From ABC News, August 18, 2021 Interview (transcript linked below):
STEPHANOPOULOS: All troops are supposed to be out by August 31st. Even if Americans and our Afghan allies are still trying to get out, they’re gonna leave?
BIDEN: We’re gonna do everything in our power to get all Americans out and our allies out.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Does that mean troops will stay beyond August 31st if necessary?
BIDEN: It depends on where we are and whether we can get– ramp these numbers up to 5,000 to 7,000 a day coming out. If that’s the case, we’ll be– they’ll all be out.
STEPHANOPOULOS: ‘Cause we’ve got, like, 10,000 to 15,000 Americans in the country right now, right? And are you committed to making sure that the troops stay until every American who wants to be out–
BIDEN: Yes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: — is out?
BIDEN: Yes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: How about our Afghan allies? We have about 80,000 people–
BIDEN: Well, that’s not the s–
STEPHANOPOULOS: Is that too high?
BIDEN: That’s too high.
STEPHANOPOULOS: How many–
BIDEN: The estimate we’re giving is somewhere between 50,000 and 65,000 folks total, counting their families.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Does the commitment hold for them as well?
BIDEN: The commitment holds to get everyone out that, in fact, we can get out and everyone that should come out. And that’s the objective. That’s what we’re doing now, that’s the path we’re on. And I think we’ll get there.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So Americans should understand that troops might have to be there beyond August 31st?
BIDEN: No. Americans should understand that we’re gonna try to get it done before August 31st.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But if we don’t, the troops will stay–
BIDEN: If — if we don’t, we’ll determine at the time who’s left.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And?
BIDEN: And if you’re American force — if there’s American citizens left, we’re gonna stay to get them all out.
ABC News
Also from ABC News, article published today, August 31, 2021:
The president’s prepared remarks from the State Dining Room of the White House come 24 hours after the last military plane cleared airspace above Afghanistan but without more than 100 Americans on board who still wanted to get out of the country.
ABC NEWS: Biden defends Afghanistan troop withdrawal while leaving some Americans behind
I don’t CARE what Trump would have done, how much Biden wanted to leave Afghanistan or what kind of ice cream Biden’s handlers rewarded him with after the press conference. This is wrong.
I try to be upbeat and fair. Well, I’m settling for trying for fair because there’s nothing upbeat about this disastrous withdrawal. I do not give a you-know-what about what other presidents, living or dead, woulda, coulda, shoulda done – I want THIS ADMINISTRATION to FIX THIS MESS.
Fire everyone, starting with whatever idiot is pulling Biden’s strings. Impeach or remove Biden. If Harris doesn’t move for Biden’s removal, impeach her. Then start down a very long list of people we don’t need in any governmental capacity any longer.
If the Democrats can’t clean their own house, we’ll expect the Republicans to get the job done in 16 months when they take both Houses of Congress. There’s always the Patriot Party – or whatever we chose – in 2024 if that doesn’t work.
Biden lied. We can sit back and do nothing – or we can make damned sure every politician in Washington is put on notice.
I chose the latter – links below to assist those who chose the same.
Contact Links – Federal
House:
United States House of Representatives
Senate:
United States Senate
President:
Office of the President of the United States
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Phone Numbers and Addresses
https://www.whitehouse.gov/get-involved/write-or-call/
