Sunday shows – Afghanistan’s collapse in the spotlight
by The Hill staff
The collapse of Afghanistan’s government dominated the political shows on Sunday morning, one week after the Taliban entered the capital of Kabul.
Multiple guests discussed President Biden’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan as well as the chaotic evacuation of U.S. citizens and allies from the Kabul airport.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy was also questioned on the surge in coronavirus cases and reports that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could gain full approval from the Food and Drug Administration this week.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in an interview on Sunday that “nobody predicted” the Afghan government would “fall in 11 days.”
“It was very difficult to predict with accuracy. This all occurred in a span of about 11 days. Nobody predicted that, you know, the government would fall in 11 days,” Austin told host Martha Raddatz on ABC’s “This Week” one week after the Taliban seized control in Afghanistan, unleashing chaos in the region.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a discussion about the Taliban’s role in the evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan that U.S. officials have to deal with the “reality” that the insurgent group is in control of Kabul.
Fox News host Chris Wallace on Sunday pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken on statements from President Biden that appear to contradict reporting surrounding the evacuation of Afghans and U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday said the U.S. is taking threats of a potential ISIS attack in Afghanistan “absolutely deadly seriously.”
“The fact that we’re now somehow relying on the Taliban to protect Americans, and the White House is denying what we know is happening on the ground, which is that Americans are being beaten, they’re being prevented from getting to the gates of the airport, and they are probably being held hostage,” Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) told host Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“I certainly think [President Biden is] trying, I’m not gonna say that, you know, President Biden at this moment wants to do anything but that. I think the execution has been extremely disastrous,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) told host Brianna Keilar on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked if the president is “making good on his promise” to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies from the region.
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) on Sunday called for the U.S. to maintain a “light footprint” in Afghanistan to combat potential terrorists in the country in light of the Taliban taking control of the country’s capital.
President Biden’s job-approval rating has slipped amid a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases and the recent uproar following his administration’s handling of the U.S. military withdrawal in Afghanistan, an NBC News poll released Sunday shows.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Sunday said vaccine requirements at businesses and colleges are “a very reasonable thing to do,” as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reportedly set to fully approve the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as soon as this week.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Sunday said that the U.S. has the capability to administer millions of COVID-19 booster shots while assisting vaccination efforts globally.
