President Biden announced in April that he was moving forward with America's withdrawal from Afghanistan, continuing his predecessor's policy. A large majority of Americans agreed that it was time for the United States to exit the war-torn country after 20 years, even though many wondered if a residual, stabilizing, anti-terrorism force would be wise continued commitment (especially given the equilibrium of a modest footprint and extremely low US combat casualties in Afghanistan over recent years). He repeatedly expressed confidence that his plan was going well, assuring the world that the chances of a rapid collapse and Taliban takeover were "highly unlikely." That was last month if you can believe it. The month prior, Biden vowed that in departure, the United States of America would provide safe passage out of the country to its citizens, as well as the Afghans who risked their lives helping the US over the course of two decades. Via the Associated Press in June:
President Joe Biden vowed on Thursday that Afghans who helped the U.S. military “are not going to be left behind” as his administration stepped up planning to evacuate thousands of Afghan interpreters while their applications for U.S. entry are processed...“They’re going to come,” Biden said in an exchange with reporters after an event to highlight a bipartisan agreement reached on infrastructure legislation. “We’ve already begun the process. Those who helped us are not going to be left behind.” The White House has begun briefing lawmakers on the outlines of the plans. The evacuation planning could potentially affect tens of thousands of Afghans.
That was back when the Biden administration was (at least publicly) expressing confidence about the withdrawal; the secretary of state, for instance, was telling everyone that we would maintain an operational embassy and a robust diplomatic presence. In stark contrast, the vice president is now boasting about America's "successful" abandonment of said embassy. Given the rapid implosion, many began to fear that Biden's clear, sacred promise to US-loyal Afghans might be in jeopardy. The president was pressed on this question last week, and he reiterated America's pledge:
President Joe Biden pledged firmly Friday to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan — and all Afghans who aided the war effort, too — as officials confirmed that U.S. military helicopters flew beyond the Kabul airport to scoop up 169 Americans seeking to evacuate. Biden’s promises came as thousands more Americans and others seeking to escape the Taliban struggled to get past crushing crowds, Taliban airport checkpoints and sometimes-insurmountable U.S. bureaucracy...The president’s comments, delivered at the White House, were intended to project purpose and stability at the conclusion of a week during which images from Afghanistan more often suggested chaos, especially at the airport...“We’re making the same commitment” to Afghan wartime helpers as to U.S. citizens, Biden said, offering the prospect of assistance to Afghans who largely have been fighting individual battles to get the documents and passage into the airport that they need to leave. He called the Afghan allies “equally important” in the evacuations.
But now Biden has doubled down on the August 31st exit deadline after the Taliban informed him that they would not accept an extension (let's set aside the apparent reality that the Taliban is dictating US policy in Afghanistan to the president). Biden reportedly rejected offers of additional, post-deadline humanitarian airlift flights from our allies. It immediately became clear that the solemn vow made to America's gravely endangered Afghan allies is now in serious peril. Members of Congress in both parties say the intelligence, their sources, and even their observations on the ground indicate that many Afghans will in fact be left behind if the Biden/Taliban drop-dead date remains in place:
Just asked Rep. @Liz_Cheney if she thinks it’s far to say that it appears as though the Taliban is dictating US/Biden policy in Afghanistan right now.
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) August 24, 2021
Answer: “Yes.”
WH says US is on track to get all our people out by 8/31. Does she think that’s accurate?
“Absolutely not.”
“Given the number of Americans who still need to be evacuated, the number of SIVs, the number of others who are members of the Afghan press, civil society leaders women leaders. It's hard for me to imagine all of that can be accomplished between now and the end of the month,”
— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) August 24, 2021
They changed their minds on extending the Aug 31 deadline: "After talking with commanders on the ground and seeing the situation here, it is obvious that because we started the evacuation so late, that no matter what we do, we won’t get everyone out on time, even by Sept 11."
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) August 25, 2021
Democratic congressman Brad Sherman: "You're not going to get everybody out. You may get the vast majority of American citizens out" by August 31 https://t.co/LLU5WS4YGvhttps://t.co/RsVZ1IEzuJ
— John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) August 24, 2021
The Taliban has reportedly stopped allowing Afghans into the airport, even ones with the proper paperwork (some have been killed). Some Americans are also being turned away:
Three sources tell me and @AlexThomp that the Taliban has now started halting people trying to get in through the airport gates. Not just Afghans but American citizens. Informal groups coordinating need to redirect people on the fly.
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) August 24, 2021
We have 3 flights. We managed to get 900 seats for at risk Afghans. The fundraising effort was tremendous. Now we can’t get them through Taliban & US checkpoints to kabul airport. I’ve pulled every contact
— Maria Abi-Habib (@Abihabib) August 24, 2021
These planes are gonna land in kabul & leave mostly empty.
Soul crushing
Multiple reports, and basic logistical planning, indicate that in the coming days, the US military will shift away from its rescue mission and focus on its own withdrawal (some are already leaving). The clock is ticking for Americans and Afghans, and it won't run out next Tuesday. That's when the last of our forces need to be wheels up. The real deadline for non-military personnel is days sooner. The White House, whose spokeswoman recently chided a reporter for using the word "stranded" to describe Americans and others in Afghanistan, is now admitting that some Americans may, in fact, be stranded and abandoned:
Jen Psaki expects "there could be some" Americans left in Afghanistan after the evacuation deadline of August 31st. pic.twitter.com/Egq7LyDVk5
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 24, 2021
"I'm not going to get into it further." The reality is sinking in, and the desperation is getting acute:
ABC's Ian Pannell calls out the U.S. generals on the ground at the Kabul airport on Biden's evacuation timetable, noting that "some [Americans] will be left behind." ABC was the only broadcast network to explicitly address this reality tonight. pic.twitter.com/ieuxgdfrdm
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 24, 2021
As of today, per the Pentagon, 4,400 Americans have been evacuated from Afghanistan. Government estimates pegged the number of Americans in-country at 10-15,000 last week. You do the math. As for Afghans who helped us, and to whom we pledged an oath forged in blood, American officials are seething about the scale of betrayal Biden has ordered:
With President Joe Biden intending to stick to the Aug. 31 deadline for U.S. troops to leave Afghanistan, it's becoming clear that thousands of the Afghans who helped the U.S. won't be evacuated, a scenario that has engendered deep frustration inside U.S. national security agencies. "People are furious and disgusted," said a former U.S. intelligence official who declined to be quoted by name. A defense official said he grew nauseated as he considered how many Afghan allies would be left behind...evacuations are likely to slow considerably by Friday to give the military enough time to effect an orderly withdrawal. That isn't nearly enough time to evacuate all the Afghan interpreters, drivers and others who helped the 20-year U.S. effort in the country, and it may not be enough time to remove every American, officials acknowledged.
"Orderly withdrawal." That ship has sailed. This betrayal seems to be actively underway. A national shame and a stain on American credibility:
A former CIA officer organized a rescue of 500 Afghan interpreters and other special visa holders.
— Eric Umansky (@ericuman) August 24, 2021
They made it to the airport.
*Then they were kicked out by the State Dept.*https://t.co/RUcwJuxS80 pic.twitter.com/JMhN4c75kY
Please consider the juxtaposition of the developments detailed above, and the promises of the American president, stated in June and restated on Friday: "We're making the same commitment...They're going to come...Those who helped us are not going to be left behind." What a failure. What a disgrace. I'll leave you with this:
An almost empty charter evacuation flight out of Kabul. 1 of 3 planes organized by George and Maria @Abihabib to get 1,000 Afghans to Uganda. Many were blocked by the US and the Taliban and so the first plane, with 345 seats, only had 50 passengers. https://t.co/4IrUmxjFDP pic.twitter.com/DfUANnt9Pk
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) August 25, 2021
Even as he was being arrested by the Taliban, the comedian Nazar Mohammad was making jokes about them to their faces.
— Andrew Doyle (@andrewdoyle_com) August 24, 2021
He was later found dead.
“The greatest enemy of authority is contempt, and the surest way to undermine it is laughter” - Hannah Arendthttps://t.co/GF7ARA7YH0
Taliban atrocities continues. Don't be fooled with their general amnesty. This was the Security Director of Farah province. Taliban killed him today when he was traveling to Kabul. pic.twitter.com/TEtWybr0uy
— Sarfaraz (@Sarfaraz1201) August 24, 2021
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