I don't quite understand how Boris Johnson, or ORAC, can be under the impression that Biden is free to extend the evacuation deadline ("decided the timetable for the pull-out"). It isn't a Trump domestic policy that can be thrown into the Oval Office shredder: it is a bilateral agreement with another party who has a say, and moreover has a considerable amount of leverage. Such agreements don't expire on a change of government. And contrary to the media narrative, the Taliban haven't strictly broken the terms: it was a shocker of a deal that contained no watertight commitments except for a ceasefire between Taliban and foreign forces, and the withdrawal date. Everything else in the deal was aspirational, and as Boris should know by now, that counts for nothing. There is no way that operations could continue from Kabul Airport if Taliban consent is withdrawn.
Last edited by Easy Street; 25th Aug 2021 at 20:47.