re: Taliban has taken Kabul. Terrorist attack at Airport at least 12 marines confirmed killed

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Pentagon contradicts Biden MINUTES after his fumbling speech by saying Americans HAVE been attacked by the Taliban on the way to Kabul airport and al-Qaeda IS still present in Afghanistan 

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Pentagon and State Department contradict Biden 

1:49pm ET: Joe Biden begins his remarks from the East Room of the White House.

He says that he believes all Americans who want to get into the airport and leave have been able to.

'We have no indication that they haven't been able to get — in Kabul — through the airport. We've made an agreement with the Taliban. Thus far, they've allowed them to go through.'

He also says that al-Qaeda has been wiped out in Afghanistan.

'What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al Qaeda gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al Qaeda in Afghanistan, as well as — as well as getting Osama bin Laden. And we did.'

 

Around 2:20pm ET: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley hold a conference call with members of Congress.

Austin, according to reports, directly contradicted Biden's assurance that they had 'no indication' there was any trouble for Americans wanting to get to Kabul airport.

'We're also aware that some people, including Americans, have been harassed and even beaten by the Taliban,' Austin said on the call, according to multiple sources.

'This is unacceptable and [we] made it clear to the designated Taliban leader.' 

?

2:30pm ET: Pentagon press secretary John Kirby briefs the media.

Kirby was asked about Austin contradicting the president.

He said that the U.S. has told the Taliban that it wants 'free passage through these checkpoints for documented Americans.'

'By and large, that's happening,' he added.

Kirby was also asked about al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

'We know that al-Qaeda is a presence, as well as ISIS, in Afghanistan,' he said.

'And we've talked about that for quite some time.

'But we don't have an exact figure for you. It is not like they carry ID cards. And our intelligence gathering ability in Afghanistan isn't what it used to be.'

It was then pointed out to him that Biden said al-Qaeda had been wiped out in Afghanistan.

Kirby replied: 'We don't think - we believe there isn't a significant presence to merit a threat to our homeland, as there was back on 9/11 twenty years ago.'  

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Kirby replied: 'We don't think - we believe there isn't a significant presence to merit a threat to our homeland, as there was back on 9/11 twenty years ago.'

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Jack Posobiec Flag of United States
@JackPosobiec

SecDef Austin bad blood with Biden is real. Sick of being thrown under the bus. Doesn’t want to go down with this Admin and he is making moves.

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