CIA Director
and Taliban Leader, Meet as U.S. Evacuation Deadline Looms.
CIA Director
and Taliban Leader, Meet as U.S. Evacuation Deadline Looms.
On August 23,
a U.S. official said that
CIA Director William Burns
met with Taliban leader
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul.
On August 23,
a U.S. official said that
CIA Director William Burns
met with Taliban leader
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul.
NPR reports that it was the highest level meeting
between the Biden administration and the Taliban
since the group took power in Afghanistan on Aug. 15.
NPR reports that it was the highest level meeting
between the Biden administration and the Taliban
since the group took power in Afghanistan on Aug. 15.
According to NPR, no specifics were offered
in terms of where the meeting took place
or what exactly was discussed.
According to NPR, no specifics were offered
in terms of where the meeting took place
or what exactly was discussed.
In February 2020, the Trump administration signed an agreement with the Taliban calling for all U.S. troops to leave Afghanistan by May of 2021.
Now, the most pressing issue remains whether the U.S. airlift operation will continue beyond President Biden's self-imposed Aug. 31 deadline.
Now, the most pressing issue remains whether the U.S. airlift operation will continue beyond President Biden's self-imposed Aug. 31 deadline.
President Biden has left open
the possibility of extending that deadline.
However, the Taliban have said that
a continued U.S. presence would be met
with unspecified consequences.
According to NPR, the Pentagon has daily contact with the Taliban at the Kabul airport.
Armed Taliban members are effectively performing crowd control at the airport, while the U.S. conducts its airlift operation.
Armed Taliban members are effectively performing crowd control at the airport, while the U.S. conducts its airlift operation