Biden news: Psaki shuts down GOP impeachment threat as Israel PM extends ‘condolences and deep sadness’
White House and Pentagon provide updates on response to Kabul attack as hundreds continue to be evacuated from Afghanistan
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Following a suicide bombing at Kabul airport that left 13 American service members dead and 18 wounded, among dozens of others killed, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett extended “condolences and deep sadness for the loss of American lives” during a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday.
After pledging to “hunt down” those responsible for the attack, the president was briefed by military officials on Friday on the likelihood of “another terror attack” and the “maximum force protection measures” underway at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Military officials also updated the president and vice president “on plans to develop Isis-K targets,” according to statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
“The next few days of this mission will be the most dangerous period to date,” the statement said.
Injured US service members have been transported to the US Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Isis-K, a sworn enemy of the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ms Psaki told reporters on Friday that the president has made clear “that he does not want them to live on earth anymore.”
A number of Republican lawmakers have called on the president to resign over the ongoing crisis. GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy said there will be “day of reckoning.”
Ms Psaki dismissed calls from GOP lawmakers, adding that “the backdrop” of their calls “is the men and women of the US military deployed on the ground are bravely continuing to implement a mission to save lives on the ground.”
“Yesterday they lost 13 of their own and the president made absolutely clear that we’re going to hunt down, go after and kill the terrorists who are responsible,” she said. “Everyone should be supportive of that.”
US military officials have stressed that the attack has not stopped evacuations, which will continue until the end of the month as planned. US forces have evacuated roughly 12,500 people over a 24-hour period into early Friday morning, according to the White House. Since the end of July, the US has relocated approximately 110,600 people, the White House said on Friday.
Follow live updates as they happenened
Biden: Death of US service members follows ‘worthy mission’ to evacuate people from Kabul
Biden did not answer questions on Afghanistan during a brief press appearance following a meeting with Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett but he did address the deaths of 13 US service members.
“Losing a son or daughter, a husband, a wife, is like being sucked into a big black hole in your chest and you don’t think there’s any way out,” he said.
“Our hearts go out to all those who we lost,” he added. “But look, the mission there they performed is dangerous, and now it’s come with a significant loss of American personnel. But it’s a worthy mission because they continue to evacuate folks out of the region, out of the airport. Evacuated more than 12,000 additional people out of the airport in the last 24 hours.”
Nat sec team tells Biden ‘another terror attack in Kabul is likely'
Biden met with his national security team and diplomats on Friday morning, with VP Harris joining by teleconference, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
“They advised the President and Vice President that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul Airport,” she said in a statement.
Military officials also updated the president and vice president “on plans to develop Isis-K targets,” she added.
“The next few days of this mission will be the most dangerous period to date,” the statement said. “The President reaffirmed with the commanders his approval of all authorities they need to conduct the operation and protect our troops, and all reported back that they have the resources they believe they need to do so effectively.”
Tributes paid to US Navy sailor killed in Kabul attack: ‘He was helping to save lives’
A US Navy hospital corpsman from northeast Ohio has been identified as one of the 13 US service members killed in an attack by the Isis-K terror organisation outside Kabul airport in Afghanistan.
Graig Graziosi has more:
Tributes paid to US Navy sailor killed in Kabul attack
US Navy sailor Max Soviak was from northeast Ohio
Two Republican lawmakers introduce articles of impeachment against Secretary Blinken
In a move that has no chance of success as GOP outrage continues in the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, two Republican lawmakers have introduced introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The measure from US Reps Ralph Norman and Andy Harris accuses him of “complete and utter failure of managing this avoidable catastrophe.”
One article charges Mr Blinken with dereliction of duty, accusing him of leaving “American property, military equipment and weapons in the hands of enemies of the United States” and “American citizens stranded in life threatening situations.”
Capitol riot committee demands 15 social media companies
A day after issuing subpoenas for a massive trove of documents from several federal agencies, including the White House, the House Select Committee investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol has demanded records from 15 social media companies.
The requests call for documents “related to the spread of misinformation, efforts to overturn the 2020 election or prevent the certification of the results, domestic violent extremism, and foreign influence in the 2020 election” across their platforms.
More here:
Capitol riot committee demands 15 social media companies hand over records
Letters target far-right hubs as well as Facebook, Google, Reddit and Twitter, among others
Psaki responds to GOP threats to impeach Biden
Asked whether she believes “now is not the time” for Republican lawmakers to weigh impeachment against Biden, White House press secretary said “correct.”
“The backdrop here is the US men and women of the military ... are bravely continuing a mission to save lives on the ground,” she said.
Psaki on Biden’s remarks on attackers: ‘He does not want them to live on earth anymore’
Asked to clarify Biden’s pledge to “hunt down” those responsible for the attacks that killed dozens of people in Kabul, White House press secretary said: “I think he made clear yesterday that he does not want them to live on earth anymore.”
One Afghan family’s astonishing escape from Kabul to a new life in America
The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe has this report following one family’s journey from Kabul, and a father’s fear about his family in Afghanistan.
One Afghan family’s astonishing escape from Kabul to a new life in America
Young father excited for future but worried about family still in Afghanistan, he tells Andrew Buncombe
US relationship with Taliban ‘not ideal’ but necessary to coordinate evacuations as organisation expands control
The US is both relying on coordination with the Taliban as evacuations are ongoing while also underscoring that it does not trust the organisation, White House press secretary Jen Psaki clarified on Friday.
“This is not a preferred relationship or a situation that we would have designed if we had started from scratch, I think that’s very clear,” she told reporters. “But right now we need to continue to coordinate, that’s our focus for the next couple of days.”
She added: “The reality is the ... Taliban control large swaths of Afghanistan, including the area surrounding the perimeter of the airport, so by necessity that is our option, to coordinate ... to get American citizens out, to get our Afghan partners out, to get individuals who are eligible for the range of programs the United States has out.”
Marines confirm 11th service member among those killed in Kabul
The US Marine Corps has confirmed 11 US Marines have been killed in Thursday’s attack in Kabul.
The death toll among US military includes 11 Marines, a US Army service member and one US Navy hospital corpsman. Another 18 US service members were injured.
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