America's new mission in Afghanistan

And with a snap of the fingers the Pentagon has replaced its train and assist programme in Afghanistan, with counter-terrorism attached, to a new mission based on four components: protecting the huge US embassy complex in Kabul, helping to ensure the safe running of Hamid Karzai international airport, continuing to provide "appropriate advice and assistance" to the Afghan national security forces and government (by Zoom calls perhaps?), and maintaining the counter-terrorism operation (although from a long way off, ie the Gulf). General Scott Miller, for three years the US commander in Afghanistan, is flying home, and General Frank McKenzie, commander of US Central Command based in Tampa Florida, has assumed all the necessary authorities from Miller to do what he feels he has to do. Thus, everything has changed. With the official handover from Miller to McKenzie, the operation in Afghanistan becomes a hands-off, long-reach mission, although they have left behind a rear admiral to take charge of security at the embassy. Rear Admiral Peter Vasely, a former SEALs commander, is now the most senior US officer in Afghanistan. But his role is strictly limited to the embassy and the airport. Once the Turks have agreed to carry on guarding the Hamid Karzai airport which they have been doing for years, then even that role for the admiral will be reduced. Of course in the event of an attack on Kabul by the Taliban, it could be that Admiral Vasely will have to implement a full-scale evacuation of the embassy staff, although I noticed a senior Taliban figure was quoted by the BBC the other day saying that embassies would be left alone, whatever that means. Embassies, both the US and British ones for example, have come under rocket fire in the past. But it's all change. The first US-led coalition operation - the combat mission - was ended in 2014 and the takeover train and assist programme has now also gone with the departure of General Miller. The four-part new mission is the minimum required and won't stop the Taliban from rapidly advancing towards the capital.