American troops could remain in Kabul even beyond the August 31 deadline to evacuate “all Americans”. To say this, President Joe Biden answering a specific question from ABC. “The Americans must understand that we will complete the evacuation away before the end of the month”, he explains, adding however that “if any citizens remain (after that date, ed.), We will continue to be there until we take them away” .
What if America is no longer a leader
at Timothy Garton Ash
In the first TV interview, on ABC, after what happened the American president continues to defend his choice, even if for the first time he admits: “There was no way to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan without chaos ensuing” . Meanwhile, the media, from the New York Times to CNN, reveal that the commander in chief has downplayed the alarms launched by intelligence from July until the last month on the risks of a rapid collapse of the Afghan army and government in the face of the unstoppable advance of the Taliban. Alarms however denied by Pentagon leaders: “There has been no warning about the collapse of Kabul in eleven days”, said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chief of Staff Mark Milley, emphasizing rather that there was “a failure of will and leadership “which led to the defeat of the Afghan army.
Afghanistan, winners and losers. The new Great Game for the heart of Kabul
by Lucio Caracciolo
However, anger and frustration are bipartisan, and President Biden – already collapsed in the polls – risks being put on the grill by his own party mates. Three commissions of the Senate controlled by the dem (foreign, intelligence and armed forces) have in fact announced that they want to shed light on the fiasco. “I am disappointed that the Biden administration has not carefully assessed the implications of a swift US withdrawal,” regretted Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Bob Menendez. “We are witnessing the horrific results of many years of political and intelligence failures: it is surprising to see the Afghan military dissolve so quickly after the billions in aid spent, clearly the American and Afghan people have not been told the truth about its capabilities and it is an answer is essential “, he explained, promising a” full report “.
“Historical débâcle of the United States in Afghanistan”. Biden also accused at home
by our correspondent Federico Rampini
What begins next week risks becoming an embarrassing parade for Biden and delaying other priorities on his agenda, starting with the budget law and the infrastructure plan. Some dems do not spare the provocations by evoking Trump: “a catastrophe. Neglect was normal in the last administration but I am disappointed to see it now”. Biden had distinguished himself from his predecessor by promising that he would be more empathetic and more competent, replacing America first with “America is back”. But the US media reproaches him for having disregarded these promises in his first foreign policy test, in a move that risks driving allies away and favoring rivals such as Russia and China.
To get out of isolation, the president played the card of an urgent virtual G7 with the support of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. But the first test to contain the damage is to successfully complete what appears to be one of the largest air evacuations in American history (over 30,000 US citizens and Afghan allies) by the end of the month. Without leaving anyone behind.
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