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Biden admin instructs Kabul embassy to destroy American flags, Internet says 'poor planning'

According to an internal memo, the American embassy's personnel in Kabul were asked to 'reduce the amount of sensitive material on the property'

As the US started working on a full evacuation plan from Kabul, they also received instructions on how to go forward with destroying sensitive information. President Joe Biden’s administration reportedly instructed the US embassy staff in Kabul to destroy American flags. Sources also reportedly claimed that the US Defense Department sees a full embassy evacuation as "inevitable".

“Facilities will provide destruction support between 0830 and 1600 daily until further notice,” an internal memo stated, according to The Washington Post. “Please take advantage and reduce the amount of sensitive material on the property.” According to the memo, the American embassy's personnel should get rid of the materials via a disintegrator, burn bins, an incinerator or a compactor. In bold font, the memo added, “Please also include items embassy or agency logos, American flags, or items which could be misused in propaganda efforts."

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Meanwhile, on Thursday, US State Department said that the US embassy in Kabul remained open at its current location. It added that the US expected to further decrease its staff in the embassy in Kabul over the security situation on the ground. Former CIA director and Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo slammed Biden this week over the debacle that has unfolded under Biden’s "poor leadership". Former President Donald Trump also made sure play the blame game. In a statement of his own, Trump wrote, "Joe Biden gets it wrong every time on foreign policy, and many other issues,” Trump said on Saturday. “Everyone knew he couldn’t handle the pressure. Even Obama’s Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, said as much. He ran out of Afghanistan instead of following the plan our Administration left for him – a plan that protected our people and our property, and ensured the Taliban would never dream of taking our Embassy or providing a base for new attacks against America. The withdrawal would be guided by facts on the ground," he said, among other things. 

On social media as well, the blame game continues. "20 years of blood and money spent there, if it couldn't last 2 months without us, how bad did the population really want democracy..." one wrote. Another user wrote, "The Americans will be first to flee after creating this mess When did they last complete a successful mission they went into a country to do? Of course they can pay the Taliban Good intentions need following through and some strategy Vietnam, Iraq and now this" One more user wrote, "Poor planning by the US Gov't. All this, and many other issues like getting Afghan translaters out of the country, should have been worked out before the pull out. Instead, the world see us as ill prepared, trying to play catch-up, and stumbling around. Duh."

Another user asked, "Good thing the flags are being disposed honourably… what about tanks, trucks, ammunition’s, rockets, rifles, tons of prepackaged food, high efficiency water purifiers, state of the art short range ground/air radar, fully equipped helicopters, hundreds night sight helmets etc."

For the unawares, some people explained that it is the protocol to do so. "Nothing wrong with proper disposal of a flag. It's even written into our regulations / laws / etc. how it's to be properly disposed of when not needed or worn. This is pretty standard practice."