CBS Reporter Spars With State Dept. Spox Over Situation in Afghanistan
State Department spokesperson Ned Price pushed back against criticism from CBS News correspondent Christina Ruffini over the situation in Afghanistan, telling her to “look at the investment we have made” there. During a…
State Department spokesperson Ned Price pushed back against criticism from CBS News correspondent Christina Ruffini over the situation in Afghanistan, telling her to “look at the investment we have made” there.
During a briefing on Thursday, Ruffini confronted Price over the country’s announcement that it is sending 3,000 troops to help evacuate some personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, as The Associated Press reports.
“I respect you, and we all know you have a job to do,” Ruffini said.
She added, “But there is no way you can sit there and say that the people of Afghanistan watching the Taliban take over provinces, watching their country crumble are now going to watch American diplomats get on military planes and leave the country that that sends a signal that the U.S. is with them in the long haul diplomatically.”
Price responded, “Look at what we’ve been doing. Look at the investment we have made in Afghanistan. Look at the investments, however you measure it.”
He continued, “Whether it is humanitarian. Whether it’s political. Whether it’s diplomatic. Whether it is the security investments that we have made.”
Price explained it is about “the priority this president attaches to the safety and security of Americans who serve in this government… that is not a priority we are willing to risk.”
Watch the briefing below:
According to The Associated Press, the Taliban has taken half of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals in recent days. More than two-thirds of the country is now controlled by the Taliban.
President Joe Bidensaid on Tuesday, “I do not regret my decision.” He received criticism for his handling of the situation from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), as IJR reported.
“Between the crisis at the border and the debacle in Afghanistan, one could argue that President Biden is the most incompetent national security president in modern history,” Graham tweeted.
Paul Miller, an Afghanistan War vet and former NSC staffer who teaches at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, addressed some of the myths “taking root” as the situation in Afghanistan unfolds.
Responding to the claim that “our presence was unsustainable,” Miller tweeted, “The US presence was tiny, affordable, and low-risk. Few US soldiers were in harm’s way. There was no significant antiwar movement at home. The $$ is way lower than the 2010 peak.”
He addressed the suggestion that “we screwed up the past 20 years. Time to go,” saying, “Yes we screwed up. I conclude that instead of leaving, we should stay and do better.”
Read more of his arguments below:
The United States expects all troops to be out of Afghanistan by August 31.