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Consider This from NPR

Time Is Running Short For The U.S. Evacuation Effort In Afghanistan

Consider This from NPR

NPR

News, Daily News, Society & Culture, News Commentary

4.26.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 August 2021

⏱️ 13 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Biden administration said Tuesday that the U.S. was on pace to meet an August 31 deadline to fully withdraw from Afghanistan, but that "contingency plans" are being developed in case they do not complete evacuations in time.

Some Afghan evacuees will wind up in America, where one of their main destinations is the Seattle area. NPR's Martin Kaste reports on the resettlement effort ramping up there.

President Biden made the decision not to extend evacuations despite calls to do so from some members of his own party. NPR's Asma Khalid examines what Biden's decisions on Afghanistan reveal about his view of America's role in the world.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

August 31st, that's the deadline the U.S. agreed to with the Taliban to be fully out of Afghanistan

0:07.0

for evacuations from Kabul to be complete.

0:11.0

I think it's possible, but I think it's very unlikely.

0:15.0

On Monday, House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff and other lawmakers received a classified briefing on the situation in Afghanistan.

0:22.0

Afterwards, the California Democrat told reporters there were probably too many people to evacuate by the deadline.

0:29.0

Too many Americans, too many Afghans trying to get special immigrant visas, too many others who would be threatened by the Taliban if they stayed.

0:38.0

And I'm certainly of the view that we maintain a military presence as long as it's necessary to get all U.S. persons out and to meet our moral and ethical obligation to our Afghan partners.

0:53.0

Any American wants to come home? We will get you home.

0:58.0

President Biden, last week. As of Tuesday afternoon, according to the White House, the U.S. is on pace to complete operations by August 31st.

1:07.0

They're also making contingency plans in case that doesn't happen.

1:12.0

Speaking last week, Biden said the evacuations being carried out were dangerous and their success isn't guaranteed for everyone.

1:20.0

I cannot promise what the final outcome will be or what it will be that it will be without risk of loss. But as Commander-in-Chief, I can assure you that I will mobilize every resource necessary.

1:34.0

Consider this more than a week after Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, the U.S. and its allies are still scrambling to get as many people out as quickly as possible and they're running out of time.

1:47.0

From NPR, I'm Adi Cornish. It's Tuesday, August 24th.

1:52.0

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2:24.0

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2:42.0

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2:46.0

It's considered this from NPR.

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