Biden on Afghanistan: "I stand squarely behind my decision"
16 August 2021
Amid rising fear and chaos in Afghanistan, President Biden staunchly stood by the decision to leave the country on Monday afternoon, saying he "stands squarely behind" the decision to pull out of the country.
Why it matters: The Biden administration has faced sharp criticism over its response to the rapid collapse of Afghanistan and the chaotic evacuation effort. Evacuation flights were suspended Monday after thousands of Afghans stormed a runway at the international airport in Kabul in attempts to flee the country.
- At least seven people have been killed during the chaos at the airport, including several Afghans who plunged to their deaths after clinging on to a U.S. military jet that took off from the runway, according to AP.
- Many Afghans who aided U.S. and coalition forces have yet to be evacuated from the country.
What he's saying: "This did unfold more quickly than we anticipated," Biden said arguing that Afghan forces gave up and "we could not provide them with the will to fight for that future."
The big picture: More than 300,000 Afghans have been internally displaced, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration. Scores of migrants are undertaking dangerous journeys to seek safety.
- In June, roughly 40,000 people fled to neighboring Iran per week.
- Afghans who aided U.S. and coalition forces have yet to be evacuated from the country.
- The Biden administration is still making attempts to secure temporary housing in other countries for those who risk retaliation from the Taliban.
Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times
Section2Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.
Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.
The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.
- The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.
What the transcripts say:
- Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
- The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
- Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."
Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.