In 1888, a devastating snowstorm hit the East Coast, dumping up to 50 inches of snow. Roughly 400 people died. Many were stranded on New York City’s elevated train (today’s subway). Miscreant New Yorkers with ladders sold overpriced coffee and sandwiches to those who were stranded. The truly disgusting offered people with cash the chance to climb down and struggle home. Almost 200 New Yorkers died in the storm.
That said, people are are better now, right? We have evolved. We wouldn’t gouge people who are about to die, would we?
Meet Erik Prince
Catching a flight out of Kabul today is easy, if you have the cheddar.
American defense contractor Erik Prince is offering people a seat on a plane out of Afghanistan, if they can scrounge up $6,500. That’s just for the flight. Getting an escort to the airport, through heavily armed Taliban checkpoints, will cost you extra. U.S., British, and NATO forces are sending specialized rescue units into Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan to bring their citizens to the airport, but they aren’t likely to get everyone.
An unknown number of Americans are still in Afghanistan. Many Afghans, who thought the U.S. would protect them after they assisted the U.S.-led coalition forces for the past 20 years, might not get out by the August 31 deadline. They will face the Taliban alone.
Who Is Erik Prince?
Prince is a former Navy SEAL and a controversial co-founder of the military company Blackwater. He is not popular with White House Press Secretary Jen “circle back” Psaki, who doesn’t approve of Prince’s ghoulish money-making move:
“I don’t think any human being who has a heart and soul would support efforts to profit off of people’s agony and pain if they’re trying to depart a country and fearing for their lives”
Psaki on Erik Prince: I don’t think any human being with a heart and soul would support efforts to profit off of people’s agony and pain as they’re trying to depart a country and fearing for their lives pic.twitter.com/ABCyvlRtTZ
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 25, 2021
Fact-O-Rama! Blackwater USA was started in 1997 by Al Clark and Erik Prince. It started out as a private security firm, providing training and support to law enforcement, the Justice Department, and military organizations. They received their first contract from the United States government in 2000 after the bombing of the USS Cole.
Rescue flights are expected to end before the start of the weekend. Aid/rescue organizations have been told by Western governments that evacuation flights might end on Friday. The U.S. military will need the remaining days, until the August 31 deadline, to remove its equipment (that wasn’t left to the Taliban) and the remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Of course, the Taliban and ISIS-K have plans of their own.
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