President Biden on Wednesday defiantly defended his administration's execution of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, saying that he doesn't think the crisis represents a failurehttps://t.co/K4PDCnVooz
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) August 18, 2021
In an exclusive interview, Pres. Biden tells me that U.S. troops will stay until all Americans are out of Afghanistan, even if past Aug 31 deadline. https://t.co/e62oNVKfHQpic.twitter.com/DPVXoYJgFK
— GeorgeStephanopoulos (@GStephanopoulos) August 18, 2021
Biden to ABC confirms @MarkHertling:
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) August 18, 2021
"Americans should understand we're gonna try to get it done before Aug. 31st"
"If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out"
(i've only seen brief quotes from intvw but that doesn't address fate of Afghan allies) https://t.co/GReNt1el6z
Here’s how the US stands in terms of combat power and what its options are if things escalate in Kabul. In short, the Pentagon says it can’t go into the city. But there are special operations troops on the ground and a huge amount of air power. https://t.co/b4mY2rkJDn
— Steve Beynon (@StevenBeynon) August 18, 2021
This is simply untrue. Yes to withdrawal, but it could easily been done without chaos.
— Dr William Sheehan (@willsheehan68) August 18, 2021
Also the unilateral action of the US has damaged its relations with Allies beyond trust. No confidence in US promises anymore. pic.twitter.com/55hsBCc5Hq
Analysis: The Biden administration has given 9 justifications for the slow evacuation of Afghan allies https://t.co/v9wYXs1Nf1
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 18, 2021
NEW: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Milley says that intelligence indicated "multiple scenarios" were possible after the drawdown in Afghanistan, adding that he saw nothing warning of a total collapse within 11 days of U.S. departure. https://t.co/9Z5VGWTH2u
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 18, 2021
NEW: Afghanistan disaster puts intelligence under scrutiny https://t.co/qezVnAnWBZ pic.twitter.com/eu8hPfS1uP
— The Hill (@thehill) August 18, 2021
A lot of people have been asking: how did the Taliban seize Kabul and other key Afghan cities so quickly? Here is a timeline of the events that followed the US announcement of its withdrawal from Afghanistan and led up to the chaos in the capital: https://t.co/sfRdcbKDRg
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) August 18, 2021
"Trump's deal with the Taliban set the stage for the Afghan collapse" (@TheHillOpinion) https://t.co/JKrRYFxs8U pic.twitter.com/aznWWq6XLa
— The Hill (@thehill) August 18, 2021
"When we see the Afghan security forces not fighting, or we see what appears to be regional political figures and Afghanistan cutting deals themselves to the Taliban, they were kind of following in Trump's deal," @brhodes says. https://t.co/IjEUn9Fj1a
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 18, 2021
As predicted. This started with Trumps secret deal. The Taliban just bought the army out on a grand scale by tribe and mayors. https://t.co/FMbeEXUl0d
— Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) August 18, 2021
Three weeks ago, a group of Republicans voted against expanding and speeding up the evacuation of Afghans who supported the U.S. military and their families. You might think they'd be keeping their heads down right now, but… 1/? https://t.co/Q1dHLP2rNQ
— Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) August 18, 2021
A day after suggesting they had changed, the Taliban meet a public display of dissent in the Afghan city of Jalalabad with force. Taliban soldiers fire into the crowd and beat protesters and journalists. @MarcSantoraNYT @jimhuylebroek @carlottagall https://t.co/2ughRmYk5k
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) August 18, 2021
We know substantially more about what is taking place on the ground in Afghanistan than we would otherwise because Clarissa Ward is willing to risk her life to tell the story. https://t.co/r9Y27uExTB
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) August 18, 2021
Women’s rights activist and former Afghan parliamentarian Malalai Joya says that women and civil society in Afghanistan have three enemies—the Taliban, the warlords disguised as a government, and the U.S. military occupation. https://t.co/ahHq1hVxzp
— The Nation (@thenation) August 18, 2021
The implications of the past few days are felt abroad…
While the United States and most other countries evacuated their embassies, Russia’s remained open and under the Taliban's protection.https://t.co/ho9bHtRpqe
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) August 18, 2021
Russia’s ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov said he was very impressed with the Taliban, describing them as “very reasonable and well-armed people.”
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) August 18, 2021
He claimed that Kabul is a much more peaceful place under Taliban rule & the locals welcomed them.https://t.co/ZsBbYPhr0i
What New Delhi fears most is Beijing’s ability to expand its political and diplomatic footprint in Afghanistan with the return of a Taliban regime. https://t.co/L6YRo23Afu
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) August 18, 2021
FT View: America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan was a blow to Nato. It has not only laid bare the extent of Nato's reliance on the US, but also raised doubts about future American willingness to provide support to its allies https://t.co/Dt6SxGENi8
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) August 18, 2021
"Biden stood up and did the right thing but that means we’ll need to work with the international community and count on countries that will have leverage with the new government," writes @djrothkopf https://t.co/YrOTkpeUIr
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) August 18, 2021
And at home…
Barbara Lee, who was the only congressperson to vote against authorizing George W. Bush to use military force in Afghanistan in 2001, has some thoughts on Joe Biden’s withdrawal. https://t.co/vMyKF7FbOV
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) August 18, 2021
NEW POLL: A majority of voters support the White House's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. Voters support the decision by a 14-point margin.
— Data for Progress (@DataProgress) August 18, 2021
A majority (55% – 33%) also support Biden expediting the special visa process for Afghan interpreters. https://t.co/k3gwq9jPAN
If you're unwilling to admit that this pullout – even if it's the right thing to do – is a complete shitshow, and that Biden owns it, you're too partisan.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 18, 2021
It's okay to say "the president I support screwed this up." That's an adult thing to say, not mindless deflection.
Oh, and…
IMF suspends Afghanistan's access to Fund resources over lack of clarity on government https://t.co/m3tye3zjCr pic.twitter.com/RwDiVwRhFq
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021
European politicians are worried that far-right and populist movements could regain support as migrants flee Afghanistan, as they did after a wave of asylum seekers fled the wars in Syria and Iraq for Europe in 2015. https://t.co/7vhHacfHBR
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 18, 2021
Meanwhile, at Westminster…
British lawmakers vented their anger at Prime Minister Boris Johnson and U.S. President Joe Biden over the collapse of Afghanistan into Taliban hands, calling it a failure of intelligence, leadership and moral duty https://t.co/A42GcEBCsw 1/5 pic.twitter.com/3pwSldG0Ri
— Reuters UK (@ReutersUK) August 18, 2021
This is a pretty serious charge for the Foreign Secretary to answer, especially after a Commons performance with which even some on his own side were unhappy. https://t.co/mvW0TZdQl7
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) August 18, 2021
Today’s recall of Parliament was one of the most moving and important debates I can remember. MPs (both Conservative and Labour) who served in Afghanistan spoke powerfully about our obligations. Not one MP – in over 7 hours of debate – spoke in defence of the government. pic.twitter.com/5VD0ZKTUSz
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) August 18, 2021
"They were our brothers in arms"
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) August 18, 2021
MPs – including veterans – have criticised the government over the UK's role in Afghanistan
But PM Boris Johnson says we must accept "what we have achieved and what we have not achieved"https://t.co/QtJXm5OasW pic.twitter.com/JUS40eK6r8
Don’t forget to mention this @Kevin_Maguire pic.twitter.com/q9eZFkt2WW
— ✊El Politico (@El_Politico_89) August 18, 2021
Theresa May putting John Redwood back in his box in a most unexpected way.
— Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) August 18, 2021
"What President Biden has done is to uphold a decision made by President Trump. It was a unilateral decision by President Trump to do a deal with the Taliban."
via @Haggis_UK pic.twitter.com/6OBv7Rm4ur
It’s time people started calling for resignations over #Afghanistan – @BorisJohnson’s and @DominicRaab’s, just to start with. This has been incompetence on an epic, unbelievable and unforgivable scale. Our country cannot be humiliated like this.
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) August 18, 2021
Why did we ignore the lessons of history in Afghanistan? We need a public inquiry | Jonathan Steele https://t.co/cLEAWhSo2B
— Katrina vandenHeuvel (@KatrinaNation) August 18, 2021
I don't know about you but I believe The Guardian pic.twitter.com/pfqGblCI3E
— PhilM (@PhilMyers53) August 18, 2021
The Overnight Note 