Page 7 - Functioning Airport News Today

Afterghans who want to leave th country will be able to do so. we still dont know how that will be possible because he talked about the united states being in touch with rejgional countries to try to keep the airport open once the military leaves on august 31st. there is no agreement as of yet. those afghans cant get to the airport if the taliban doesnt let them. even if they do get to the airport, they cant get out of the country if theres no flights. the other thing that was said is i take res...

Colleagues across government feel the same way and i can tell you that there will be plenty of time to -- to look back at the last six or seven months, to look back at the last 20 years and to look to see what we might have done differently, what we might have done sooner what, we might have done more effectively, but i have to tell you that right now my entire focus is on the mission at hand, and theres going to be, as i said, plenty of time to do an accounting of this when we get through that ...

Depart for a range of reasons as we also outlined. i would also note a big factor on the presidents mind and the secretary of state noted this as well is the real threat of isis-k which is the reason why and the president received a briefing on that as he does regularly from his national security team. that is why we are concerned about numbers around the airport. thats why we earned indirect contact through a range of means with individuals about how and when to come to the airport. that is som...

0 >> it does not. >> lprs also been qucontacted? >> yep. >> what about siv applicants? can we get numbers? >> its okay. >> since this whole thing began theres been a lot of criticism of the administration over how its handled. theres been a lot of push back about the hand that you were dealt by the previous administration in terms of the deal with the taliban and terms of the siv program and the broader refugee program. you have been in office for almost eight months. its been five months since ...

0 these are known passport holders. >> okay. but have -- have lprs also been contacted? >> yes. >> and what about siv applicants, people who are -- were in contact -- >> will we get -- >> im sorry. >> i dont expect you to have all of it, but then, you know, since this whole thing began theres been a lot of criticism of the administration over how it handled it and theres been a lot of pushback from people within the administration about the hand that you were basically dealt or what you say you ...

Some cases. >> clearly -- >> this is not happening at the airport compound. >> i know. the larger population who has somehow gotten in to the airport and cant be boarded because of bureaucracy that involves the state department. im asking a policy question. beyond the are they armed and do we know who they are or can they prove who they are, do we have to do this several-day vet if it is all of these agencies including i.c. >> it includes intelligence, law enforcement, counter terrorism to ensur...

>> what commercial airlines would go into an airport run by a terrorist organization as the u.s. considers it and the u.n. so what can you tell us about your talks with the taliban, nato, turkey, anybody else about talking over the airport. the u.n. called for an air bridge for humanitarian aid. what can you tell us about that. >> i cant go into private discussions. i can acknowledge this is a topic of discussion with the taliban, with our allies and with many of our partners. theres actually ag...

Safe passage and well hold them accountable. as with all commitments, were focused on deeds, not words. what matters to us is the follow-through. what matters is the follow-through now, before august 31 and the follow-through after august 31. let me make another point. the taliban has also said publicly that they want an afghanistan that has a relationship with the rest of the world. they want to ensure that the afghanistan, under a future afghan government, is not the pariah that it would becom...

We understand that. >> the pentagon says in the past 24 hours, 25 c-17s, three c-130s and 61 charter flights have carried 16,000 people out of afghanistan. the gates of the kabul airport have been closed at times and now the u.s. government is telling only americans and those were siv visas to come to the airport. >> why not use the pakistanis and the qataris to help bring people out? right now youre just bringing people out from kabul. its a choke point. >> i dont think its a useful expenditure...

Lets go to our correspondent nomia iqbal in washington. great to have you. linesjust coming in from reuters — saying the state dept has discussed future control of kabul airport with the taliban — what have you heard? yes, well the us administration has said that it has been in regular talks with the taliban which is extraordinary in and of itself. people want to know what have you been talking about? and one of the things that has emerged was who will control kabul airport. and he said that...