuesday, August 24, 2021

A Love Heart Made Out of Sheep: Australian Farmer Pays Tribute to His Aunt

THE GUARDIAN: Unable to travel to a family funeral due to Covid, Ben Jackson used his sheep in a farewell message

Australian farmer pays tribute to his aunt with help of sheep – video
A sheep farmer stuck in lockdown in New South Wales who was unable to attend his aunt’s funeral has honoured her memory with the ultimate tribute: a love heart made from sheep.

Ben Jackson from Guyra couldn’t make it to Brisbane to be with his aunt during her final moments after a two-year fight with cancer that began at the start of the pandemic.

“Unfortunately, she didn’t make it,” Jackson said. “At those times of grief, you feel really helpless, you don’t know what to do, what to say.

“Especially in these Covid times, no one can prepare for that border closure grief, not being able to say cheerio or be there when she passes. It’s pretty difficult.”

Jackson said the idea for the heart came to him while he was out feeding his sheep “supplementary tucker” as they are “quite pregnant and need a bit of extra TLC”.

Actually making the heart took “three or four” attempts, Jackson said, with his initial efforts turning out less than desirable. » | Royce Kurmelovs | Wednesday, August 25, 2021