White House Messaging On Afghanistan Gets A Massive And Rapid MakeoverShelby Talcott
Senior White House Correspondent
August 18, 2021 6:08 PM ET
The White House, amid the Taliban’s rapid takeover, has engaged in a messaging makeover as it attempts to ward off criticism over the U.S. troops’ drawdown from Afghanistan.
The Taliban quickly gained control of major cities throughout the region, entering Kabul on Aug. 15 and ultimately declaring victory. President Joe Biden denied that the swift takeover caught him and his administration off guard during a speech Monday, but his comments sharply contrasted with ones he made on July 8.
JULY 8, 2021
At the time, Biden boasted about the Afghan military forces and dismissed the Taliban’s ability to take control, declaring a takeover “not inevitable.”
“No, it is not, because the Afghan troops have 300,000 well-equipped — as well-equipped as any army in the world — and an air force against something like 75,000 Taliban. It is not inevitable,” Biden told reporters.
“The likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely,” he added.
During that speech, the president noted that “the Afghan government and leadership has to come together” and expressed confidence in their “capability to sustain the government in place.” Still, Biden said that there’s wasn’t “a conclusion that, in fact, they cannot defeat the Taliban.”
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https://dailycaller.com/2021/08/18/white-house-messaging-afghanistan-rapid-makeover/
