Fact-checking Biden's ABC interview on Afghanistan

CNN ^ | August 19, 2021 | Daniel Dale,

[BenLurkin]

US troops in Syria

Stephanopoulos asked about a possible al Qaeda terror threat to the US as a result of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Biden said, "Al Qaeda, ISIS, they metastasize." He then argued that the US faces a "significantly greater" terror threat from Syria and East Africa than it does from Afghanistan.

Biden continued with regard to Afghanistan: "And we have maintained the ability to have an over-the-horizon capability to take them out. We're -- we don't have military in Syria to make sure that we're going to be protected..."

Facts First: Depending on Biden's meaning, his remark about Syria is either plainly incorrect or, at least, missing important context. There are roughly 900 US troops in Syria, focused on supporting Kurdish forces in the battle against the Islamic State terror group also known as ISIS.

An administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity told CNN on Thursday that Biden "was speaking about the al Qaeda presence in northwest Syria, which remains a threat to the United States and is being addressed without American troops on the ground. There are a small number of US and coalition forces on the ground in eastern Syria in areas that had been the ISIS caliphate."

...

When the dramatic plane images were taken

When Stephanopoulos began to ask Biden about dramatic images the public has seen this week -- of hundreds of Afghans packed into a US military plane and of Afghans falling off the outside of a US military plane as it was in the air -- Biden, who was trying to emphasize that the situation had since improved, interjected, "That was four days ago, five days ago."

[Leep]

Has CNN ever fact checked a democrat President?
That was honest anyhow.

[Eddie01]

Stakes is high. Re-election of the most vile among us on the line.

[Bearshouse]

When he spouted the 300,000 Afghan troops, that was their total recruitment over the past 20 years. I know he's a known liar, but I think sometimes he just lies to cover up his stupidity.

[JennysCool]

He’s embarrassing the Democrats and therefore must face the wrath of CNN.

[Eddie01]

Fact-Checkers refill the kerosene in the Gas Lamps.

[immadashell]

…”That was four days ago, five days ago."

And Benghazi was almost nine years ago but that doesn’t make it less important as far as I am concerned.

[Sergio]

"That was four days ago, five days ago."

And slavery in the U.S. ended 150 years ago, but you can't seem to let that one go, can you?

[blueplum]

al Qaeda presence in northwest Syria... is being addressed without American troops on the ground

I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. Ready bay 4. Deploy bay 4. Ready bay 3. Deploy bay 3...

[Organic Panic]

Bargain priced airfare on Tollybon Airways. Direct one way flights from Jalalabad to Ciudad Juarez. Because the border is soooo secure.

[lowbridge]

Who are you and what have you done with the real CNN?

[Daffynition]

According to Tucker C [and obtained transcripts]...abc edited out segments of the interview where bydun showed his complete stupidity.

[agere_contra]

Thank you for making that point (about the 300K number).

Lot of ‘churn’ in the Afghan military.

[ifinnegan]

Biden cited a mutual defense treaty that ended in 1980.

He has Alzheimer’s