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Fingers crossed for Pen Farthing and Nowzad

(486 Posts)
Maudi Wed 25-Aug-21 09:09:13

Afghanistan: Fresh hope for ex-Marine Pen Farthing's bid to rescue 200 dogs and cats from Kabul
The defence secretary says Pen Farthing, his staff and the animals will now be able to leave on the chartered aircraft.
Wednesday 25 August 2021 07:40, UK

Anyone else rooting for Pen and his animals ?

JaneJudge Mon 30-Aug-21 20:49:17

I noticed today the sparrows rule the middle to upper part of hedge, the dunnocks are at the bottom
the blue tits think they are in charge of the tree above but robin thinks it rules all of them
then the blackbird just randomly goes in the hedge to shit them all up
and the kestrel and goshawks just pick them all off and the magpies take their opportunities

It is like being human

Alegrias1 Mon 30-Aug-21 20:40:01

Jaxjacky

I thought he’d have to quarantine here coming from a red country?

If you take a connecting flight without leaving the airport, or go straight to another airport, you don't need to quarantine.

Jaxjacky Mon 30-Aug-21 20:32:31

I thought he’d have to quarantine here coming from a red country?

Alegrias1 Mon 30-Aug-21 20:22:26

I'm going to shout.

THERE WERE SPACES FOR ABOUT 100 PEOPLE BUT THE SPACES WENT BEGGING BECAUSE HIS STAFF DIDN'T GET THE RIGHT PAPERWORK THAT THE US SAID THEY NEEDED AND NOBODY ELSE WAS PUT FORWARD TO TAKE UP THE SPACE.

There, I feel better for that.

PippaZ Mon 30-Aug-21 20:10:49

Rather like GrannyGravy13, I do not believe you can like or dislike anyone you don't know.

However, transporting animals when people could have been in that space in the plane seems cruel.

JaneJudge Mon 30-Aug-21 20:01:25

he'd have to wormed and vaccinated too, obviously

Callistemon Mon 30-Aug-21 19:38:02

JaneJudge

I suppose some people might have liked him to be in quarantine with animals? especially as he apparently so annoying

In a cage with a bowl of water and a bowl of dried dog food?!

JaneJudge Mon 30-Aug-21 17:23:55

I didn't find him annoying and i find a lot of people annoying usually grin

GrannyGravy13 Mon 30-Aug-21 16:57:20

tickingbird

Do people on here dislike him? Apart from one or two comments GN’s seem supportive of his efforts.

I neither like nor dislike him as I do not know him. I think his charity was/is admirable, he enabled young Afghan girls to be trained as veterinary nurses, another plus.

I am not sure that any of us know people unless we actually know them, otherwise it’s just how they portray themselves in the media and/or how the media portrays them.

tickingbird Mon 30-Aug-21 16:35:05

Do people on here dislike him? Apart from one or two comments GN’s seem supportive of his efforts.

GrannyGravy13 Mon 30-Aug-21 16:34:07

Whatdayisit

GrannyGravy the UK Government couldn't decide whether to give interpreters asylum or not until days before the Taliban took Kabul. That's not speculation by the press, or opposition or the grannies.

Well they obviously did issue visas to over 2,000 interpreters and their families who arrived before the last week…

JaneJudge Mon 30-Aug-21 16:31:50

I suppose some people might have liked him to be in quarantine with animals? especially as he apparently so annoying

tickingbird Mon 30-Aug-21 16:25:52

Exactly GG13 - It is all speculation and froth being spouted by MSM. We don’t know although some on here believe they do.

Whatdayisit Mon 30-Aug-21 15:53:50

GrannyGravy the UK Government couldn't decide whether to give interpreters asylum or not until days before the Taliban took Kabul. That's not speculation by the press, or opposition or the grannies.

GrannyGravy13 Mon 30-Aug-21 15:43:51

tickingbird

How many official interpreters were working for the UK forces? There are many here and this link states several hundred waiting. I find that hard to believe. Seems more interpreters than soldiers.

I should imagine quiet a few thousands over 20 years.

We have absolutely no idea why some have not been issued with visas, it’s just constant speculation by the press, the opposition and GN posters.

Whatdayisit Mon 30-Aug-21 15:32:13

And other good news is the charity have been overwhelmed with offers of adoption.

tickingbird Mon 30-Aug-21 15:26:17

How many official interpreters were working for the UK forces? There are many here and this link states several hundred waiting. I find that hard to believe. Seems more interpreters than soldiers.

Blossoming Mon 30-Aug-21 15:06:38

Oldwoman70

Blossoming

I understand that Mr. Farthing and his accompanying cats and dogs are now in the UK, the animals have been examined by vets, declared to be in good health and are now in quarantine facilities.

Surely this is good news.

Actually, the animals are in UK - he is in Norway

Even better news, I love Norway and I’m glad he’s re-united with his wife. However, he did indeed land in the UK before traveling on to Norway. Actually.

MaizieD Mon 30-Aug-21 14:29:52

www.gransnet.com/forums/news_and_politics/1299099-Yet-another-cause-for-National-Shame

MaizieD Mon 30-Aug-21 14:26:18

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD are you aware that Afghanis trying to flee in the last few days who did have paperwork were in fact turned away by US military personnel as POTUS Biden had changed their requirement (as stated by Pen Farthing himself) ? US troops were in control of the military side of the airport.

Are you aware that there are still people in Afghanistan working to get folks out across land borders, negotiating with relevant Governments and Border Officials ?

Over 2,000 Afghani interpreters along with their families have been made welcome in the U.K. neither you nor I are aware of the circumstances whereby some are still waiting or have been denied visas.

That is all irrelevant to the point originally made, that interpreters (and others who had worked for the British) were being denied visas until very, very recently. So they couldn't get out of Afghanistan any earlier. Goodness, we even had a thread on here about it.

(You should be severe with your phone grin )

GrannyGravy13 Mon 30-Aug-21 14:20:02

Alegrias1

GG13 are you aware that the correct adjective is Afghan and that an Afghani is the unit of currency of the country?

Yes, but my iPhone isn’t, thank you

Alegrias1 Mon 30-Aug-21 14:13:56

GG13 are you aware that the correct adjective is Afghan and that an Afghani is the unit of currency of the country?

GrannyGravy13 Mon 30-Aug-21 14:00:44

MaizieD are you aware that Afghanis trying to flee in the last few days who did have paperwork were in fact turned away by US military personnel as POTUS Biden had changed their requirement (as stated by Pen Farthing himself) ? US troops were in control of the military side of the airport.

Are you aware that there are still people in Afghanistan working to get folks out across land borders, negotiating with relevant Governments and Border Officials ?

Over 2,000 Afghani interpreters along with their families have been made welcome in the U.K. neither you nor I are aware of the circumstances whereby some are still waiting or have been denied visas.

MaizieD Mon 30-Aug-21 13:44:18

GrannyGravy13

Whatdayisit

MaizieD yes clearly and plenty of others too blind to what has just happened in plain sight.

Totally aware of the Afghan situation, have been for the last twenty years.

I think that we all have.

What is specifically being noted is the UK's failure to grant visas for the Afghan interpreters until the Taliban were about to overrun Kabul.

Yet they were warning UK nationals to get out in April..

Something of a disconnect there, surely?

GrannyGravy13 Mon 30-Aug-21 12:38:27

Whatdayisit

MaizieD yes clearly and plenty of others too blind to what has just happened in plain sight.

Totally aware of the Afghan situation, have been for the last twenty years.