Under the headline "Biden Races Against Time in Kabul... Lawmakers Rule Out Exit by the End of the Month," the Arabic site reported that after the Taliban tightened control over the Afghan capital in mid-August, stating that any delay in the withdrawal of foreign troops past August 31 would result in dire consequences, U.S. lawmakers have dismissed the prospect of completing the evacuation of American citizens and Afghans who worked with coalition forces by the end of the month. This comes after a classified briefing they received from U.S. administration officials, which may suggest the likelihood of postponing the full U.S. withdrawal from the country.
Democratic House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, after receiving a briefing from intelligence agencies, indicated that it is unlikely that the evacuation of Americans and other foreign nationals, along with Afghan collaborators, will be completed by late August due to their significant numbers.
Regarding the collapse of Afghan forces, Schiff highlighted that intelligence assessments about the failure of the Afghan government and military to withstand the Taliban were realistic and have grown more grim over time. He confirmed that multiple warnings had been issued about the rapidity of the Taliban's takeover and gains.
Is There a Crucial Decision for Biden Today?!
It is expected that U.S. President Joe Biden will decide today whether to extend the deadline of August 31 for the evacuation of Americans and allies from Kabul Airport, as thousands of Afghans and foreigners rush to flee from the Taliban, the new rulers of Afghanistan. An administration official clarified to Reuters on Monday that Biden will make a decision within 24 hours on whether to extend the timeline to give the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) time to prepare.
Additionally, two U.S. officials told Reuters that the United States is expected to continue evacuation operations after the specified date. A senior State Department official mentioned to reporters that the country's commitment to at-risk Afghans "will not end on August 31." Biden warned on Sunday that the evacuation "will be difficult and painful" and indicated that many mistakes could occur. He added that U.S. forces might remain beyond August 31 to supervise the evacuation. Meanwhile, some of Biden's advisors oppose extending the deadline they set themselves for security reasons.
