Biden speaks, Biden lies.

Joe Biden spoke to the media this afternoon about Afghanistan. His talk lasted about ten minutes and he took questions for 15-20 minutes. Much of the Q&A amounted to a filibuster.

Fact-checkers can have a field day with Biden’s talk, if they are so inclined. We’ll see if they are.

One statement that can’t withstand scrutiny, and it’s a central one, is Biden’s claim that America has no interest in remaining in Afghanistan because we went in for two reasons — to get Osama bin Laden (whose killing Biden recommended against carrying out when the opportunity arose) and to rid Afghanistan of al Qaeda — and we have accomplished both missions.

In fact, according to a U.N. report, al Qaeda is active in at least 15 Afghan provinces (and counting, would be my guess). So even if our only remaining national interest in Afghanistan were to keep al Qaeda out — and that’s not our only such interest — Biden isn’t telling the truth when he says this goal has been met and thus no longer justifies our presence.

Biden also promised that the U.S. will get all American citizens out of Afghanistan safely (“Any American [who] wants to come home, we will get you home,” he said). He added that he is working with the Taliban to make good on this promise. He thus effectively acknowledged that we will only be able to get all Americans home safely if the Taliban cooperates.

It’s possible that the Taliban will cooperate, at least to the extent it has sufficient command and control to do so. The Taliban’s interests probably support getting all Americans out unharmed.

But Biden’s own State Department understands that there’s no guarantee this will happen. It has warned that the U.S. “cannot ensure safe passage” to those trying to make it to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

So the Biden team says one thing when the cameras are rolling and something different when they aren’t.

Biden also denied that our allies are criticizing his handling of the situation in Afghanistan. He said he is unaware of such criticism (which given his level of attention and alertness is possible, I suppose) and claimed that all that he’s heard from allies is “the exact opposite” of criticism.

But even the Washington Post acknowledges that “U.S. allies have complained that they were not fully consulted on the policy decision that could put their own national security interests at risk.” Our allies say the president’s actions in Afghanistan are “not in alignment with Biden’s promises to recommit to global engagement after the Trump administration.”

If Biden isn’t aware of this criticism, he’s asleep at the wheel. If he is, he’s lying.

When we move from the question of allied criticism to the broader picture in Afghanistan, I think Biden is both asleep at the wheel and lying.

Here’s the Q&A:

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