White House advisors discussing about Biden’s next steps in addressing Afghan situation

Washington [US], August 16 (ANI): The White House advisors are discussing how President Joe Biden should address the deepening crisis in Afghanistan, however, no final decision has been taken yet about whether he should return to Washington from his planned August vacation.

While Biden can receive the same level of briefings from Camp David, as he has been doing throughout the weekend, officials are aware of the optics of the President being out of town during this perilous moment. Several administration officials have also been on vacation but began returning to work remotely Sunday or in the West Wing, CNN reported.

A range of options are being debated – about returning to Washington or addressing the nation – but several officials said events were too fluid and no final decisions have been made. “He is deeply engaged from Camp David,” one senior administration official said, who did not rule out the President returning to the White House.

But the official said the White House “did not want this to become the Biden administration’s Katrina,” a reference to the 2005 hurricane that the Bush administration was slow in responding to during his August vacation. The White House also posted this photo of Biden, in a polo shirt, in today’s virtual briefing.

“This morning, the President and Vice President met with their national security team and senior officials to hear updates on the drawdown of our civilian personnel in Afghanistan, evacuations of SIV applicants and other Afghan allies, and the ongoing security situation in Kabul,” the White House tweeted.

The Afghanistan government collapsed earlier in the day with President Ashraf Ghani leaving the country and the Taliban’s entry into the capital, the New York Times reported. Taliban terrorists are assuming control of the Afghan capital of Kabul and have taken control of the presidential palace after the country’s president Ashraf Ghani fled to Tajikistan.

Reports suggest that the movement will soon proclaim the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Afghanistan former President Hamid Karzai along with Abdullah Abdullah and former Mujahideen leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar have formed a Coordination Council in order to prevent chaos and manage affairs related to a peaceful transfer of power. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Sunday said that Taliban terrorists have been asked to enter the capital city of Kabul.

Mujahid, in an interview with Tolo News, also said that the security situation will remain under control in the city. (ANI)