White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was grilled during Tuesday’s press briefing over the administration’s disaster in Afghanistan.
Psaki said that completion of the operation to evacuate U.S. citizens depended “on continued coordination with the Taliban,” adding that Biden has requested contingency plans from the Pentagon.
She later added that the evacuations would stop before the August 31 deadline so there was time to get U.S. forces out of the country. Psaki did not know whether the deadline was at midnight on August 30 or 31 and whether it was U.S. time or Afghanistan time.
When asked about at least one example of a person who was fleeing Afghanistan that had ties to ISIS, Psaki claimed that the administration had a “stringent vetting process, which includes background checks.”
When confronted about people who are in Afghanistan, who are saying that they are “stranded,” Psaki solicited the media to forward her contact information of anyone who was in Afghanistan and having a hard time getting out.
WATCH:
After Doocy finished, Doocy countered with 🔥🔥: "You say no Americans are stranded. This is someone in Kabul who says I'm stranded. So, is there a better word for somebody that can't leave the house to get to the airport b/c Jake Sullivan says ISIS outside the airport?" pic.twitter.com/VUm4XC8eAE
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 24, 2021
“I would say that this is now on track to be the largest airlift in U.S. history,” Psaki said. “And that is bringing American citizens out. It is bringing our Afghan partners out. It is bringing allies out. So, no, I would not say that is anything but a success.”
As thousands of Americans are stranded in Afghanistan, Jen Psaki says she wouldn’t describe the withdrawal as “anything but a success.” pic.twitter.com/lSxyJj8UDV
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 24, 2021
Later during the press conference, Psaki appeared to suggest that some Americans could be left behind:
REPOTER: Okay. Say after the withdrawal is done, it’s declared, it’s done, everyone’s out, if one U.S. citizen was suddenly discovered saying, “Hey, I really want to get out and I’m stuck,” who knows where, somewhere in Afghanistan or in Kabul, he’s got any problem, would this trigger a diplomatic, military, all hands on deck type thing to get to that person out, whatever the date?
PSAKI: Our commitment continues to be to U.S. citizens. If they want to leave, we will help get them out.
REPORTER: No matter of what the date?
PSAKI: Again, we expect there could be some, but I’m not going to get into it further. Go ahead.
WATCH:
Jen Psaki refuses to say what Biden would do if Americans are left behind after all U.S. troops leave Afghanistan.
“We expect there could be some but I’m not going to get into it further” pic.twitter.com/yrxGq4tsQz
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 24, 2021
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Source: Dailywire
