Over the past 24-hours, the Taliban has taken over a number of major cities in Afghanistan. In addition, the terrorist group has seized U.S. military equipment and the Afghanistan military is in retreat. Those with sources on the ground say the terrorist group could take the capital city of Kabul by September 11, if not before, marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States. U.S. officials are reportedly begging Taliban leaders to spare the U.S. Embassy when they invade Kabul.
Exclusive: American negotiators are trying to extract assurances from the Taliban that they will not attack the U.S. Embassy in Kabul to avoid evacuating as the extremist group advances toward the capital after seizing cities across Afghanistan. @nytimes https://t.co/0W5XSdgg1R
— Lara Jakes (@jakesNYT) August 12, 2021
On Thursday morning, the State Department urged all remaining Americans in Afghanistan to depart immediately. By the afternoon, the Pentagon announced 3000 U.S. troops were being deployed to Karzai International Airport and U.S. Marines are preparing for emergency evacuations.
Live from Kabul, @clarissaward just said she's getting msgs nonstop from Afghans who've worked w/US, completely desperate for help. One man threatening to stand in front of the US Embassy & set himself on fire if he doesn't get answers on his paperwork soon.
— Sarah Boxer (@Sarah_Boxer) August 12, 2021
President Joe Biden, who announced a full withdrawal from the country in April, didn’t acknowledge the situation during remarks at the White House Thursday afternoon before departing for a vacation at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.
The president has left for Wilmington without making any comments today about Afghanistan, per pool
— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) August 12, 2021
President Biden was also in Wilmington last weekend. On Monday, he called a lid at 11:27 am.
Just last month Biden said, “There's going to be no circumstance where you're going to see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy of the United States from Afghanistan." He also said it was "highly unlikely" the Taliban would take over the country.
Joe Biden: "There's gonna be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of a embassy of the United States from Afghanistan. It is not at all comparable." https://t.co/gYkxaHR6Ml pic.twitter.com/2cw7rO8bgq
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) August 12, 2021
Q: "How serious was the corruption among the Afghanistan Government to this mission failed there?"
— Mona Salama (@MonaSalama_) July 8, 2021
Biden: "First of all the mission hasn't failed. Yet ... The likelihood there's going to be a Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely" pic.twitter.com/O9oa4lRUle