Welcome to the commentary magazine podcast for today, Monday August, twenty third, two thousand twenty one. I know a Robin the associate editor of Commentary magazine John Upwards is out today. This has always senior editor, a green all high aim. Hunner executive enter Minnesota, executive editor, and so I get demoted you. I got a promotion last week. You got an emotion this week. I never know where I stand until this thing started up. And senior writer Christine rose, and I was

I was holding out Rosaria, but I'll take it. I know that's that's tomorrow and will give you will give you a great tomorrow. If you missed it over the weekend, the lot of updates out of the atrocious situation in Kabul and It's only because we only know what's happening in Kabul. The rest of Afghanistan is a black hole but at least we are aware of what is happening in the capital and its not great, Joe Biden delivered a press conference. On Friday afternoon, which I don't think anyone would call inspiring, but at least it acknowledged the situation which he had been previously attend to downplay by sending signals to the press that it was essentially time to move on from the afghan new cycle doing this bill back there our agenda meeting with democratic leaders and holding the news Conference Nottingham NEWS Conference as a speech on covert and updating boosters. When the story of the week was quite clearly afghan us The president gave an address at the bags

about some of the concerns that were put forward to him from the press and summarily walked off after taking for question, when the things again in a stressed was that listen you get yourself to the airport. We wanna get everybody to the airport and get yourself to the airport. The airport acknowledging, however, that it was difficult that the Taliban had set up checkpoints everywhere, and then they weren't you making it easy to get to the airport benevolence we're working with them. There are partners in this mission subsequently, I think less than twelve hours later the State Department issued warning, although the airport, they said, we can't guarantee your safety, which had always been the case that can guarantee your safety. What they warn you not to go to the airport at this particular time stranding anybody who is not an american custody inside humming cars I international airport, over them can they got some good news in the form of at least one special forces operation executed by American? For

says, allow what the british and French any in the Germans have been doing. To a lesser extent. From the course of this week going to Kabul X, X, full trading Americans from Kabul and getting them to the airport, Joe Biden, has since talks to the American, on Sunday. He talk briefly and unanswered somewhere questions ass. The first priority he said for any damage that quote any American who wants to get home will get home now. Formulation should concern you in part because its carving out hidden qualified, and he said you know, we have our airlifted thirty seven thousand people so far from asking I stand and that's good its outpacing. What we thought was their capacity yesterday. They had ten thousand evacuations she's. Great, that's good numbers. And he stressed that parities, american citizens getting american citizens out,

but in so far as we have any numbers about how many Americans we ve actually gotten out so far comes from yesterday from the Pentagon, who said roughly twenty five hundred Americans have been removed. Out in it, that's why I didn't leave a hundred in this total of thirty seven thousand people. Now we don't know how many Americans are in Afghanistan. The Pentagon doesn't know how many Americans are in Afghanistan, but it's a lot more than twenty five hundred as a Tuesday night, the estimate was roughly ten thousand to fifteen thousand, on top of the fact that we have probably eighty two hundred thousand Afghans as ivy eligible as these are just people who helped us in the in the in the effort who don't having paperwork. translators, the bid, the Afghan National Army remnants were still fighting with us to control this airport, which, by the way there was a fire fight at yesterday when Afghan soldier died. Subsequently, in this our fight and three more were wounded and Americans there's an german soldiers were engaged in that

operation that combat operation and this situation, deteriorating. So the question I ask you guys is it, is this administration essentially acknowledging that they're not going to get Afghans out before they had this deadline? you already talking about extending the deadline, but that's a whole. Another ball a wax here. So without extending the deadline, was the administrations instinct? To acknowledge? the except resign themselves to the prospect of not getting Americans out in an unspecified number? I didn't really see him us abundant signalling that in any way

I mean I'm, I'm sure, that's what's on your mind, their concerned about it, but I I I I took his statement to. It was an attempt to reassure not not to lower expectations emulate when you say, was sort of qualified you you're, referring to the eye that some Americans don't wanna, leave right, where more than I can, instead of the presumption of saying, if you want, if you want to leave. All these two things are. First, I can absolutely envision a situation in which there are some Americans who don't wanna, get out on this timeframe, That is a rushed and chaos. And they see the Afghans will, through they worked with for twenty years of summarily abandoned to a medieval mob and no dont want to surrender them in sacrificing too. That's why I can imagine. There are plenty of Americans who fit that category unspent, who knows What, in my view, just briefly my view that the qualification here in the American once again, how we'll get home gives them we will room to say when they,

get out on their specifying there under red, timely that that was their choice. They decided not to do this, they would not, but they didn't have the option to about was their choice to stay behind and they have to deal with the consequences. I wouldn't up about read too much into that at this point. You never met a girl of many other problems and I think I think his his efforts to reassure are shorter fell flat, but I don't think he was trying to lower expectations. I am, I think he was up. There are sort of doing the only thing he could do at this point, which was to sound as if he's catching up or is caught up to two

it's on the ground and trying to imagine just I want to mention on the point about that. You can imagine there being Americans over there who don't wanna leave. There was a cable that came from. U S, embassy employs yesterday saying I would rather stay here in this, not from all other fats from saying I would rather stay here and die from both from the Taliban, then to face some of these Afghans again and have to tell them that they have to go back to the Taliban. I would rather die here with honour, then get out in a way that, on that seems like, but we're gonna get out in what way where whereby we don't do the right thing by the afghan people. Yet there are two things that are interesting going on right now. One is that we are starting to see, and I'm sure quite with by demonstration, is looking very carefully at the approval numbers, because when he gave his second press conference, you keep membrane, there was the

whereas Waldo of Vienna will he go back to Delaware? Will he not well? He won't be so he cancelled his trap and he stayed on Sunday. He spoke for the Roosevelt Room of White House, I was actually struck by the tone for all of the kind of coins military nods too. Yes, we're gonna get Americans, I will do the best. We can look at all the success we're. Having so far we're still that binds stubbornness, which is what has driven this policy. This policy making decisions from from the moment he first announce withdrawal, and he that's my job is to make judgments. No one else can or will make I made them. I'm convinced, I'm absolutely correct, did not decide to send more young women to work such as I do the same. Did she had in that first belligerent press conference, and I think that's where you It's really he and his administration are really missing the moment, because one of the interesting things you see developing just over the weekend, the massive effort on the part of the american people, private companies, private individuals, forming huge humanitarian efforts. It's not just to go as that one mother did fly over and rescue a girl all grow,

robotics t. Him then happened last week, but a massive effort to welcome and embrace afghan citizens who are able to flee and come to this country. And I, if you look at the pulling First for that, particularly for the people who were s ivy eligible people who have helped us for the past twenty years? There's really no discussion. There are only fringe elements. We don't want to see those people resettled safely in this country and the au than that. That is a moral responsibility, and I think that the latter moralising by Joe Biden. Mr empathy is really telling here, and I know a lot of people have commented on it, but I think that is the part that shows his far more stubborn and pig headed about his policy and he's not gonna, be here from that, and that's why you doesn't feel he can talk about. The moral issues at stake here are on. That point. Did something that repeatedly made me sick when he speaks about this is because, if you hit this point em on more than one

press conference, he says, look, we only went there to get Bin Laden. Bin Laden had attacked us out of Yemen. We never would have gone it after all. We have no national interest in Afghanistan. We have no interest in in preventing had of media medieval for government from selling girls, as as wives for old goat herders. It is, we have no it no interest in stopping them from toppling stone walls onto gay people, beating people on the streets dismembering them This isn't about the country that sort of that that sort of the country was founded on the idea of individual liberty has no interest in that we were, I mean than if that's the case than we have no interest in any human rights abuses around the world. Because of this now is that doesn't extreme example shape

how was I mean? How is distinct from the kind of callous indifference displayed to humanitarian concerns by the union and the Maghreb Brigade the ICES? on his right indeed area, it's the S whole country argument that's right and that in our private text, read that gathers is essentially the wedding do we have an asshole countries, doctrine which well now bit of a new cycle, as I recall around that comment more to the fact, if we don't have humanitarian concerns and yet for that, for those of you who fancy yourselves realist. Humanitarian interests are an instrument of geopolitics, of foreign policy, on an instrument of a utility for practitioners of Farm to box and governments that are hostile to the United States and end use international institutions to make your life that much more difficult one interest. We haven't making sure that this very well armed well funded a terrorist,

organization, doesnt seller, advanced surveillance, drones, China to Russia in fact invite these advisers into the country to help them to get these things to work in other gonna have to have rather sophisticated assessed. dense from our near pure competitors to figure out how to fly the helicopter attack helicopters and they ve been decreased. The fixed wing aircraft that we just left behind, stuff is gonna fall into the hands of foreign agents, an foreign governments who are gonna get up technology and help them to use it to secure their regime, but also, obviously to prevent the devil, the recapitulation of Al Qaeda, and it's like and that's another thing, the job I'd like to talk about you know the ISIS elements that are completely opposed to the Taliban and earth are soaring enemies. Shore you know that doesn't make a lot of sense either. Certain factions that are certain facts that are not but tat. The Taliban has never renounced and maintains ties with open

which is the sunni terror. As is ice, has the sunni terror of both of them have entered terrors for politics? but generally there they are united by a foreign enemy, and that's it that's the second thing The Joe Biden said that was immediately contradicted by his own administration. Over the weekend is Al Qaeda not a big deal, and I I believe it was didn't. again or Sullivan one of the two of them. I think what is it in one of the papers? owing to weaken, blinking and nod, offender Biden Anna but one of them said actually that's not true We know that alcohol is a serious threat and there is in fact, in the risk of an imminent attack on on the people outside the airport, because that would obviously be in place at the world's iser. Currently watching it would be a huge it's a kind of thing. The terrorists exotic look for is an opportunity to make a point on the world stage and they are going to

preparing to do that according to its own actual security advisers, even though he himself said that wasn't the case? Will there is little dramatic news overload in a yet another piece of dramatic and was over the weekend in that it was reported that the Taliban put the hockey network in charge of security in Kabul? The canyon at work is a sort of like go between between the Taliban and Al Qaeda economy and Al Qaeda are our unbelievably closer train together they have held up in London, they re a. U S designated our organization with several billion our bounty under on information leading to its leader. This is who's running security in Kabul right now, literally, a terrorist organisation designated so bye bye,

It states fought for us three letters, maintaining our security if we are not mere beholden to The magnificence of this terrorist organisation, which is pretty pretty demoralising. I'm willing to talk briefly about this extended deadlines, and the Talibans red line that with that their setting, which is an equally infamous phrase, but briefly, I do want to talk to you about your sheets. The little things we do all add up to the legacy we leave behind and bowl and branch was started by a husband and wife team that wanted to create textile company that cared about the details that would make their proper last you'll feel the difference in their best selling beautifully crafted signature sheets. We all have uncompromising standards and other parts of our lives, so wise skip out on call when we spend a third of our lives, sleeping this husband and wife.

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gun everybody out of Afghanistan. Everybody who to get out everyday goods and get out of this Being that nobody, even with this work a flying ten thousand people per day. Even if that we can keep up that pace, we will still not be sleep with this evacuation effort for Afghans alone. nothing of the american citizens, we have no idea where they are, how many they are and how to get them out by August thirty. First, Pressure is on Joe Biden, this press conference yesterday, Sunday, two or three of the questions that he took up the for. I think that attack or about extending this deadline. And he said quote, discussions are ongoing about extending. We hope we won't have to extend according to the G7 meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, where a british prime

Boris Johnson has already said very publicly that we are going to do everything we can to force Washington to expend extend this deadline. Joe Biden was asked about that. He said quote, we'll see what we can. do it doesn't want to do it, really doesn't want to do it and I think, there's a lot of people. it's in there, but also likely, because our partners in peace, the Hearkening network and the Taliban have already established that they're not going to let that happen. Now. Initially, we heard from the Taliban that they were going to set September eleventh inauspiciously enough as the I'd like to get everybody every American out, at which point there, their patients with us will have reached the end point, and presumably they will begin executing attacks on american interests and Americans who are still there. there there pod picked up on the dialogue in the west, and now they seem to have set August thirty. First, as their deadline did you bring. You mentioned this that this is something of a red line for the Taliban.

tat, we need to be out by August thirty, four, first or or what those imported less Iders or this morning that someone Taliban spokesman said to sky news that that extending the deadline is a be a no, that was the ex was quote, and it is a red line for them, because extending the deadline is extending the: U S, occupation and that's not gonna happen. I remember brought disable other than it is. We are, you know, literally in a hostage situation with the Taliban and there being very tough negotiators Well, I guess you is the only one clear binding. That's like one week away right to get to even what the only way we could even feasibly get to a point where you no more people are moved through. This airport is too

Enlarge the entry points to the airport, which means pushing the Taliban back from the perimeter of the airport, which requires troop engagement with the Taliban, we have to send arch out there and secure really secure the airport, not just secure the interior of the appropriate, secure the entrance and exit points for the airport, which we have never controlled, and I think that that the idea that the again that the position weakness from which we are now standing in this country, IRAN We again, though, that I didn't love cease arbitrary p, arduous. deadlines. Remember the July fourth you'll finally be it'll be independence day, and then you know obviously Delta scrap that plan plan D. It's a weird sort of I'm dead stay on message. I'm discipline, I think he mistakes stubbornness for discipline when right now the flexible way to approach this is to say you know what we we try to do it. Anyway. It didn't work now we're doing this other way we gotta keep getting people out. We ve got expand that effort, because the clock is ticking we

but not going to negotiate with us, but he wants to come indeed, you administration ministrations continuing this fiction, Taliban has a legitimate organization that advocating faith on behalf of its people. They are slaughtering right now. Any people who worked through they can find our hunting door to door. People who worked with the Americans contractors the american military and they are killing them They are already doing this. We know this from reporting on the ground and the bite demonstration is acting as if they can just you know, only listen to what the Taliban PR people are saying and believe it. Yes, yes, Joe Biden said that the Taliban has by and large, held up their end of the of the deal that was his. That was his quiet I know a lot about the rails, The second is the Taliban gonna be able to deny. The Taliban has a fundamental choice to make, as the Taliban gonna be able to unite and provide for the people of Afghanistan and if it does, gonna need everything from additional

in terms of economic assistance and trade, a whole range of things, so we doing for these, people are worried, I mean clearly just gobs of cash, obviously, but recognition. recognition of the government, diplomatic relations. What are we promising these people and an If so, I am with the american public, accept something like that. The diplomatic recognition of this. You can barely call it a regime to sort of a cabal that sir, that's a present itself. As a governing entity with no real interest in in again, making itself into some sort of vex him leave a Westphalia state. Will that said that that goes back to the comment that we discuss quite a bit and I think we should continually be brought to the public's mind any time these discussions that come from binds mouth is

the Talibans going through an existential crisis, no they're not going to an existential crisis. We are clearly at us we're having an existential crisis here and Biden continuing and insisting again the stubbornness, the temperamental upon but she is taking is one that assumes in his actually quite talk about, imperialist, it's very imperial is its. I assume that these people think and feel and believed the same things I do and Argo they want be like us, no, they don't. They ve made that more than clear they made that clear when they were in power. Twenty years ago- and it made it clear now, despite their sort of fledgling,

Pierre and marketing campaign, which is kind of astonishing to see so many people in the West, except wanting it didn't, I'm sorry I can't watch. Is it breathe it? We couldn't have left them in a better position than the simple fact that they they immediately took. Complete control governing patrol the country is one thing we bequeath them tons of enough equipment and weaponry and vehicles and aircraft for it for an army free of charge, we're going to give them as no says godson gobs of cash, and God knows what else perhaps recognition

perhaps the regulator that vigour they heard they have never been less crisis, have reacted in their existence. This is literally the best position to tell them has ever been in whereas proceed. You say the existential crisis is on this in very much is because this is a moment where it's your people, looking at it from saying what? What are we, what what is, what is the purpose of of of the United States abroad and will end with what? What what are what sort of force armies must be in the world right now and at what do our allies think about about what we're doing, which is another aspect of what but Joe Buttons, prison officers over the weekend and his omissions. By the way we should mention deputy. One of the things he was asked about was how, where he feels about criticism

from our allies, and he said he was unaware of any criticism from our allies over this. And then there is the report that, in the Biden, cop record of his discussion with met Emmanuel Mccrone, he omitted microns leaning very heavily into the moral obligations of the United States and his allies and in getting people out of Afghanistan, but this one one little added to this point as it is really important, the de again to the lack of discussion of values, virtues Moreover, these are the things that I know there's a huge argument among foreign policy talks about whether that should drive foreign policy or real politician, but Biden, and his administration are acting as if only the strategic thing matter, and I think the american people are responding vigorously and, in some cases, angrily that no there's up there are principles at stake here, even if we have.

That we didn't wanna be enough forever war as its call. There are principles. There are things we do and don't do as Americans and thats the part that binding is still missing. He's not spoken to that at all known. His administration has spoken to that working. People are responding on their own with efforts to show that, and I sure hope he starts listening here. We should talk about a little bit about what happened on the Sunday shows regarding the comment, the job made on Friday about have not been privy to any international condemnation, much the opposite. In fact, this is. We were storing american leadership in the world which, lead at least Chris Wallace reviewing secretary of State Tony blanket to say what the heck is, the president is depressed and even aware of what's happening out there. Are you ve seen what what are you doing where you showing him? This obvious condemnation ever seen from the gun, in Germany and France and the parliament, which formerly condemned the president's enjoyable and Anthony

item Lincoln said something to the effective Funding to this as the president in the loop said. This is an emotional time for everyone. Now. Do you want Clip I mean it was, it was bizarre and out of context, you would think he was talking about the president that the president is emotional right now or something along those lines. If you watch that clip, I think, It is clear that, for he was referring to were our allies that he was talking about how our allies were overcome. with a cloud in emotional outburst. At this moment it's just the sort of thing that You can imagine the Trump administration getting anywhere in approaching away with like getting at the orbit of getting away with something like that. It would be its own new cycle, unknown outrage cycle and look The best actor in the world can't make a bad script good. we all working off a really bad script right now, but that seemed atrocious to me:

wise. We have at long last gotten acknowledgement from the Pentagon. the Americans are being beaten by the Taliban on the way to getting into this airport, quote from sectors. Defence Lloyd in some Americans are having a tough time getting into this airport, but Arrow Kirby, who suspended on US spokesperson, got into a little bit more detail about it. With an embassy news reporter Accordant Coolby, he was asked what journalist and was talking about regarding more detail about what Americans are experiencing in their efforts to get through these barricades is Taliban run barricades, and he said the following, that it wasn't just Americans that he talked about that. I've been harassed and, in some cases, beaten. We I believe it is a very large number. I quote by and large, most Americans who have their credentials

are being allowed through Taliban checkpoints into the gate and onto the airfield now, coffee out it not do it again. We are aware of sporadic cases where they aren't being allowed and where there is some harassment going on and guess some physical violence has occurred. sort of nonchalant acknowledgement of the fact that american citizens are being beaten by the talent noted in Malaysia. We're going rather grass right exactly just it's. Just the in the universe is speeding up its an act of God. And these are these are the these. Are our partners increase right? These are the people who are ensuring our safety and our security and all this industry. want so desperately is to avoid one per getting a hot head and firing off a couple mortars onto the airfield in disgust disabling, the airfield that that's a real, genuine security concern for this administration and seems to be all their worried about, and they just want. You run out this clock, but, as we said before,

the clock may run out on them. as far as its the Taliban and our allies of both of whom are exerting extreme pressure and two different directions, and so or the administration seem set aside with the Taliban now you gonna tell our allies to go sucker ex right, either they're scared to death. I mean you know: I'm scared to death, because he's he's put the: U S in a position to be at the total mercy of of the town man had so if he challenges them in any way be taught stuff in any way.

If, if there is really forward leaning ideas about military operations, there he's scared that that would put Americans are at greater risk. I mean so. He cannot act like a tough commander in chief at a time when that is what we need, because he is tied his own hands on theirs. I cannot pretend it very tough and he's talking he's talking. Tough is talking talking to capitulate Teresa The item is very, very firmly committed to defeat and working. You get TAT, exact, belligerent some defeat. He's talking tough, like two Americans in the sense that like what I did this thing you got a deal that's all right right right now, That's something that I don't know if you said offline or online, but I do want to get into a briefly before we go into the next added that you in the something really beginning to frustrate. It was how he said think how he says things like look ahead.

ways to make. It was either get out of Afghanistan now or set on board. February. Yes, that's, though, those are the two choices You said he ass well, go on all rejoice out now boys. Yes, I guess what I one other thing that I think again the Gulf is forming between what the american people I wanna know, and do you know about the Taliban and what's going on Afghanistan verses, what we're being told by the US administration is is ever widening and one of the things I think a lot of average Americans think about is or whose, charged the Taliban and our friends. The free begin had a great peace today describing wanted, people who is now one of the top leaders in the Taliban in Kabul now and it's a guy. We had a Guantanamo, one of our own. You know the liberal lawyers got out and argued on behalf of he claimed. You is just like a simple shopkeeper. He was someone who helped Americans will now he's sooner. It got a major powers

power couple that we let him go so there's a lot of questions like that. There are domestic issues that Americans will want to hear from the bottom industry now he's gonna say it wasn't me, but you know rub: let's not forget, he hasn't just been in charge for a couple of months. He was the vice president, United States for eight years for for almost half of this war. So I think that is another thing that weirdly they're, just pretending wasn't the cakes, nobody what about that any work. I've ever tell you that he wasn't at first enthusiastic about nation building in Afghanistan. He was he believed he spoke about those short. If you know, either the stupidity of the fear of of trying to do to get over. There may now that I've never using the various actions I can't be afraid of the phrase nation building or else will lose and guess what turns out. He was right, tat, its approach, there are more domestic issues to worry about than from Afghanistan, then than just political sentiment.

There is also your investments if you think Afghanistan has absolutely no impact on the economy thinking. an Kevin has it at National Review has a very interesting piece on how The implosion of Afghanistan will have the effect, it could have on the market, so much bigger, ripple effect if we start seeing American near pure competitor, think that maybe they have a window of opportunity to seize on earth. weakness and take back some territory, for example, that they, like you start to see. China makes and those in the street. You think that I can have any impact on the markets think again and if meeting if you want to know what the future holds for you. We can't recommend dividend CAFE. dot com highly enough, the DC diet, the DC today, calm run by our friend David Bondsman at the bonds and group, a by coastal financial services, firm with three billion under management,

is the antidote to the intellectual, spaghetti of the financial services and management industry. Go check it out today and be prepared for what's coming in the future and we know the main administration has not been especially keen on. Foresight. We finally got some small numbers this week to the extent that Poland's are even remotely Interesting or predictive? But that's all we got that we finally got I'm busy news at a pull out that Joe Biden still in a pretty decent position. George, The public still approves of the job he is doing, however, the job reproval rating It gets on Afghanistan, which again is it. Broke eel interest of profound interest us, but it will become a bigger political headache for this administration, as this disaster unfolds as we anticipated unfold, but already embassy news has the present approval rating on the execution of withdrawals.

I'm and neatly measly twenty five percent, just a quarter of the public says they approve of this thing. which is staggering. Considering our polarized era, but CBS News had a much the seriousness and you had a much more overarching look at the political situation developing as a result of the Afghanistan withdraw. So far, removal of U S. Troops from Afghanistan has gone quote very badly somewhat badly somewhat? Well, the number well, who say either very or somewhat badly is seventy four percent and handling of Ghana withdrawal from Afghanistan in July it was sixty forty issue, the public approved of it today. Fifty three percent disapprove. Forty seven Biden's overall job approval raining. Fifty fifty just down eight points from July fifty eight percent approve and only forty two

sent disapproved of his handling an office all handle all his entire job in office items actions and for as president, in April fifty six percent said he was competent, focused and fifty five percent city was effective. Today. Only forty nine percent say competent. Forty eight percent say focused forty seven percent say effective. More is the United States doing enough to help Afghans leave the country sixty percent say we're, not doing that from our fifty nine percent, say we're not doing enough. Did Joe Biden Havoc They are planned for evacuating civilians, two thirds of the poor, saying no again believing their own eyes over but the bind the ministrations has been telling them, which is that they plan for every contingency, as though reactivating the civil defence force that we haven't used since the Berlin airlift is every contingency and with Taliban control terrorism as a threat to the United States will increase decrease stay the same,

sixty percent, say it will increase the way the Eu S has removed troops has gone badly, a total of seventy four percent of gray, and that includes sixty two percent of Democrats. Seventy six percent of independence and almost ninety percent of Republicans. So I guess it doesn't really surprised. The question is the relevance of this issue to the end. Eric and electorate, is the fondest unspoken hope of Joe Biden boosters in the press that the public will first of all they they thought that they make another gaunt care about this, that they want out natal care, how the guy that was they were dead wrong and that I think everybody can acknowledge that accept them. Well now. They're fondest hope is that the american political, care it'll, get a little bit better, maybe there we want. A casualty is maybe we'll stop seeing the humanitarian crisis unfolding inside and outside the airport forgot to mention

in the last segment that Alley Rogan reporter of written BC. Answer PBS news. Our reported that the people are asking airport officials to leave the airport to go back into the city of Kabul and take their chances with the Taliban because of quote unsatisfactory conditions. Clear support. reporting on this before she left CNN report, a collision Clarissa war, talking about how food access. Sporadic people are on the ground for days on end. They don't really have access to clean water. She can't even begin to describe to you with the bathrooms. Looked like a piece of humanitarian aid and people are trampled to death, and obviously people were crushed and trampled to death. Tens. when I was looking like a couple highlighted it. It is a humanitarian crisis that were presiding over so the binding booster types think this law blow over it'll go away and eventually Americans will get back in touch with their parochialism and their comforts and their desire to just ignore. What's happening.

for here in and settle into a comforting placid governing consensus right. Well, what would absolutely right? That is what they think. What they still have going for them, though, is that, in those pole, numbers also shows that support for getting out of Afghanistan in general is still on their side. Most Americans still say that that was the right thing to do, just not not to have been done this way, which is interesting to me in light of the number that said, The Americans see the threat of terrorism in America rising as a result of this will that that which speaks actually up the broader concern. I think that the Democrats, and certainly the

demonstrations should have come up from a purely cynical political standpoint. Right now, he was elected to put the adults back in charge to handle competently without drama, without tweeting all of the crises that that that the country face so how has he done created a border crisis at the south. With his rhetoric and his policies, He has not handled covered as well as he promised he would. bungled mix messaging continued from the cdc you not. The cdc was basically captured by teachers unions in terms of its policy, making a lot of signals that he actually wasn, Competent as he claimed he was gonna, be and then creation of a crisis by his own hand, in Afghanistan that, despite you know again. I actually think that number is interesting because long term people Americans are capable of some long Thank you for not good at it. We tend not to be long term fingers and strategies in this way, but I think it's perfectly rational that the average American

can look at what they're saying on tv listen to what's being said to them by the Bush administration and say we should I ve gotten out, and this is a disaster that is a competency issue. It's what you always speaking too, when he was a guess on the show the other week. This is what the job president, is his administration supposed to handle. Things are not supposed to create. New crises is created several already, involving kind of foreign investors and interference, and he hasn't spoken as if you Knowledge is that the crises were of his own making or even something that he's dealing with. We haven't even talked about our southern border in and what, over a month on the show- and it is a serious issue going on there- that's gonna come back certainly to bite. The Democrats, in the mid term elections, but he's gonna have serious complications for him when he went and if he runs for reelection twenty twenty four guarantees extent than anybody is interested in, and this is something that Joe, on Sunday in his brief press conference, Is that he's undermining that argument? By saying

This was always gonna happen, no matter how we got out, you were who is going to have a humanitarian crisis, you are always going to have families being separated, you're always gonna have violence and death. You were always gonna have scenes of heart breaking a human right. Witness on your television screen, always it was unavoidable. So why did you do with so? Why did you do it, then? and obviously gather the notion here is that the american public wanted this. They wanted this now and they didn't care how it happened. Joe Biden is out there saying this What you wanted this I don't not entertained. This is exactly what you want from me, and I giving you precisely what they wanted, not thinking that perhaps That undermines the rationale that the american Voting public was previously committed to, and if this keeps going now, I think

I do think by them and gets worse, which we anticipate it will. At least I anticipate a well, especially since we cannot get the untold thousands of Americans in this country out at a certain time frame. They are essentially going to be consigned to at least a hostage crisis. If not something much worse, then I'm than yet The notion here that that that's, that is, a firm, solid understanding of the american political, dynamic, They wanted out of Afghanistan, and they always one I have constantly was- will one out of Afghanistan. Why? Wouldn't that be a little bit more fluid, then people think it could be? Oh yeah, I mean I wouldn't a spate of people for the probably has happened already, but we will continue to act. as if they never wanted out carrying out, there has been reserved the right to be totally inconsistent hypocrites on every issue well and think about it. That August thirty first deadline. I think it's extremely chilling that the Taliban has said this is a red line, because

I have so far from their perspective, not exercised their power against us, yet they then you know the partners in pieces as Noah says witches, which sounds like something out of four well quite frankly, but they will then have given themselves permission to deflect. Their muscle, a little bit right after August thirty. First, what they're doing is legitimate right. They control the country. They set the stand but they gave us all this time to do what we needed to do, and we are just not abiding by this agreement that some play, so why? Wouldn't they? Wouldn't you do the same if someone was an arbours me they're, gonna, make all those arguments are going to use the sort of language of injury, National line, and and and the procedure against us The binding restriction is an acting as panic that women do not want to see them the panic, but they don't seem to the. They seem to think that a bluff, I dont know what their thinking, but that was chilling to see that line, and I usually, as we can, going in at least a contingency right. I mean

the event that Taliban were since its beneficence and this airport doesnt become isn't as off. As it is today, and even that's in a limited, limited amount of operations, but still its operational. What if its operational capacity is interrupted, or because they thought a couple of mortar shells on the runway and just disable the place. What is our contingency plan for that? I don't see how we get Americans out of this country until we start establishing safe zones all over it. Hurrah Missouri Sharif, Kandahar, half a dozen other places that the Americans probably still are I don't see how you do that without the six alive and see how we do that without the operational restoring operations to Barbara Airbus but that would require much more significant deployment and obviously this administration has no interest. Map again no contingencies in place for win from not if but when they I presume, combat operations against Taliban positions, which throws this whole whole thing anyway

but I can only they seem to be operating under the assumption that they can get as many people as possible by August thirty first and anybody they dont get out. behind I can't imagine how Americans will accept it. that really is a bet on it. And public being so traded and callous and inured to two too, circumstances and in Afghanistan and generally welcoming of american decline generally in all around just as long as we have a good manager of american decline that there'll be happy about. This seems like a bad debt to me. It doesn't it doesn't speak to the american political ethic? Will. not one. I am familiar with the ambit of John on this point is not here today, but he is said before that. There's no way the administration is going to leave him there It's behind. I think, that's true or leave it. If that's the case, I'm sorry I'm interacting about. If that's the case you

combat operations against Taliban resume August, thirty one, whereas the proper preparation for that. Oh, I think they're gonna have the damned is time trying to do it. I think that that's that's where you know the rubber meets the road. That's that's! That's gonna be when our real nightmare starts up, but it, but I dont think there. I don't think the idea is well. We couldn't do it so their stock. I dont think that is the bed. Actually I think there are. There they don T quite know how they're gonna pull it off. Nor do I, but I hope, you're right, but that that the rhetoric coming from that that the sort of weird acceptance up the decline that were already in on so many fronts, not just not just have to understand, but the sort of covered stymie that the weird sort of well- ok, in just just kind of gambling on that. The shambolic tone

to so much of this administration which ran on being the opposite of that I mean that's. The part where I just did it just does not feel like the adults are in charge. It feels like that I don't know slackers are in charge. You kind of good then turn and become very belligerent, an attack. Anyone who goes you know things aren't going so well work from where I stand United, I have to say it right. You're supposed to suppress those thoughts. Wimbledon came out another losing track of time here, but this must have been about. We can have to escape to talk about something positive and I don't remember what it was Some vaccine development, or maybe jobs, numbers the fact you can think of what it was telling us what cause. I would someone asked him about Afghanistan before before this before the before the disaster has really done under way and buds come on man. I want to talk about happy things. Ah,

are we who doesn't really? I mean I hate to play the if that was Trump game, but I mean you know, that's that's the kind of disconnect astounding disconnect from from just real leadership and facts on the ground at that that we were supposed to have been getting out of you can Happy talk people willing to throw their babies over a razor wire fence into the hands of foreign soldiers. You cannot happy talk that there, no wait happy talk that end. If you try your sort of a monster. I think it was always gonna be missing look, it's all very disquieting and discomfitting, but you know, what's very comforting the exchequer, the x There is at the forefront of home and office seeding during this transition. And now the extra newest patient elements. Temperature regulation will take your seeding cover

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well you're working go to Exchequer commentary, dot com. Now, that's the letter ex share commentary, dot com or call one, a four four four x chair to save a hundred dollars off your order. Ex chair has the thirty the guarantee of complete comfort, and can finance your purchase for as little as thirty dollars a month go to exchequer commentary now and use the code ex wheels for free ex we'll blame casters Ex chair commentary, dot com, so it's not related to have, but it briefly want to touch base with a little bit of domestic news because there is some of it and it is then, Emily related Afghanistan, because really everything's orbiting around the issue of Afghanistan. Right now- as infrastructure. The house gets a turn. It gets its own bided. The apple now August. Tenth the Senate passed a series of rules votes around the coup in public.

Deal which is this three point. Five trillion dollar exercise in democratic wish, casting their entire here again rolled into this one deal ends moderates now. The moderates in the house who Nancy Policy is trying to corral, are demanding The vote on the hard infrastructure deal before they get the rules on the budget, but now this is only a rules. This is not passing the infrastructure. Hard hard infrastructure deal did pass the Senate and the budget deal is a reconciliation process which is us arcane budget maneuver. It's gonna go back and forces is only a rules vote before they get into the degree of it in the fall still moderate are saying we need this vote on hard infrastructure. Before we get the budget vote. Nancy policy doesn't want that. She doesn't really have their boats now, but I guess the safe money is there. she will somehow be able to and sent cajole com

EL harass annoy do whatever she can't get her caucus in line. That seems to be the where the good money is where the smart money is, but Maybe not me, These moderates are a little more reticent, to throw themselves on the pyre? Then leadership would like, with like Nancy Policy has certainly loss to step so do they do they hold out again? nobody's thinking they will. They think it's just a maneuver I don't know what to think, but do you guys think that they're gonna hold out well, they So there is it out they published an ad in the washing posts at the weekend. I was pretty firmly worded, but two, other things are going on here. One is that this discussion about the sort of moderate speaking to reporters off the record are signalling that perhaps the Democrats should reconsider, holding infrastructure hostage under this budget? This this wish casting as you call it because of

Ghana, stand so that now change the bit of the debate. But the other thing is that outside groups that support the progressives, you know that the sort of squad types are directly in Canada. Viciously attacking the moderates, so they can Justice Democrats, which is the group they got a yo, see and others elected have put out. These adds calling them the mud squad and claiming May one likes to literally still food from babies emits ridiculous, but is the kind of thing when you see coalitions going after their moderates in this way, is it signals that that that the fight is gonna be This could be a lot of doubling down on both sides, so I'm not sure Pelosi who his cave to the squad and to it para of political organizations. Time and time again actually has the wherewithal to do it. I mean she spent the weekend. Napa raising money with you know in a scene that look like the brie make up get out, I mean was shocking, is the kind of over there

little monochromatic, exactly very diverse. So I'm not sure I agree with you know: she's really lost a step and it's not clear how she's gonna threat this needle especially with the added confusion of democratic I need a win this Afghanistan situation, honey, but this the dividing administrations legacy, did they don't move forward with, as if this, dies as a result of democratic votes, and we don't even know the extent of the final product that will pass the Senate and we still have a curse and Cinema Joe Mansion. Making noise is about Three point: five trillion being too much. I can imagine just a few of these items being stripped from the final package. Then maybe it ends up being two trillion one point: five trillion who know split done something more palatable to moderate members seems like it's in there. In the Senate. So in a wood, these moderates, even in sacrifice put so much focus on themselves and sacrificed their standing within got a coalition when they

It probably just gonna, be bailed out by the focus of every progressives absolute on tat, tethered rage, incentive, Joe Mansion Pearson Cinema. Why would they stick their necks out if that's what they're, unless it such an absolute political imperative for them too, to stand athwart this thing for them for their voters back home. While the DC has also supposedly started coming, they say applying pressure. What they mean is threatened to hold hostage money that these moderates will need for reelection. Also whose suggesting that they are trying to bring down the hammer on these guys and and you're right that strategically they might just decide to bail because they do have this protection in the sun it. But I don't know, I mean in a weird way, if you have to go back to your voters this year and talk to them about what you stand for in the Democratic Party and its and its leader biting looked to be in complete, incompetent ray- I don't know for some of these- for some of these folks- are in very purple districts. It might get

worthwhile message to say you know what I just it was too much money to spend. You guys are so bring your pay tax are not covering things that they used to cover because of inflation. Covert is wrong, the problem I mean, I don't know- I think it's wishful thinking at this point Phil. I expect them to back down because their modest part citys you know. I don't know what the hell they die on and we're just not we're just not there in some we discuss before it will do if they were wherever the cultures that were just not there it in Washington, where you can say anywhere in the democratic orbit. No I've had enough of of thee. Of of the of the radical talk and read spending and policy ideas. I think, ultimately, they back down ended, ended they'll, be on record as having registered some objection to it along.

Disapproval, I mean maybe it's it's possible and I will stipulate that it is probably wishful thinking on my part to suggest the following, but you know in if this cancer, a real all hands on deck crisis, and we start getting. I feel like the administrations. One saving grace here is that there is no video of european citizens, passport holders being beaten by the Taliban. If there was it would be all over the news. There would be no suppressing get to the point where it would be that one of these iconic images and that's where the only thing that's keeping this administration from the gates of a nightmarish political crisis. Domestic political crisis, and if that arises from the press, haven't derailing the dam. The domestic agenda is to me very real what are they gonna say or we can walk into a gun at the same time? No, you can't quite clearly you can't walk or chewing gum.

in whatever combination of those two activities like to do, them are overwhelming you at the present time so that we can move forward with us until we see some some resolution, some resolve at least to resolve the crisis. Now. Is that likely grubbing up probably wishful thinking on my part. Nevertheless, I can, I can see it materializing, at least within It s about handling, played out completely wrong. None of you gave me above it would not be delicate, yeah, ok, clearly now Iraq crushing voracity again wins out, as it always does on this package and we ll leave you with that for today August twenty third Monday in the year, twenty twenty one we'll be back tomorrow tentatively, the illustrious prolific author, Friend of the show bench of Euro will be joining us in the programme tomorrow. If he doesn't, don't blame me we'll talk

about the stall tomorrow and another episode Commentary magazine Pack has four Christine and aid the absent John by words on nor Rossman, keep the candle burn?