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Exclusive: In Call Before Afghan Collapse, Biden Pressed Ghani to ‘Change Perception’
US News & World Report ^ | August 31, 2021 | By Aram Roston and Nandita Bose

Posted on 09/01/2021 6:37:50 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the last call between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Afghanistan counterpart before the Taliban seized control of the country, the leaders discussed military aid, political strategy and messaging tactics, but neither Biden nor Ashraf Ghani appeared aware of or prepared for the immediate danger of the entire country falling to insurgents, a transcript reviewed by Reuters shows.

The men spoke for roughly 14 minutes on July 23. On August 15, Ghani fled the presidential palace, and the Taliban entered Kabul.

Reuters reviewed a transcript of the presidential phone call and has listened to the audio to authenticate the conversation. The materials were provided on condition of anonymity by a source who was not authorized to distribute it.

In the call, Biden offered aid if Ghani could publicly project he had a plan to control the spiraling situation in Afghanistan.

In much of the call, Biden focused on what he called the Afghan government’s “perception” problem. “I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,” Biden said. “And there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture.”

Biden told Ghani that if Afghanistan’s prominent political figures were to give a press conference together, backing a new military strategy, “that will change perception, and that will change an awful lot I think.”

The American leader’s words indicated he didn’t anticipate the massive insurrection and collapse to come 23 days later. “We are going to continue to fight hard, diplomatically, politically, economically, to make sure your government not only survives, but is sustained and grows,” said Biden.

(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; biden; ghani; phone

1 posted on 09/01/2021 6:37:50 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
They impeached Trump because of a phone call in which he said nothing improper. The impeachment was a total fabrication and BS for political theater and an abuse of the impeachment process.

THIS Biden phone call is grounds for impeachment and removal from office. Is it even being trumpeted by the media? I think not. It will go nowhere.
2 posted on 09/01/2021 6:45:43 AM PDT by Dan in Wichita
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Release the transcript, like Trump did.


3 posted on 09/01/2021 6:47:15 AM PDT by 1Old Pro (Let's make crime illegal again!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The regime will crucify old Joe in time. First they will pile all the sins of the regime, including the Afghan debacle, upon his head. Joe’s always been a throwaway, why utilize his demise for their own benefit?


4 posted on 09/01/2021 6:47:49 AM PDT by hardspunned (former GOP globalist stooge)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“The men spoke for roughly 14 minutes on July 23.”

The US couldn’t win the war in Afghanistan in 20 years but Joe thinks he’s gonna solve his problems over there in a 14 minute phone call.

As Ghani, I’m sure, said to Biden...”I hate to hurry our conversation Mr President, but I have a heavily loaded helicopter to catch.”


5 posted on 09/01/2021 6:47:56 AM PDT by moovova (Joe Biden...Making the Taliban great again!)
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To: moovova

Joe’s last words to him were, “I want my 10%!”


6 posted on 09/01/2021 6:48:27 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The PERFECT phone call………..


7 posted on 09/01/2021 6:50:24 AM PDT by Toespi
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Finally, after 8 months of Uber disaster, we have an impeachable offense! File the writ of impeachment now!


8 posted on 09/01/2021 6:50:24 AM PDT by bigfootbob (“If you’ve gotta dick, you ain’t no chick!” Don Sucher)
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To: Dan in Wichita

THIS is the ‘blue dress’...!


9 posted on 09/01/2021 6:50:26 AM PDT by Guenevere (When the foundations are being destroyed what can the righteous do)
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To: hardspunned

“Joe’s always been a throwaway, why utilize his demise for their own benefit?”

Even worse...I fear the Deep State is plotting something more sinister. I’m a afraid they’ll have Joe taken out, run Heels up the flagpole, declare martial law, and come after people’s guns.

I so hope I’m wrong.


10 posted on 09/01/2021 6:51:49 AM PDT by moovova (Joe Biden...Making the Taliban great again!)
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To: Guenevere
THIS is the ‘blue dress’...!

In a way, yes, but it won't get anywhere near the mention in the media as the blue dress did. In retrospect, the only reason the Lewinsky mess got coverage is because it had a sexual angle and was used to drive ratings.

The Biden phone call is proof of an outright effort to deceive the public and had disastrous, deadly ramifications. The media won't touch it because of the potential harm to their party.
11 posted on 09/01/2021 6:56:14 AM PDT by Dan in Wichita
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To: bigfootbob
I wonder if Vindman, Lt. Colonel Vindman will offer a reprise and testify at Biden's impeachment hearing.
12 posted on 09/01/2021 6:56:24 AM PDT by 1Old Pro (Let's make crime illegal again!)
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To: Dan in Wichita

Don’t be so sure!


13 posted on 09/01/2021 7:10:35 AM PDT by Guenevere (When the foundations are being destroyed what can the righteous do)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Reuters covered this the other day, glad to see other “mainstream” news outlets picking it up and disseminating it.


14 posted on 09/01/2021 7:30:09 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Did the “Big Guy” still get his 10 percent?


15 posted on 09/01/2021 7:37:39 AM PDT by Don Corleone (leave the gun, take the canolis)
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To: moovova

Whoever Harris picks for her VP is the one that they really wanted to be president. Harris, too, is disposable for their purposes.


16 posted on 09/01/2021 7:40:46 AM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: moovova

I’ve had that same nightmare. Just blame MAGA maniacs. Have a big Wellstone funeral/Nuremberg naziish shindig and proceed to arrest you, me, everyone here.


17 posted on 09/01/2021 7:48:27 AM PDT by hardspunned (former GOP globalist stooge)
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