Aug. 24 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the Taliban are in control of Kabul and that the U.S. must seek taliban advice if it is to evacuate its staff.
“Face the Nation” host Major Garrett asked on the show whether it was true or false that Washington had reached some sort of “agreement” with the Taliban, “so we have to ask the Taliban to allow American citizens to leave?”
Blinken responded: “They control Kabul, and that’s the reality we have to face.”
Garrett then asked if he felt comfortable with the situation, to which Blinken replied: “Our focus is on getting the staff out and making sure we do everything we can.” In this context, I believe that engagement with the Taliban, who control Kabul, is a job requirement.
