Having just watched this morning’s Pentagon briefing, I infer that the Biden administration intends to comply with the Taliban deadline of August 31 for the departure of American forces from Afghanistan. I emphasize that this is an inference from the Pentagon spokesman’s remarks. What once appeared to be Biden’s self-imposed deadline has now firmed up under pressure from Biden’s new Taliban friends.
On the plus side, our airlift capacity is second to none. On the negative side, we are not entirely clear about who and what will be left behind. The humiliation, disgrace, and embarrassment of the United States remains unqualified, not to say that events don’t deepen it.
UPDATE: This just in from three reporters at Politico: “Biden sticks to Aug. 31 withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
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