Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared on Meet the Press on Sunday to double down on Biden’s ‘knock on wood’ strategy in Afghanistan. Blinken said the U.S. State Department will be “looking to” the Taliban to guarantee safe passage out of the Islamic terrorist state.
“You may have seen that just yesterday, a very senior Taliban official went on television and radio across the country and repeatedly assured people in Afghanistan that they would have the freedom to travel after August 31,” Blinken said.
“He even specifically said, those that work for the Americans and those that want to leave for whatever reason will have that freedom,” he continued.
“Now, of course, we don’t take the Taliban at their word,” he added. “We take them by their deed. And that is what we are going to be looking to.”
“We have more than a hundred countries, 114 countries, who signed onto a statement we initiated making clear the international community expects the Taliban to make good on a commitment to let people continue to leave the country, after August 31,” Blinken went on.
“That freedom of travel is essential to the international community’s expectations to the Taliban going forward,” he said.
The temporary halting of flights comes amid a new State Department warning for Americans to stay away from Kabul airport, as a new terror attack is impending.
“U.S. State Department urges U.S. citizens to leave area of Kabul airport immediately, citing specific, credible threat,” the AP reported on Saturday night. Taliban forces also “sealed off Kabul’s airport” on Saturday, the AP reported elsewhere.
U.S. veteran and Congressman Dan Crenshaw further commented on the situation at Kabul airport.
“America, you need to know this: Biden is not letting US citizens through the airport gates,” Crenshaw said on Twitter. “It has been impossible to get anyone through for the last 24 hours. This administration has been lying about their intent to save Americans. Unforgivable.”
On Saturday, Glenn Beck put out the warning on Instagram that Kabul airport was in the process of being shut down.
“The Kabul airport is finished. No more humanitarian flights. Turn off your phone and find safe shelter. The Nazarene Fund will not be issuing any more updates as we and others go dark. We will not forget you. Stay alive and trust in God and miracles. You will see them. Until then TNF reminds you ‘look up’. He sees you and will never leave your side,” Beck wrote on Instagram.
A NATO statement released by a New York Times editor said that the group has also ceased evacuations from Kabul airport.
NATO statement:
We regret to inform you that international military evacuations from Kabul airport have ended and we are no longer able to call anyone forward for evacuation flights. We will keep lists of all of you who have registered ….— Herbert Buchsbaum (@herbertnyt) August 29, 2021
The Secretary of State’s cajoling of the evil, murderous Taliban to ‘do the right thing’ because of a strongly worded letter from the international community is entirely divorced from reality.
At least Blinken acknowledges that the ‘freedom to travel‘ is a fundamental pillar of human of human rights and freedoms. It’s too bad that the Taliban does not believe the same.
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OPINION: This article contains commentary which reflects the author's opinion.