Afghanistan

[Merpedy]

And I get that he was under pressure but people have been hurling abuse at the defence sec etc for days about this when they have been under even more pressure then he was, dealing with screw ups from the foreign sec with data breaches, having mps emailing about their constitutents, America being well…. America, alongside the bits they didn’t get right.
I doubt an apology will come though, this will just be justified by certain people tbh, (Not you obviously) I’m sure his celeb supporters will manage to turn it back round on the mps.

I think he will definitely do some interviews with the news once he gets back, so it will be interesting to see if he’s asked about it and if he responds

But this will all be forgotten in a few days time. The guy is out safe with most of his animals (if everything goes well) and people will probably forget about his staff or see any further efforts as basically useless (which is probably lowkey true). People will just find another thing to be mad about

Though there’s the possibility that some animals may have diseases and need to be put down according to DEFRA in which case he may actually stay relevant like this for a bit longer

 

[bubbadabut]

Though there’s the possibility that some animals may have diseases and need to be put down according to DEFRA in which case he may actually stay relevant like this for a bit longer

Oh God, as if the alpaca with bovine TB story wasn't long-winded enough.

Surely this tape was 'leaked' by the MoD to the Mail on Sunday accidentally on purpose. Appalling, entitled behaviour from him, especially when you consider there's people with actual bounties on their heads who couldn't get through.

 

[Underthetabletop]

It will be @Merpedy . I’ve been making the most of my telegraph subscription before it runs out and there’s an ex soldier discussed on there who has been supporting people to get to the airport. And now he’s stuck as his elderly mother, probably a white old woman stuck there, she’s going to be nothing to these people…. That’s what I’m finding so mind blowing. The people that are coming out that have been left stranded is unreal. I honestly wish there was something I could donate to get them out, but understandably there’s nothing now, and was nothing before really as it was pot luck.
in a way, this just reminds me of getting people out of occupied nazi areas back in the 30s, not on the same scale, and luckily things were as bad, but the modern media makes it seem all that but closer to home compared to then.

 

[no-no]

No, but when an mp is asked by an interpreter left behind why a dog is more important then his kids, surely you stop to think, yeah, there’s something there. Or when the government has to promise to negotiate with the taliban to get the extra people out. When actually we all know that this won’t happen, without it costing megabucks or lives
my anger personally has come about that, I couldn’t care less if he chartered sixty planes of dogs, fair play to him, but not at the expense of human lives who were doing some of our dirty work, or British citizens caught up in this.

There’s nothing there, it wasn’t the only plane. Was that the same MP who said balls in an interview or the one who was on his jollies whilst this unfolded? Pen didn’t do it at the expense of human lives, the government prevented him from taking people because of documentation. The same governments who sent out empty planes. And the ones who have handed biometric data of the “human lives doing our dirty work” over to the taliban. But people want to bang on about dogs in a cargo hold good grief.

 

[Yel]

That phone call from pen is very cringy. He really had no clue how complex the biggest withdrawal of the west following defeat in decades has been.

I feel like those on twitter have egged him on with their cheap shot arguments. It really would have looked terrible if he was able to get out his friends when there was 1000+ people left in there who may be fearing for their lives.

Looks like his book is now selling loads on Amazon (in the top 200).

The mail haven't let any comments go live, before the most liked were all calling him a hero.

 

[What?]

There’s nothing there, it wasn’t the only plane. Was that the same MP who said balls in an interview or the one who was on his jollies whilst this unfolded? Pen didn’t do it at the expense of human lives, the government prevented him from taking people because of documentation. The same governments who sent out empty planes. And the ones who have handed biometric data of the “human lives doing our dirty work” over to the taliban. But people want to bang on about dogs in a cargo hold good grief.

I agree, thank goodness for people like him who will stick up for all life, human and animal.

It's the government people should be directing their anger at.

 

[bubbadabut]

That phone call from pen is very cringy. He really had no clue how complex the biggest withdrawal of the west following defeat in decades has been.

I feel like those on twitter have egged him on with their cheap shot arguments. It really would have looked terrible if he was able to get out his friends when there was 1000+ people left in there who may be fearing for their lives.

Look like his book is now selling loads on Amazon (in the top 200).

The mail haven't let any comments go live, before the most liked were all calling him a hero.

He's got definite shades of God Complex going on, which will most likely be fuelled further by fawning interviews with Phil & Holly, etc in the coming days. He reminds me of Captain Tom's daughter.

 

[kev1974]

The final flight bringing UK military out of Kabul has now departed. I presume that means all the diplomatic staff are out too.

Wonderful news. So proud of them all. So glad they got out safely and were able to help so many thousands out first as well.

 

[WhatwouldPrinnyDo]

Wonder if Pen’s plane did offer up seats to other evacuees in the end to fill it up, as he kept promising?
Really hope so, although I do wonder if this would be even authorised as it was a non military plane.

 

[Underthetabletop]

I agree, thank goodness for people like him who will stick up for all life, human and animal.

It's the government people should be directing their anger at.

And people are pissed off at the government if you read the comments. People are very much annoyed and very much annoyed that Joe Biden potentially put the whole thing at risk today being a twit, and could be dragging us all into this again…..
The thing that’s pissed people off is the ‘but me’ attitude. There’s a bloke stuck there who comes from the same background, army etc and went into security. He’s been helping vulnerable women escape and is now stuck. But there’s no ire about him. No social media campaign from celebrity mates and tweeting at the gov for him and his family. That’s where people have been annoyed- people with no clue about how much of an operation it was choosing a pet project without thinking that actually there’s probably others the same, and worse off than him with no support or help….

 

[Merpedy]

Wonder if Pen’s plane did offer up seats to other evacuees in the end to fill it up, as he kept promising?
Really hope so, although I do wonder if this would be even authorised as it was a non military plane.

Sky News or some other news source reported that he was the last civilian to leave, so sadly probably not. Unless soldiers were allowed to board the plane which seems really unlikely

 

[freda19]

There’s nothing there, it wasn’t the only plane. Was that the same MP who said balls in an interview or the one who was on his jollies whilst this unfolded? Pen didn’t do it at the expense of human lives, the government prevented him from taking people because of documentation. The same governments who sent out empty planes. And the ones who have handed biometric data of the “human lives doing our dirty work” over to the taliban. But people want to bang on about dogs in a cargo hold good grief.

He should have double checked the documentation that was needed for his staff. That was his responsibility toward them, to ensure their safe exit. They relied on him, big chief motormouth, to guide them and direct them so that all the 'i' s were dotted and 'T's crossed. He neglected them to focus on the animals, simple as that. Not the officials fault, his. He knew this was coming and dropped the ball.

You can bet he had documentation for the animals, all the boxes ticked nicely and paperwork perfect or they'd never have passed muster for a flight. Shame on him not doing the same for the humans who depended on him.

 

[thegirlscout]

https://www.archive.is/oldest/https...-official-demanding-flight-allowed-Kabul.html

Disgusting if this is true

I agree his behaviour wasn’t great but I also feel like leaking this audio seems a bit like misdirection from the powers that be. Similarly when Dominic Rabb was getting piled on for being away on holiday and Laurie Bristow was being praised for staying behind the papers next day were reporting that Bristow was forced to stay behind by his superiors.
Like I said, I don’t agree with Pen’s attitude but the leaking of the audio seems a suss.

 

[Merpedy]

He should have double checked the documentation that was needed for his staff. That was his responsibility toward them, to ensure their safe exit.

Allegedly the US changed the documents needed on the day they got there, and because evacuations were drawing to a close there was no way to ensure that they would get those in time - they had like a day? And UK shut gates to people anyway so his staff would have probably been stuck there because they’re not really a priority

They could have left earlier but the animals held them back by a day or two unfortunately. Tbf to him, some of the money donated was definitely to get the animals out. I’ve seen a few complaints already about some having to be put to sleep or released

 

[jaymie]

I agree his behaviour wasn’t great but I also feel like leaking this audio seems a bit like misdirection from the powers that be. Similarly when Dominic Rabb was getting piled on for being away on holiday and Laurie Bristow was being praised for staying behind the papers next day were reporting that Bristow was forced to stay behind by his superiors.
Like I said, I don’t agree with Pen’s attitude but the leaking of the audio seems a suss.

So many of us can sit in the comfort of our own home criticising this man for being abusive, but this man is in a situation where he has his employees’ lives in his hand, any reasonable person would have behaved the same. Pen will be the most loved and the most hated person.

 

[freda19]

Allegedly the US changed the documents needed on the day they got there, and because evacuations were drawing to a close there was no way to ensure that they would get those in time - they had like a day? And UK shut gates to people anyway so his staff would have probably been stuck there because they’re not really a priority

They could have left earlier but the animals held them back by a day or two unfortunately. Tbf to him, some of the money donated was definitely to get the animals out. I’ve seen a few complaints already about some having to be put to sleep or released

Allegedly. Yeah Ok.

I hear the sound of barrel scraping.

 

[Silly Sausage]

It's very expensive to charter a plane from Kabul right now so the money will go really quickly. The fundraising efforts of these two organizations has been incredible, yet its a shame that very little of the donations will be used to actually care for animals. It’s an interesting story, people really got sucked in and donated a lot of money, fast, and I’m sure some are ready to make a book and movie deal out of it.

Would the local staff be unwelcomed to continue to do rescue work after Pen and Charlotte departed? Kabul still needs animal rescue efforts on the ground. Life will go on and the animals in Kabul need people to care for them. I feel really bad for the animals and what they are being put through. It must be awful for them. Is it really worth it in the end? Hard to say. Things are so ducked up right now.

People’s lives are in real danger, people that worked closely with our governments over 20 years and were abandoned. Visas never issued when they knew what was up, the risk they took. Many Afghans stayed because they had hope, only to get stuck. This evacuation has been incredible. Our militaries really worked hard to get people out as quickly as they could under very strange circumstances.

I hope people will be kind generous and welcoming to all these families having to start over in an unfamiliar place, wherever they end up having to live. Over one hundred thousand people. Unbelievable.

 

[Rita Chevrolet]

And I get that he was under pressure but people have been hurling abuse at the defence sec etc for days about this when they have been under even more pressure then he was, dealing with screw ups from the foreign sec with data breaches, having mps emailing about their constitutents, America being well…. America, alongside the bits they didn’t get right.
I doubt an apology will come though, this will just be justified by certain people tbh, (Not you obviously) I’m sure his celeb supporters will manage to turn it back round on the mps.


No, but when an mp is asked by an interpreter left behind why a dog is more important then his kids, surely you stop to think, yeah, there’s something there. Or when the government has to promise to negotiate with the taliban to get the extra people out. When actually we all know that this won’t happen, without it costing megabucks or lives
my anger personally has come about that, I couldn’t care less if he chartered sixty planes of dogs, fair play to him, but not at the expense of human lives who were doing some of our dirty work, or British citizens caught up in this.

but then he tried to get his staff and their families out with him and was stopped from doing so, once by the UK and finally by the taliban.

Wonder if Pen’s plane did offer up seats to other evacuees in the end to fill it up, as he kept promising?
Really hope so, although I do wonder if this would be even authorised as it was a non military plane.

Why wouldn't he? Remember, since the taliban stopped his team and their families going it would have been an empty aircraft apart from him and the crew so that would have been what? 300 empty seats? Various govts were sending out plenty of empty planes over the weeks

 

[What?]

And people are pissed off at the government if you read the comments. People are very much annoyed and very much annoyed that Joe Biden potentially put the whole thing at risk today being a twit, and could be dragging us all into this again…..
The thing that’s pissed people off is the ‘but me’ attitude. There’s a bloke stuck there who comes from the same background, army etc and went into security. He’s been helping vulnerable women escape and is now stuck. But there’s no ire about him. No social media campaign from celebrity mates and tweeting at the gov for him and his family. That’s where people have been annoyed- people with no clue about how much of an operation it was choosing a pet project without thinking that actually there’s probably others the same, and worse off than him with no support or help….

I feel angry about all those things you are saying but being angry about them doesn't mean I can't have the opinion that what this man has done for his animals is a wonderful thing.
All too often we hear of the animals being abandoned during times of crisis so I find it refreshing to hear of someone being so vocal about the animals, the animals he has a duty of care to as he rescued them.
I just feel desperately sorry that he couldn't get his staff out and I really hope he managed to get others out on those spare seats.


As I said, I'll save my anger for the government who have caused this tit show and I'll continue to feel pissed off at the photos of plane loads of men being rescued with not many women and children in sight.

 

[Rita Chevrolet]

I feel angry about all those things you are saying but being angry about them doesn't mean I can't have the opinion that what this man has done for his animals is a wonderful thing.
All too often we hear of the animals being abandoned during times of crisis so I find it refreshing to hear of someone being so vocal about the animals, the animals he has a duty of care to as he rescued them.
I just feel desperately sorry that he couldn't get his staff out and I really hope he managed to get others out on those spare seats.


As I said, I'll save my anger for the government who have caused this tit show and I'll continue to feel pissed off at the photos of plane loads of men being rescued with not many women and children in sight.

Reading on the MSN page they implied that he was alone on that flight, in which case WHY? Pen had already said he would absolutely take everyone he could safely so why did he depart alone if that really is the truth? That could have been maybe 250 less people left in that hellhole :