The U.S. military has placed armed F-18 jets on standby amid the evacuation chaos at the Kabul airport, said a U.S. general on Thursday. The jets are on standby if the need for air support arises and to ensure the safety of U.S. troops and operations, said Maj. Gen Hank Taylor in a comment to reporters. Several thousand American military troops were deployed to the airport as numerous Americans, Afghans, and others try to evacuate the country after the Taliban took over Kabul over the past weekend. The deployment of F-18s is the latest development in an increasingly tense and chaotic situation, as the Taliban extremist group appears to be tightening its grip after video footage and reports show the group stopping people from getting to the airport. “The ability to provide close air support,” Taylor said, “is something that needs to be immediate if a condition on the ground …