The President is scheduled to speak to the nation at 1 p.m. ET from the East Room of the White House. His remarks will be broadcast live on television and online on C-Span, as well as on the White House‘s YouTube channel.
Daily Archives: 20. August 2021
Dominic Raab claims colleague couldn‘t make Afghan call due to ‚deteriorating situation‘
He said: „The UK Government’s overriding priority has been to secure Kabul airport so that flights can leave.
„The call was delegated to a Minister of State because I was prioritising security and capacity at the airport on the direct advice of the Director and the Director General overseeing the crisis response.
„In any event, the Afghan Foreign Minister agreed to take the call, but was unable to because of the rapidly deteriorating situation.“
Where was Dominic Raab? Accusations he was ‘too busy’ for Afghanistan call on Crete beach holiday, explained
It has been reported that help for interpreters who supported British troops was delayed because Mr Raab was “unavailable” to make a call to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar on Friday.
Mr Raab reportedly delegated the call to a junior minister.
Germany‘s Merkel Set for Three-day Israel Visit Just Weeks Before Stepping Down
She will hold talks with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on August 29, and meet with President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, among others, deputy government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said on Friday.
Outgoing German chancellor Merkel to visit Kyiv following Kremlin meeting
Before his Washington visit, which Mr. Zelenskyy has sought for two years beginning when U.S. President Donald Trump was in office, the Ukrainian head of state will host outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Ms. Merkel will first head to Moscow on August 20 and is scheduled to arrive in Kyiv two days later.
Meeting with Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel
Vladimir Putin and Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel, who is in Russia on a working visit, are meeting in the Grand Kremlin Palace.
Staatsbesuch in Russland – Merkel bei Putin: Viele Konfliktthemen
Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel reist inmitten massiver Spannungen zwischen Moskau und Berlin an diesem Freitag zu Gesprächen im Kreml mit dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin.
Joe Biden: UK and allies had choice to remain in Afghanistan
The Prime Minister, speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, said: „The West could not continue this US-led mission – a mission conceived and executed in support and defence of America – without American logistics, without US air power and without American might.“
Challenged on whether Nato could have continued to provide support, he said: „I really think that it is an illusion to believe that there is appetite among any of our partners for a continued military presence.“
Mr Biden‘s comments came in an interview with Good Morning America, in a section about US relations with its allies which was not ultimately broadcast.
Im still wondering why I keep seeing outraged members of Congress and the Senate yelling about this, yet they are on vacation
House Intel Committee to receive briefing on Afghanistan
The briefing, which is believed to be the first in-person meeting with lawmakers, comes as four separate congressional committees have pledged to conduct oversight efforts into the administration’s moves in withdrawing from Afghanistan.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley: “The intelligence clearly indicated that multiple scenarios were possible … there was nothing, that I or anyone else saw, that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days.“
(18.08.2021)
‘Nothing I saw indicated a collapse of this government in 11 days’: Milley on Afghanistan
(18.08.2021)
“There was nothing that I saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days.”
His comments came just one day after sources told the New York Times that US intelligence officials had been warning of a quick Taliban takeover in Afghanistan — even as President Biden was publicly downplaying the threat.
Maas kritisiert BND-Einschätzungen zu Afghanistan
Bundesaußenminister Heiko Maas (SPD) hat die Arbeit des Bundesnachrichtendienstes (BND) zu Afghanistan kritisiert. „Der BND hat offensichtlich eine falsche Lageeinschätzung vorgenommen, so wie andere Dienste auch“, sagte der Minister dem „Spiegel“ in einem am Freitag veröffentlichten Interview. Damit habe der Geheimdienst eine erhebliche Verantwortung für das außenpolitische Debakel rund um den Afghanistan-Einsatz.
Fehleinschätzung der Regierung – Kommt ein U-Ausschuss zu Afghanistan?
Politiker von Grünen, FDP und Linken behielten sich an diesem Donnerstag die Einsetzung eines solchen Gremiums im Bundestag nach der Wahl am 26. September vor.
Aus den Reihen der Linken und der AfD kamen Rücktrittsforderungen, vor allem an die Adresse von Außenminister Heiko Maas (SPD).