Joe Biden will announce on Wednesday the withdrawal of all US forces from Afghanistan by September 11 2021, the 20-year anniversary of the terror attacks that sparked America’s decades-long presence in the country https://t.co/RyQ0Ge7nnQ
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) April 13, 2021
Biden set to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11 https://t.co/rwVpzexxv7 pic.twitter.com/vhqpGqTIOW
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 13, 2021
I applaud Biden's decision to end the longest war in U.S. history. With this action and the new talks with Iran, it's clear @POTUS is moving to forge a policy that puts diplomacy first, that sees our toughest challenges do not have military solutions. https://t.co/b7pdyY91R5
— Joe Cirincione (@Cirincione) April 13, 2021
Notable: Colin Powell says @POTUS Biden's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan overdue. “I’d say we’ve done all we can do. . . . What are those troops being told they’re there for? It’s time to bring it to an end.” https://t.co/KsqmpvJBCz
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) April 13, 2021
Put another way: there is a strong isolationist impulse on both left and right.
— Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@MaxBoot) April 13, 2021
At this point the US involvement in Afghanistan isn’t really about “democracy building.” It’s more about averting a humanitarian and strategic disaster. https://t.co/vkysEuLZgb
If Biden pulls out as planned in September absent a binding peace settlement, he will be consigning millions of Afghans to the same fate as our abandoned South Vietnamese allies.
— Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@MaxBoot) April 13, 2021
The fall of Kabul could be as ugly as the fall of Saigon. https://t.co/GWRXBpIG0X
If Biden is able to exit Afghanistan, pass a new AUMF, end US participation in the Yemen war, and return to the Iran Deal it could be a transformative year in terms of ending the post-9/11 era and restoring diplomacy as the principle means of American engagement
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) April 13, 2021
It's great that Biden bowed to the inevitable in Afghanistan. But a true shift in mindset will mean major reforms to our drone program and an end to chronic abuses in the form of military actions without congressional approval. From @paulwaldman1 and me:https://t.co/EUE1IljJa1
— Greg Sargent (@GregTSargent) April 13, 2021
Meanwhile…
BREAKING: President Joe Biden is advancing controversial Trump-era plans to transfer $23.4 billion in sophisticated weaponry to the United Arab Emirates, a State Department spokesperson told HuffPost. https://t.co/8UGRSkaGDD
— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) April 13, 2021
Lawmakers call for Biden to pressure Saudi Arabia to end Yemen blockade https://t.co/WYN4q2zsof pic.twitter.com/Z3piRsq5UA
— The Hill (@thehill) April 13, 2021
President Biden spoke to Putin today. And guess what – readouts are back, and being a #PutinPuppet is out! https://t.co/6XRqvvB2pt
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) April 13, 2021
Biden sends unofficial delegation to Taiwan in 'personal signal' https://t.co/PDg088UEZI pic.twitter.com/e01z37KuMW
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 13, 2021
JUST IN: Appeals court upholds ruling against Trump reversal of drilling protections reinstated by Biden https://t.co/YVPksvh73z pic.twitter.com/V8rAyY1oH5
— The Hill (@thehill) April 13, 2021
NEW: Korea, Japan & Canada appear likely to make major announcements with the US at President Biden's Earth Day climate summit thanks in large part to Kerry's non-stop climate diplomacy — but negotiations are proving far trickier China, India and Brazil: https://t.co/SRX0WMjCbv
— Lisa Friedman (@LFFriedman) April 13, 2021
And in GOP-world…
Breaking NYT: Joel Greenberg, the ex-Florida official indicted in the Justice Dept. investigation that's also focused on Matt Gaetz, has been providing investigators with information since last year about an array of topics, including Gaetz's activities.https://t.co/Y6QXhAbGQr
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 13, 2021
So, first Republicans were against COVID relief. Next, they're against infrastructure. Now, they're against bringing troops home.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) April 13, 2021
Quite the platform for the GOP. https://t.co/ckMs7W0N9n
This is such a f'ing joke. They're going to release this nonsense & the press is going to play along like it's something serious & I'm going to tear my hair out. https://t.co/aUh3AyCbzi
— David Roberts (@drvolts) April 13, 2021
***
GOVERNMENT’S CREDIBILITY MESS GETS WORSE
Wednesday’s Guardian: “Revealed: top civil servant's role at scandal-hit Greensill” #BBCPapers #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/7FuHsAa3Vz pic.twitter.com/8PFqkBKp8Y
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 13, 2021
Two things can be true at once: the former Prime Minister has serious questions to answer around conflicts of interest AND the current Prime Minister is using him to deflect attention from the serious questions his Government has to answer on the very same issue. #Greensill 👇 pic.twitter.com/SgYsDao4iN
— Hardeep Matharu (@Hardeep_Matharu) April 13, 2021
🗓️ #OnThisDay in 2016, Labour MP Dennis Skinner was thrown out of the Commons by Speaker John Bercow for referring to then Prime Minister David Cameron as 'Dodgy Dave'. pic.twitter.com/4bboXffzcH
— UK Politics in the 2010s (@UKPolitics2010s) April 11, 2021
Lying to parliament matters – and its normalisation under @BorisJohnson is deeply dangerous. That’s why we’re coordinating some parliamentary action in response
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) April 13, 2021
Thanks @PeterStefanovi2 & @HarryCockburn @Independent
Watch this space https://t.co/1gPuCPPbzV
"As we unlock, the result will inevitably be that we will see more infection, sadly we will see more hospitalisation and deaths."
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) April 13, 2021
Boris Johnson says the fall in Covid cases has been largely achieved by lockdown rather than vaccinations. pic.twitter.com/whh2kIzrx6
The Dumbkirk spirit is alive and well.
— The Ireland Protocol. (@icgardens) April 13, 2021
Boris Johnson says Covid rise 'inevitable' – but roadmap will continue on track https://t.co/wMeBI6xxUy
BREAKING: All students at university in England will be able to return to face-to-face teaching from 17 May at the earliest, the Government has confirmed.
— Will Hazell (@whazell) April 13, 2021
It could take up to 10 years to clear Northern Ireland's waiting lists without significant and recurrent funding, Health Minister Robin Swann says https://t.co/klxKOFWyAz
— BBC News NI (@BBCNewsNI) April 13, 2021
Northern Ireland Women make history by qualifying for Euro 2022 finals https://t.co/Z3NCfx1vhR
— The Guardian (@guardian) April 13, 2021
Hundreds capture spectacular fireball pass uncomfortably close to Earth https://t.co/SNJXJOvYhW
— The Guardian (@guardian) April 13, 2021
The Overnight Note 