Exclusive Threats

Kabul Evacuee With Potential ISIS Ties Detained at Qatar Base

Up to 100 evacuees have been flagged for further scrutiny during the more comprehensive screening they received at their first stop after Afghanistan.

Policy

Biden Holds to Aug. 31 Evacuation Deadline, But Orders Up ‘Contingency Plans’ for Afghanistan Pullout

Military, contracted planes have airlifted 87,900 people from Kabul as of Wednesday—but the Taliban is now clamping down on who can leave.

Threats

China’s Top Priority In Afghanistan Is Stability, Experts Say

Three miles away from the Kabul airport chaos, it’s business as usual at the Chinese embassy.

Policy

US Has Evacuated 42,000 from Kabul; 16,000 in last 24 Hours Alone, Pentagon Says

The pace is still rising; Taliban have threatened “consequences” if U.S. forces remain beyond Aug. 31.

Threats

Defense Secretary Orders US Airlines to Help With Evacuation

It's only the third time in history that the U.S. airlines have been mobilized by the military.

Policy

US Helicopters Rescued 169 Americans Outside Airport; More Ops Could Follow

Biden “will mobilize every resource necessary” to save more, but U.S. has yet to test Taliban checkpoints. Meanwhile, fuel-strained air operations resume.

Ideas

What Comes Next? A Lesson from Saigon

Rather than marking the eclipse of American power, withdrawal from Vietnam coincided with its spectacular increase.

Policy

It Really Was 800+ Afghans on That Plane. They Forgot to Count the Kids.

The iconic photo of Reach 871, the packed U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane, touched people around the world—and highlighted the dire situation now facing Afghans.

Threats

At Kabul Airport, 2,000 Marines Provide Security and Process Evacuees

Meanwhile, the airfield perimeter is mostly held by soldiers of the 82nd Airborne.

Ideas

These Afghans Were Our Allies. Now We Must All Help Them Become Our Neighbors

Americans have a new chance to serve the interpreters and others who helped our troops in battle.

Policy

More Seats Than Passengers: Paperwork, Taliban Slow Afghanistan Evacuation

But the pace is picking up. Some 6,000 "will soon board planes," a State Department spokesman said.

Exclusive Policy

Trump’s Pledge to Exit Afghanistan Was a Ruse, His Final SecDef Says

Chris Miller now says talk of a full withdrawal was a “play” to convince a Taliban-led government to keep U.S. counterterrorism forces.

Policy

‘All the Signs Have Been There’ Predicting Afghan Security Force Collapse, IG Says

For more than a decade, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has been warning about “ghost soldiers” and corruption to anyone willing to pay attention.

Ideas

The Next Big Refugee Crisis Just Started

The U.S. and its partners should respond to the needs of displaced Afghans, for national security reasons and long-term opportunities.