0 can't operate in the same way and the afghans they worked with is not assessable. and now to try to find the people responsible for this attack or future attacks is a much more different position. >> to our viewers just as i took the baton from alicia mendez, i am going to pass it to ari melber. we thank our guests, peter baker and greg mire. we'll be going live to jen psaki as the president departures from the east room heading back to the oval office. jen psaki will take many, many questions, the press corp will have for her. with that, our forecast with ari melber. >> thank you, we are giving you this continuous coverage on a difficult day in afghanistan as brian williams just mentioned we are here awaiting this briefing from the white house's press secretary. many questions there. you can see reporters already getting into position. we'll bring it to you live. here is the latest on what we know tonight. two suicidal bombers detonated themselves in kabul. the death toll is high. 12 u.s. service members and 15 other americans wounded according to the information we have at this hour. many afghans were killed but based on a security situation, we don't have an exact number on that at this moment. the first explosion was outside the airport in kabul and followed a gunman opening fire by civilians and military targets. isis claimed responsibility. thousands of people had been gathering in these areas so it was well-known on the ground about these points and many people were seeking any type of evacuation, getting any flight out of the country. the second blast was walking distance from this airport that also is becoming a key gathering place for evacuees. now, the president just spoke out in emotional terms and dark. here ace little bit of what the president just said. >> for those who carried out this adak, as well as anyone who wishes america harm, know this. we'll not forgive. we'll not forget. we'll hunt you down and make you pay. >> the president making his view on this clear and really trying to cover two basis as brian was covering in that address because president biden was honoring the heroes who just died trying to saver other people's lives while also standing resolute on his withdrawal policy. this danger and death is part of at least the possible risk equation of the united states under taken. the hospitals in kabul reported 60 people injured. including children. the reporting here had been fluent in what has been a terrible situation on the ground. >> the pentagon referred to this as a complex attack. they do believe it is carried out by isis. something the president also mentioned his remarks. officials are working on a full attribution. i say continue the evacuation mission, august 31st, self-imposed deadline is closing in. we bring in our experts now. ash carter as well as our long time correspondent, katty kay. >> excuse me, i would say mr. jacobson, your view of what it means this is a security situation on the ground zz what if anything you make of the president's remark tonight saying? >> thank you, ari. what's happening is a complicated situation and getting everyone more complicated. with the president's pot si that we are going to be do this evacuation and be out july 31st. you have to balance security. with the need to bring in thousands more afghans who served tide by side with american troops and literally sitting outside the gates now awaiting to get in and they have have not yet. i am concerned that the taliban had been slowing their process down. we still have american passport holder on the ground. i don't see how we do this for the 31st. the dilemma for the president is this. if he's going to be committed of getting americans out, or afghan out who served with us and he promised they would have a home in america. they're going to have to be an ex technician or we'll have to change the way with do things down there. we can't have days where humanitarian charter flights going out empty. we can't have situations where american families are split up. they have to come home and come home. there was a bit of false choice i think he presented by saying, if american citizens that they are going to stay back because their family can't come and they're somebody that chose to stay. that's not right. >> and katty, i want to draw a little attention of what the president just laid out. it was a tough time to address the nation. we are waiting for the briefing from the white house when it happens. president biden talked about getting others out of harm's way. >> these american service members who gave us our lives. they the most capable and most selfless military on the face of the earth. they are the backbone of america. >> katty, your view of what we heard from the president? >> i mean in that respect, the president is speaking from personal experience. he mentioned his son who served in iraq and how he has that capacity as the father of a u.s. service member to empathize in a way that many presidents have not with the famiies of those service members died tragically. the president and as mark point out, facing a real dilemma. do you carry onto try to get people out? >> given the security situation, the country looked very precarious. >> he referred to those nationals. his understanding was what he was implying is that most americans do not leave because they don't want to leave. >> they are choosing to stay. >> katty, i am going to interject. let's listen to the white house's briefing. >> the united states flag will be flown at half staff at the white house and on all public buildings and grounds, and all military post and stations and the district of columbia and throughout the united states. possession until sunset, 2021. in in order of the senseless act of violence in afghanistan. >> if the president says getting every single person out -- >> was he lowering expectations for smaller population that's trying to get out is still there? >> that was not his intention. he was conveying as that at a time where the taliban is taking over the country, certainly not auer preference as you all noel. it is not going to be possible for every single afghan, millions potentially who wants to leave afghanistan to be evacuated. you also heard the president made clear. there is not an end to our commitment and getting american citizens out. who are not right to leave and get partners out and those served alongside the united states the last 20 years. >> the taliban. they are in charge of the suicide bombers. why is the taliban responsible for what happened today? >> general milley addressed this. he made clear. i think it is important to repeat. we don't have any information at this point of time. >> obviously what happened today and the loss of lives of service members that afghan is a tragedy and horrific, but, again we don't have any different add assessment at this time. >> go ahead. >> just a few things. >> you talked about the mission to get people out after the 21st. is it still the plan to get all u.s. forces out by august 31st. nothing has change in that timeline. did the ps see this coming from? >> i think what you have seen the president says and many members of our military and national security say. and that we have had increaing concern about that threat. this has been a concern we have been watching. we saw the tragic event happening today. >> what does today intact say the u.s. ability to -- this is something he talked about it over the lie when he reiterate the the plan. >> i think it is important question. the threat that's posed to have thousands of military still on the ground, implementing a commission as you heard general mckenzie and the president also say that's a threat. that i are a target. people gathering around the airport. that's a threat. isis' ability to target individuals on are on the ground in. we'll maintain and helicopter over the horizon capacity with present and partnership with country in the region to done sure that they don't develop that. >> i certainly the president will do everything he can to honor the sacrifice or the service of the lives loss today. you didn't didn't ask this question, let me provide you an update, someone asked about whether he called the family members. >> fwor those of you who are watching at home, the process would first go through the ben ben -- the president would not make a call because that's the first step in the process. >> in terms of difficult staps, he would consider. >> general mckenny describes this as pun of the explosions happening at a point someone had been searched fie the taliban. how is united states still going to work but the taliban, the high the president is zriebing to get american citizen after zban allies out. >> i am not trying to sugar coat what we think of the taliban. >> they're not as group of people who we trust. >> ast we have been able to evacuate more than 140,000 people. that order nation is necessary in order to continue our vak vaccination meters. >> the questions of others on what they know or their hol it. this is no assessment at this time. if that changes, i will let you know. >> i think there is going to be rehighable partner that are 12, this is not about yus, this is in the we lying on the taliban as in equal partner. because they control large s.w.a.t. of the country including a lot of the security, we'll have to coop date with thm. >> a now that relates to correlation to continue to get. >> explosions happening throughout the afternoon. some reporting that this is beginning after a process of the u.s. military getting industried on the equipment chl. >> i would refer to the pesk stets soft their bray process. >> in terms o f what we heard from the president and the president articulated which is his competence. having troops o the groupd at this point, wow dan that we the workplace given what we saw today. does it call for addition kneel true lefrl we need to put ren forcement to the ground. >> what are the concern sns. >> there is not ongoing threat. >> everyday thoops are on the ground is brief. >> this were attacks that we had intelligence in terms of over the last several days of our rising concerns. i will tell you as it relates to your first question. i have been sitting in these meetings as well. >> every single president, the president ask ed the pentagon everything. do you need troops or presources. >> he asksed them that had tord as to relate completing their mission and doing after the terrorists who killed service. >> was there a point that the president is reconsidering this and having the force on military 3rd. >> they continued to believe it is essential to take troops by january 3 railroad. >> the best way to do it is stay on this timeline. >> do the white house those -- i don't expect the department of defense will do that either. we'll let you know as we have twice a day and alternative numbers. >> one more question. >> how to get these people to the airport and potentially at the all have the windows lifted. >> there are military on the ground have been utilizing over the course of seven-day forecast. i am not going to layout it here, that's whee they are in kuch touch with american citizens and get them to evacuate at the hospital time. >> is it your opinion that the president has the authority he needs from congress or whether ever else to continue operations beyond the 31st? he kind of talked about pursing isis-k. is there any ex peck police station? i don't believe. >> what about organizations around? >> do they need to come back? >> ass the president jst said a little while ago. the president could not have been so o clear that we'll not fert and hunt down these paris. >> he's asking them to draw a plan. whatever he needs on the flan. >> is it possible to do that with no phone services. >> srevor. i am not going to outline what their approach b.b. for the military. i will leave it for them to stake. >> you mentioned here about the paris threat, each day of our operations bring added risks to our troops. >> if the risk grows tomorrow. and keep growing the next guy. >> how should americans feel about the operation continuing right now. >> i would say first, you heard general mckenzie conveyed clearly that we had every attention continuing this evacuation mission over the coming days. they plan for incidents of these kind. to the diarrhea they can. they have every attention to continue. the president has regular confrontation. >> multiple times a day on days like this about how they knee the circumstance on the ground. >> thst our expectations. it will bont in the coming days. >> can you give us details of how -- >> walk us through what he did over the coming hours behind the scene today. >> sure. for people who are watch, color means additional details of what he was up to. i will say that the initial reports of the attacks came in as members of his national security team were gathering in the situation room for a regular meeting with the president. those gathered in the room, those initial reports came in at that time. as the president arrived in the situation room, one of the first updates was of course about the attacks on the ground, kabul. this was a developing situation as it happens throughout the day. his commanders on the ground also and in the region gave regular updates as they learn more information. once he left the situation room, those updates proceeded threw through the course of the day. herself been in contact of his secretary of defense and agents and we are seeking what happens throughout the day. >> this was regular ongoing contact with his regular team through the course of the day. >> how was he, dealing with the in coming information and how was he asking questions to the military members? >> i would say everyone who watched the president up close and most of you knows that the putting the lives of servicemen and women at risk and those decisions that you have to make as commander of chief weighs heavily on him. any day where you lose service members is maybe the worse day of your presidency and hopefully not more. we are early in his presidency. he was somber and as he said today outraged. these terrorists taking the lives of service members. he wanted to make clear to the public. he wanted to have all the information that he could before he spoke to the american people so he can convey exactly what we knew at the point where we are addressing the public. he wants detailed updates of what we know of what is happening on the ground. that's why he's been in contact members of the national security team. >> jen, can you confirm your report that now it is 13 u.s. service member haves died. >> i will leave it with department of defense to confirm casualties. >> we heard from general mckenzie talking about this extremely threat, how would you sum up of the level of confidence, there will be another attack of this before the completion of this evacuation. >> i can't give you that assessment. as i think our members of national security team have said, these are ongoing threats. i can give you that assessment from here. go ahead. >> the u.s. and coalition flights of this attack has slowed some of the coalition party and other countries are out. >> fewer americans and allies are going to get out because of this attack? >> it is a good question, josh. >> one of the reasons we put out the numbers twice a day because we want you to have an understanding how many people gotten out. those include members from coalition partners and we are working now and this is one of the piece the president is working on as getting people out onto these plans as possible. but, i don't want to give you a prediction because our u.s. military is incredible and they are working even while they are facing security threats to security the evacuation mission. >> can americans go or should americans go? are they getting through check points through the airport. what's the situation? >> we are given specific directions to individuals. when they should come to the airport and where they should meet. we are not going to detail it here or any public manner. pay attention to security alerts and contacts receiving from us or our coalition partners. >> there had been warnings of this. specific indications of this being planned -- >> i am not going to get into specific intelligence and i will tell you and reconfirm that the threat is ongoing. >> thank you, jen. how do you add war of afghanistan if the united states is still continuing to attack isis. >> this is a specific case today where twelve individual service members and 15 were wounded today. certainly i would expect any president of the united states would be clear that he'll avenge those deaths and the acts of terrorists. i don't think that came as a surprise to anyone. the president stands by as he outlined to all of you in the last hour, his commitment to put an end to this war. what we are talking about here is avenging these deaths from terrorists. we are not talking about sending tens of thousands of troops back to an endless war that we have been fighting the past 20 years. >> when the obama administration bringing in syrian refugees, there was a lot of push back from various states. about refugees coming into their community, how do you see that situation this time around? is this going to be different? are you anticipating those saying those kind of push backs and hard feelings? >> we'll see. but, i will tell you that what we have been working to do is to work closely with governors with localiies and local leaders to give them detailed briefings on what are vetting process looks like and what the background checks process looks like before any individuals coming into the united states. that's a background check process before they are allowed to come into u.s. soils. there are some people in this country and some in congress who may not want to have people in another country, that's a reality. we can't stop or prevent that on our own. we are going to continue to communicate intensive vetting process and we have been working hard to do that behind the scene and convey clearly this is part of who we are and part of the fabric of the united states and not back away from that. >> there is americans detained by the taliban, i am wondering if the administration have that information to release him as a priority? >> we raise his case in every opportunity but i don't have any update on that case. >> you said there is a threat of the remaining days that u.s. troops are in kabul. are there additional precautions to protect the troops? >> i don't think i am going to get into operational details of what's happening on the ground. there are steps taken to protect our troops who are leading the efforts on the ground. >> just last week, the president have -- was this an attack? was our forces targeted? was our operation interrupted? would this qualify as a swift and forceful response? >> i think the president addressed that when he says he'll not forgive and he'll hunt you down. he was referring to the attack of terrorist from isis-k. i don't think he could have been more clear. >> go ahead. >> at least 67 house democrats have signed onto a letter asking the president to raise the refugee gap in fiscal year 2022 to at least to 200,000. i think you are looking at 125,000 right now. is that something that the white house is willing to accept? >> i have not talked to the president about this specific question. we are trying to do is getting our muscles working again both in our system and the incredible refugee groups that are working on welcoming refugees from around the country and working on getting our vetting process and systems around the world that needs to be in good shape in order to welcome refugees to get as many as we can. i have not had a conversation with him about raising the cap beyond the 125. go ahead eli. >> i wonder if the