Gwen Baumgardner: THE TALIBAN IS DRAWING A LINE IN THE SAND.
IN A NEWS CONFERENCE TUESDAY, A TALIBAN SPOKESPERSON SAID THE U-S
NEEDS TO BE OUT OF AFGHANISTAN BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
QUESTIONS ARE SWIRLING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE AUGUST 31ST
DEADLINE IS ENOUGH TIME TO GET AMERICANS, AFGHAN ALLIES, AND THE 58-
HUNDRED TROOPS — OUT OF AGHANISTAN.
THE MESSAGE FROM THE TALIBAN — IT BETTER BE.
Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban Spokesman: “The extension was unilateral, by the side of the United States. It was a violation of the agreement. We want them to evacuate all foreign nationals by 31st August and we are not in favor of allowing Afghans to leave.”
Gwen Baumgardner: THE COMMENTS COME ON THE SAME DAY THE DIRECTOR OF THE C-I-A MET WITH THE TALIBAN’S TOP POLITICAL LEADER IN KABUL.
THE MEETING — A HISTORIC ONE — AFTER THE C-I-A SPENT THE LAST TWO DECADES TARGETING THE TALIBAN.
MEANWHILE LEADERS OF THE G-7 NATIONS MET VIRTUALLY TUESDAY — TO DISCUSS AIRLIFT OPERATIONS — WHICH ARE BECOMING MORE DESPERATE BY THE HOUR.
LEADERS WERE ALSO EXPECTED TO DISCUSS CHANGING THE DEADLINE FOR WITHDRAWAL.
Tags: Middle East Crisis