Afghanistan ‘graveyard’ of US war machines: China Foreign Ministry official

Afghanistan has been transformed into the “graveyard” of US war machines, says the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, as new footage purportedly shows the Taliban members using a dismantled US aircraft as a swing.

Spokesman Zhao Lijian posted a video on Twitter, in which some people are seen swinging on a destroyed aircraft by the use of a rope, purportedly in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is the “graveyard of empires and their war machines,” the Chinese official wrote.

“The Taliban have turned their planes into swings and toys.”

The United States has left behind troves of its arms, military aircraft and armored vehicles in Afghanistan.

President Joe Biden had also admitted previously that “a fair amount of” US weapons has fallen into the hands of the Taliban.

A report to Congress from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said Washington had provided at least $18 billion to the Afghan military for “equipment and transportation” since 2005.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 as part of the so-called war on terror. While the invasion ended the Taliban’s rule in the country back then, it is now ended with the return of the group to power.

The Chinese English language daily South China Morning Post wrote in an article last month that the US’s longest war has ended in a catastrophic failure.

“Just remember that the United States took four presidents, thousands of lives, trillions of dollars and 20 years … To replace Taliban with Taliban,” the article included.

President Joe Biden, however, defends his administration’s handling of the hasty withdrawal and evacuation of US citizens from Afghanistan.

“I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever exit.”

MG