this drawdown. we shouldn't read too ch into that. these are essentially nonessential staff, so to speak. they are being moved out so that the maximum number of evacuees can be got out over the next 36 or 48 hours before the u.s. has to start its own withdrawal process in earnest. and that will be a very fraught and very, very high-intensity process during which they are at their most vulnerable from attack, particularly from the isis-k group. jake? >> and, sam, the pace of evacuations, as you noted, it's picked up significantly. the pentagon says that the planes leaving kabul roughly every 45 minutes. the evacuations included more than 45,000 americans and passport holders. with so many flights going off and hopefully the congestion and crowds therefore alleviated a