| What are 3,000 to 4,000 U.S. troops capable of in Afghanistan? They can prop up a weakened elected government for months or secure the military operations of a chaotic Kabul airport-turned-U.S. Embassy, at least temporarily, in less than a day. On Tuesday, more than 1,100 U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents and their families flew out of Kabul on 13 evacuation flights, the administration said, as U.S. forces prepared for reinforcements to arrive by nightfall to secure thousands more departures this week. Nearly 2,000 Afghan special immigrants have been relocated among the 3,200 total population evacuated thus far, according to administration information. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul, now operating from the airport, urged Americans to register online for evacuations but not come to the airport before being contacted. American citizens were told on Tuesday that the U.S. government can’t ensure their safe travel to the airport itself (CBS News and Yahoo News). U.S. troops worked against an unstated timeline to help American citizens flee along with Afghans. The Associated Press: Americans help Afghans in their new, U.S. homeland. Across town, Taliban leaders on Tuesday marked their return to power and the collapse of the Afghan government by holding a press conference. Taliban leader Zabihullah Mujahid, once a shadowy and unseen figure, promised the Taliban would honor women’s rights, but he said it would be within the norms of Islamic law, The Associated Press and The New York Times reported. He said the Islamist militant group wanted private media to “remain independent” but stressed journalists “should not work against national values.” And he promised the insurgents would secure Afghanistan — but seek no revenge against those who worked with the former government or with foreign governments or forces. “We assure you that nobody will go to their doors to ask why they helped,” he said. But many Afghans said they are deeply skeptical that Taliban fighters will abandon brutal interpretations of Sharia or Islamic law and bloody forms of vengeance. Early evidence on Tuesday and Wednesday suggested Afghan fears appeared well placed. The Associated Press: Taliban destroy statue of foe, stoking fear over their rule. The New York Times: The Taliban today reacted to a public display of dissent in the northeastern city of Jalalabad with an overwhelming use of force. Older generations remember the Taliban’s history as well as their aggression during the recent blitz through provincial capitals (WION India). Before being ousted by the U.S-led invasion following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the group was known for severe restrictions on women, bans on the education of girls, and public stonings and amputations. 
© Getty Images The Associated Press explainer: What we know and what’s next as the Taliban takes over in Afghanistan. Talks continued between the Taliban and several Afghan government officials, including former President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, who once led the country’s negotiating council, according to the AP. Discussions focused on how a Taliban-dominated government would operate given the changes in Afghanistan over the past 20 years. A top Taliban leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, arrived in Kandahar on Tuesday night from Qatar. His arrival was viewed as a potential signal that a governance deal was close at hand. But in a possible complication, the vice president of the ousted government claimed on Twitter on Tuesday that he was the country’s “legitimate” caretaker president. Amrullah Saleh said that, under the constitution, he should be in charge because President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan and went into exile on Sunday. Germany, meanwhile, halted $294 million in 2021 development aid to Afghanistan while rejecting the Taliban takeover. Such aid, including for security services and humanitarian assistance, is a crucial source of funding for Afghanistan — and the Taliban’s efforts to project a milder version of themselves may be a feint to keep funds flowing, AP reported. Sweden said it would slow aid to the country, but Great Britain committed to an increase in aid. President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom on Tuesday, the White House said (The Hill). Today, Johnson said his government will do everything possible to try to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan (Reuters). Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov told Russian state TV on Tuesday that he spoke with the Taliban and received assurances about “the security of the embassy” in Kabul (The Associated Press). White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan (pictured below) and spokeswoman Jen Psaki defended the president’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan to end the two-decade war, regardless of the frenzied result and miscalculation of the Taliban’s rapid cascade of wins. The New York Times: Some U.S. intelligence reports warned of a swift collapse in Afghanistan. Biden’s top aides, peppered with reporters’ questions on Tuesday, declined to say if U.S. forces, which the president said will number up to 7,000 this week, will remain in Afghanistan beyond the previously announced Aug. 31 withdrawal date if U.S. citizens and at-risk Afghans are still being evacuated. Sullivan said the question was “hypothetical” (The Hill). CBS News: There are an estimated 11,000 people in Afghanistan who "self-identify" as Americans, Psaki said. Biden’s advisers are uncomfortably aware that the president planned to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks by heralding the end of America’s “forever war.” 
© Getty Images Opinions and analysis … “Public executions and forced marriages are reportedly back. People are fleeing. The Taliban are in Kabul, and the government has fallen. This is a catastrophe,” Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, wrote in an op-ed for Foreign Policy. “This negligence was par for the course for the last U.S. administration. I am disappointed to see it now. At minimum, the Biden administration owed our Afghan allies of 20 years a real plan,” he continued. “They also owed it to our military service members and their families, particularly the men and women in uniform and their families who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Not to mention the women and girls of Afghanistan who are now experiencing a devastating new reality.” The New Yorker’s David Rohde: Trying — and failing — to save the family of the Afghan who saved me. The Hill: Malala Yousafzai: Biden must take “bold step” to protect Afghans. The Hill: Former national security adviser H.R. McMaster: Rapid Taliban takeover “should not have come as a surprise.” On Capitol Hill, a place where Biden was a presence for decades, the president has found that his supporters on the Afghanistan issue amount to a precious few. As The Hill’s Jordain Carney writes, Biden has received backup from two key figures — Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who blasted out talking points to Democratic offices. However, customary allies have been critical. “I am disappointed that the Biden administration clearly did not accurately assess the implications of a rapid U.S. withdrawal,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said in a statement (The New York Times). Some of Biden’s friends have been blistering — ex: Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) — along with those planning key reelection fights in 2022 — see: Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). Scrutiny will continue as Democratic committee chairs invite officials to answer questions about Afghanistan. House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) was the first to formally invite Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to testify (The Hill). Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.) also indicated as much in the upper chamber. Reed said he will explore “what went wrong in Afghanistan and lessons learned to avoid repeating those mistakes.” The Hill: Biden faces increasing questions from lawmakers about messy Afghanistan exit. Niall Stanage: The Memo: Democrats vent frustration with Biden on Afghanistan. The Wall Street Journal: Zakia Khudadadi was set to make Afghan history at the Paralympics — until the Taliban took over. Now she’s trapped in Kabul. | 
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