Each day since the Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday, the United States has evacuated thousands of people each day from the military section of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. In addition to bringing out much of the remaining U.S. military forces and diplomats, thousands of Americans and allies have been evacuated, including Afghans who served as military translators or worked with the U.S. in some other capacity. Many evacuees are currently in Qatar, Kuwait, or Bahrain waiting to be processed and relocated. 

But even with an increasing pace of evacuation flights using large military transports, there are still thousands remaining, both Americans and Afghans, who are seeking to escape what a Taliban-dominated future holds for that nation. Republicans are taking this opportunity to pretend that they never heard of George W. Bush or Donald J. Trump as they rush to blame President Biden for every aspect of a war that began 20 years ago. News coming out of Afghanistan has been chaotic and often driven more by creating a narrative than by reporting events. 

Even so, there’s no doubt that real people are in danger, real questions need to be answered, and the United States will have consequences from a trillion-dollar folly that has left behind a body count among the U.S. military, allied forces, and Afghans. President Biden is addressing the nation this afternoon to explain what happens next.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 6:27:47 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

After a 45 minute delay, President Joe Biden spoke to the situation in Afghanistan, explaining that the United States has already extracted 14,000 from Kabul airport over the last week. He acknowledged a delay of some hours on Friday as the U.S. worked with allies to locate new areas to stage evacuees that include U.S. citizens, citizens of other allied nations, Afghans who worked with the U.S. military over the last two decade, Afghans who were at some stage of applying for a U.S. visa, and Afghans who are simply trying to escape being ruled by the Taliban.

During the brief address, Biden assured American citizens still in Afghanistan that the U.S. would take any necessary action to get them home. In questioning, Biden later extended this promise to cover Afghans who have worked with the U.S.  Biden stated that the U.S. was in contact with Taliban officials both in Kabul and in Doha, and that they were unaware of any U.S. citizen being unable to reach the airport because they were stopped by the Taliban.

Reporters repeatedly challenged Biden over failures to predict the speed at which the previous Afghanistan government and military forces collapsed, and for not beginning evacuations sooner. A number of reporters also challenged Biden over scenes of apparent chaos in Kabul or along the road to the airport, but while Biden reiterated that the U.S. would take necessary actions to extract U.S. citizens, he stopped well short of saying there would be any military action to extend the current perimeter around the military section of the Kabul airport.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:20:32 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

In case you’re wondering, yes, we are still waiting. Live.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:32:42 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Delay in start of the speech rumored to be around difficulties in getting new locations for refugees to be staged before coming to U.S. or other final destinations. Both Qatar and Kuwait are near or at the levels of refugees they agreed to take. The U.S. announced a deal with Bahrain this morning, but it’s unclear that flights have begun to that destination. U.S. has also reached a deal to bring refugees to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, but that’s a poor staging area as it makes for long flights.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:38:38 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Going into today, the U.S. had been steadily ramping up evacuations and the numbers of those taken out of Afghanistan were impressive. But delays in getting flights targeted to new locations have apparently put a real prolonged crimp on transport for Friday, cutting into progress and leaving a lot of planes, and refugees, on the ground. Sending flights on to Ramstein Air Base in Germany could relieve immediate pressure, but would definitely slow the rate of evacuation.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:49:42 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Okay, here we go.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:51:38 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden says U.S. has evacuated 14,000 with “thousands more” evacuated by charters.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:52:48 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden says orders have been given to resume flights out of Kabul following pause.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:54:13 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

“Let me be clear: Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home.”

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:55:43 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden says U.S. working with Taliban to get civilians to airport, but stresses that the priority is the evacuation of Americans.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 5:57:50 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden says G7 will convene to plan how to handle Afghanistan in the future to prevent it being used as a base for terrorism.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 6:03:30 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

AP reporter starts off by challenging Biden with unsourced criticism from allies, Biden responds by saying that he’s talking to our allies and hasn’t heard this criticism. Goes on to describe again why continuing American presence in Afghanistan is a bad idea.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 6:04:59 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden extends his earlier promise to get out American citizens to cover Afghans who worked with American military over the last two decades. Says U.S. is also working to help extract workers from NGOs.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 6:09:22 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Bloomberg reporter pushing the theme of how badly “you and your administration” misjudged situation, and pushing the “dissent cable” story. Biden stops it by simply owning it again. “I made the decision. The buck stops with me.”

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 6:12:01 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

PBS reporter asking why Biden hasn’t expanded perimeter around airport … though it’s absolutely unclear what that would gain. 

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 6:14:35 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Biden makes the point that trying to extend the U.S. stay in Afghanistan wasn’t a matter of just sitting there with 2,500 troops and no conflict. If they had tried to stay, it would have taken more forces and their would have been conflict.

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 6:16:07 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

“If we had decided to leave Afghanistan 15 years ago, it would have been really difficult. 5 years ago. It would be difficult if we stayed another decade.”

Friday, Aug 20, 2021 · 6:18:30 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

And Biden is out, with reporters shouting at ear-splitting levels as he departs.

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