Topline
According to President Joe Biden, there were discussions in the administration Sunday about extending the deadline for U.S. withdrawals from Afghanistan beyond Aug. 31, amid fears that evacuations of Americans as well as Afghans who remain in the country won't be completed in time.
The US President Joe Biden addresses the nation during an update on Afghanistan and the effects of Tropical Storm Henri. This was held in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington DC on August 22, 2021. (Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images
The Key Facts
Biden spoke at the White House in confidence that Afghans still in Afghanistan will be freed despite the difficulties faced in getting there. However, he said there were discussions in the military about extending the extension. This comment is coming after Jake Sullivan, the National Security Adviser, stated earlier Sunday that many thousand Americans are still in Afghanistan. Tens of thousands of Afghans have also aided the U.S. and are waiting to leave the country. Biden stated that the U.S. military has extended its perimeter around Kabul's Hamid Karzai Airport, the main staging area for evacuations. The airport has been plagued by terrorist threats and unruly crowds. They are executing a plan in order to get people safely there. Biden was asked if the Taliban would accept an extension. However, he noted that they were cooperative in extending the perimeter. It remains to be seen if it will be requested by the U.S.
Important Background
The Taliban's quick takeover of Afghanistan earlier in the month forced the U.S. military and Americans and Afghans who remained in the country to scramble to start evacuations. Sunday's White House statement stated that more than 25,000 people had been evacuated since August 14, with 7,800 of them on Saturday.
Big Number
53%. This is the percentage of Americans who disapprove of Biden's handling of the withdrawal in a CBS News/YouGov poll. 63% of those polled support the withdrawal.
Important Quote
There is still a lot of work to do. Biden stated that there are still many things that could go wrong. He also said, "The evacuation of thousands from Kabul will be difficult and painful regardless of when it began."
