Earlier today I told you that Biden’s CIA chief went to Afghanistan yesterday to appeal to the Taliban to extend the August 31st deadline and give them more time to evacuate people.
The Taliban has now responded and they refuse to extend the deadline:
BBC – Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says he does not think that the 31 August deadline for evacuations from Kabul will be extended.
He adds there is enough time to get foreign nationals out before the deadline, and that the Taliban are “not in favour” of allowing Afghans to leave.
So this is what Biden gets for sending a high-ranking official to negotiate with terrorists. They spit in his face. The question is what is he going to do about it? Is he still going to operate from fear, legitimizing the Taliban’s control over Kabul, or will he do what needs to be done? I guessing on the former since that’s been Biden’s m.o. up to now.
Also let me remind you that the military can’t just leave on the 31st, as Tom Cotton pointed out yesterday. They have to begin pullout operations well before the 31st to be ready to leave by the deadline. Which means they need to know NOW what Biden is going to do.
To add insult to injury, the BBC also reports that the Taliban are no longer allowing Afghans to enter the airport in Kabul:
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the Taliban are no longer allowing Afghan nationals to go to Kabul airport because of the chaotic situation there.
At a news conference, he said crowds at the airport should go home and their security would be guaranteed.
But he said the US had kept on inviting people to the airport to board planes.
“We ask the Americans,” he said. “Don’t encourage Afghans to leave… We need their talent.”
He added that Afghan media outlets were now working again, as were hospitals, schools, university and local government.
In other words, some of our allies will be left behind. Which I’m pretty sure Biden is ok with given his comments on the Vietnamese back in the day.
The disaster continues…
UPDATE: I see now that Biden has made his decision and it’s exactly as predicted. He’s such a joke:
President Joe Biden has decided, in consultation with his national security team, to stick with the August 31 deadline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, according to a senior administration official. https://t.co/I5zrXZ7eWu
— CNN (@CNN) August 24, 2021
UPDATE 2: From Adam Housley:
1/4 From a friend who is former CIA and still connected massively in Afghanistan. "We are about to abandon Americans" The Admin refuses at this hour to change the August 31st drawdown date, which means it begins almost immediately.
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) August 24, 2021
2/4 This decision is NOT conditions based and advice from some people at high levels in US Intel and also our military is being "disregarded". Also "Anybody not out by the time the last plane leaves gets cut away."
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) August 24, 2021
4/4 US Intel fears that when we leave, the Taliban will take down the internet, expel foreign journalists and "eliminate people by the thousands…anyone who might remotely be a threat." US Emergency teams are being told their only safety guarantee is to get on the next flight.
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) August 24, 2021