As Biden repeats claim that ‘nobody could have known’ Afghan Army would collapse, bombshell transcript from July reveals he pressured Afghan President Ghani to create 'perception' Taliban wasn't winning ‘WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR NOT’
Reuters on Tuesday released excerpts from last call between Biden and Ghani before the Afghan president fled
They talked for about 14 minutes on July 23 as the Taliban advanced rapidly
Biden told his counterpart of a perception that the fight against the Taliban was not going well
'There is a need, whether it is true or not ... to project a different picture,' he said
Comments are indication Biden knew it was matter of time before Taliban won
In months leading up to withdrawal, Biden predicted pullout would go smoothly
Neither appeared to realize just how badly things would go
Less than four weeks later the Taliban had captured Kabul
By Rob Crilly, Senior U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.Com and Ariel Zilber For Dailymail.com
Published: 18:44 EDT, 31 August 2021 | Updated: 20:22 EDT, 31 August 2021
President Joe Biden wanted the now-departed Afghan president to create the 'perception' that his government was capable of holding off the Taliban - an indication he knew it was only a matter of time before the US ally fell to the Islamic group even while reassuring Americans at home that it would not happen.
In the last phone call between Biden and his Afghan then-counterpart Ashraf Ghani, the American president said they needed to change perceptions of the Taliban's rapid advance 'whether it is true or not,' according to excerpts published on Tuesday.
Four weeks before Kabul collapsed, Ghani pleaded for more air support and money for soldiers who had not had a pay rise in a decade.
A transcript obtained by Reuters reveals two leaders oblivious to the impending disaster and an American president focused on spinning the message.
'I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,' Biden said.
'And there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture.'
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9945031/Biden-told-Afghan-President-needed-change-perception-Talibans-rapid-advance.html