‘Most Movement out of Afghanistan Is Paused Right Now’

 Ian Bickford, president of the American University of Afghanistan, tells CBS News, “We’re advocating at every level of government. We are paying close attention to conditions to look for any opportunity to continue the resettlement of people. The fact is most movement out of Afghanistan is paused right now.”

The university had tried to get 1,200 students and staff out of the country before the U.S. forces withdrew, but only “nearly 150” got out.

It is odd to hear “most movement out of Afghanistan is paused right now,” because U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne told us that the Taliban were being “cooperative,” “flexible,” and “businesslike and professional,” and White House press secretary Jen Psaki assured us that the U.S. had “enormous leverage” over the Taliban. Why, it’s almost like what we hear from the podiums of Biden administration officials in Washington has no connection to what’s actually happening on the ground, and just want to cover over the serious, life-and-death problems with happy talk.