WEBVTT 00:01.840 --> 00:05.290 Okay , good morning everybody . I am 00:05.300 --> 00:07.710 gonna introduce General taylor back up 00:07.710 --> 00:10.620 here to walk you through uh an 00:10.620 --> 00:12.731 operational update and then when he's 00:12.731 --> 00:14.898 done , I have a couple of other things 00:14.898 --> 00:16.953 that I'm gonna kick off the briefing 00:16.953 --> 00:19.064 with and then we'll get the questions 00:19.064 --> 00:19.040 if that's okay . All right with that . 00:19.050 --> 00:23.050 General thank you . 00:23.050 --> 00:25.720 Mr Kirby . Good morning everyone and 00:25.730 --> 00:27.952 thank you for joining us this morning . 00:28.440 --> 00:30.218 Once again I want to provide an 00:30.218 --> 00:32.273 operational update uh and then as mr 00:32.273 --> 00:34.162 Kirby said , we'll follow up with 00:34.162 --> 00:35.884 questions as we know . Uh this 00:35.884 --> 00:39.540 continues to evolve the situation . We 00:39.540 --> 00:42.410 continue to strive on the ground and uh 00:42.420 --> 00:44.531 what we really want to do is continue 00:44.531 --> 00:46.476 to provide you details in a timely 00:46.476 --> 00:48.900 manner . As you know , recently the 00:48.900 --> 00:51.090 Secretary Defense activated the stage 00:51.090 --> 00:54.160 one of the Civil Reserve Air fleet 00:54.640 --> 00:57.210 Right now that activation includes 18 00:57.210 --> 00:59.950 aircraft from six commercial airlines . 01:00.440 --> 01:02.840 This will increase passenger movement 01:03.060 --> 01:05.800 from the intermediate staging bases , 01:05.800 --> 01:07.870 temporary safe havens to the United 01:07.870 --> 01:10.020 States . While we continue to 01:10.020 --> 01:13.090 prioritize military aircraft for the 01:13.090 --> 01:15.450 transportation of individuals out of 01:15.450 --> 01:17.910 kabul and out of harm's way . Please 01:17.910 --> 01:20.132 note as I said , you know , these craft 01:20.132 --> 01:22.260 flights will not be flying into Kabul 01:24.040 --> 01:26.151 as of this morning within the last 24 01:26.151 --> 01:29.850 hours . 25 U . S . Military C . 17 01:30.340 --> 01:33.410 three US military C . One thirties and 01:33.410 --> 01:35.600 then a combination of 61 charter 01:35.600 --> 01:37.711 commercial and other military flights 01:37.711 --> 01:40.320 departed Kabul . The total passenger 01:40.320 --> 01:42.610 count for those flights . It was 01:42.610 --> 01:46.520 approximately 16,000 Of that 01:46.520 --> 01:49.830 number . The US military transported 01:49.850 --> 01:52.960 just under 11,000 personnel . 01:53.940 --> 01:57.130 Our mission remains focused on ensuring 01:57.130 --> 02:00.150 a steady flow evacuees out of Kabul to 02:00.150 --> 02:02.372 the intermediate staging bases and safe 02:02.372 --> 02:05.070 havens at our installations continue to 02:05.070 --> 02:08.140 rapidly build out capacity as needed to 02:08.140 --> 02:10.330 ensure reception and providing 02:10.340 --> 02:13.960 humanitarian assistance . The use of 02:13.960 --> 02:16.080 temporary safe haven locations across 02:16.080 --> 02:18.360 europe and the Middle East . Uh to in 02:18.360 --> 02:20.527 areas that include US installations in 02:20.527 --> 02:23.360 Qatar , you a kuwait 02:23.840 --> 02:27.750 bahrain , Italy spain and Germany . 02:28.840 --> 02:31.330 We deeply appreciate the support from 02:31.330 --> 02:33.220 these countries . This is truly a 02:33.220 --> 02:35.840 testament to the importance of our 02:35.840 --> 02:39.020 alliances and our partnerships . In the 02:39.020 --> 02:42.030 past 24 hours five flights landed at 02:42.030 --> 02:44.310 Dulles International Airport with 02:44.310 --> 02:47.950 approximately 1300 passengers 02:48.540 --> 02:51.480 at this time for military installations 02:51.490 --> 02:53.720 as well as Dulles International are 02:53.720 --> 02:56.470 receiving afghans as they come into the 02:56.470 --> 02:58.860 United States . These installations 02:58.860 --> 03:02.430 include Fort McCoy , Wisconsin , Fort 03:02.430 --> 03:05.870 lee Virginia Joint Base McGuire Dix 03:05.870 --> 03:07.960 Lakehurst , New Jersey in Fort Bliss 03:07.960 --> 03:11.080 texas . The total number currently that 03:11.080 --> 03:13.136 these installations is approximately 03:13.136 --> 03:16.110 1200 and north um continues to build 03:16.110 --> 03:18.390 out capacity to ensure they are 03:18.390 --> 03:20.720 prepared to receive more flights that 03:20.720 --> 03:22.553 will come in the next few days . 03:23.040 --> 03:25.151 There's absolutely a worldwide effort 03:25.160 --> 03:28.220 which kits several countries multiple 03:28.220 --> 03:30.530 commands and thousands of service 03:30.530 --> 03:34.160 members across the Joint force over the 03:34.160 --> 03:36.710 weekend , the airport in Kabul remains 03:36.710 --> 03:39.000 secure . However many you've seen 03:39.000 --> 03:41.056 already centcom released a statement 03:41.056 --> 03:44.510 regarding an incident to report as a no 03:44.510 --> 03:46.770 U . S . Casualties . A partner force or 03:46.800 --> 03:48.744 coalition forces were involved but 03:48.744 --> 03:50.930 regrettably an afghan security force 03:50.930 --> 03:54.740 member lost his life as the president 03:54.750 --> 03:57.120 referenced last night in his remarks 03:57.190 --> 03:59.450 were in communication with the taliban 03:59.450 --> 04:01.672 for the establishment and the statement 04:01.672 --> 04:03.800 of several checkpoints to increase 04:03.800 --> 04:06.540 throughput and facilitate safe passage 04:06.540 --> 04:09.330 for individuals working to gain access 04:09.390 --> 04:12.180 to the airport Today , the number of 04:12.180 --> 04:14.124 troops at the airport continues to 04:14.124 --> 04:17.410 stand at 5800 commanders on the ground 04:17.410 --> 04:20.390 continue to actively monitor threats . 04:20.840 --> 04:22.562 They are empowered to make the 04:22.562 --> 04:24.840 appropriate force protection decisions . 04:24.840 --> 04:27.220 As always , U . S . Forces retain the 04:27.220 --> 04:29.590 inherent right to use force in self 04:29.590 --> 04:32.960 defense . We're using all of our 04:32.960 --> 04:35.182 available tools to maintain the highest 04:35.182 --> 04:37.360 threat awareness both in Afghanistan 04:37.690 --> 04:40.140 and throughout the globe . While this 04:40.140 --> 04:42.029 mission is not without risk , the 04:42.029 --> 04:43.973 safety of our personnel , american 04:43.973 --> 04:46.750 citizens and afghan evacuees at risk is 04:46.750 --> 04:50.540 of paramount importance . To wrap up . 04:50.570 --> 04:52.570 We continue to make progress in the 04:52.570 --> 04:54.737 completion of this mission . Since the 04:54.737 --> 04:56.514 end of July , we have relocated 04:56.514 --> 04:59.450 approximately 42,000 people Since the 04:59.450 --> 05:01.570 beginning of evacuation operations on 05:01.570 --> 05:03.690 August 14 . We have evacuated 05:03.690 --> 05:07.300 approximately 37,000 . All of this 05:07.300 --> 05:09.244 progress stems from the teamwork , 05:09.244 --> 05:11.490 professionalism and dedication of our 05:11.490 --> 05:14.240 military , our interagency colleagues 05:14.330 --> 05:16.880 and our allies and partners . We know 05:16.880 --> 05:18.936 more hard work remains in the coming 05:18.936 --> 05:21.047 days and we're absolutely prepared to 05:21.047 --> 05:22.936 meet that challenge . Thank you . 05:26.920 --> 05:29.330 Just a couple other points I'd like to 05:29.340 --> 05:33.260 make as you all aware the FDA approved 05:33.260 --> 05:35.316 full licensure of the Pfizer vaccine 05:35.316 --> 05:37.371 this morning and has also , I'm sure 05:37.371 --> 05:39.316 you're aware back in august on the 05:39.316 --> 05:41.482 night , the secretary articulated that 05:41.482 --> 05:43.320 it was his intent to mandate the 05:43.320 --> 05:46.870 COVID-19 vaccines upon FDA licensure 05:46.880 --> 05:50.000 or by mid september to seek a waiver 05:50.000 --> 05:52.590 from the president . So now that the 05:52.590 --> 05:54.757 Pfizer vaccine has been approved , the 05:54.757 --> 05:56.979 department is prepared to issue updated 05:56.979 --> 05:59.146 guidance requiring all service members 05:59.146 --> 06:01.320 to be vaccinated . A timeline for 06:01.320 --> 06:03.580 vaccination completion will be provided 06:03.580 --> 06:05.691 in the coming days . Uh The health of 06:05.691 --> 06:08.860 the force is , as always , our military 06:08.860 --> 06:10.916 or civilian employees . Families and 06:10.916 --> 06:13.082 communities is a top priority . That's 06:13.082 --> 06:15.082 what's important to remind everyone 06:15.082 --> 06:17.304 that these efforts to ensure the safety 06:17.304 --> 06:19.471 of our service members and promote the 06:19.471 --> 06:19.260 readiness of our force , not to mention 06:19.540 --> 06:21.151 the health and safety of the 06:21.151 --> 06:23.373 communities around the country in which 06:23.373 --> 06:27.250 we live a schedule item . Secretary and 06:27.640 --> 06:29.990 General Milley will be attending this 06:29.990 --> 06:32.090 afternoon , the funeral for former 06:32.090 --> 06:34.312 Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at 06:34.312 --> 06:36.370 Arlington National Cemetery . Mr 06:36.370 --> 06:38.481 Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary 06:38.481 --> 06:41.930 Defense As well as the 21st . He also 06:41.930 --> 06:44.750 served the United States Navy in 1950 06:44.750 --> 06:46.940 in the mid 1950s as a pilot and flight 06:46.940 --> 06:48.829 instructor . And he continued his 06:48.829 --> 06:51.240 service as a reservist until 1975 when 06:51.240 --> 06:53.407 he became the Secretary of Defense for 06:53.407 --> 06:55.184 the first time on behalf of the 06:55.184 --> 06:57.240 Department of Defense . We stand our 06:57.240 --> 06:59.240 deep condolences to his family , to 06:59.240 --> 07:01.462 loved ones and indeed to the country uh 07:01.462 --> 07:03.684 with that will start taking questions , 07:03.684 --> 07:06.680 john thank you on the Pfizer vaccine 07:06.690 --> 07:08.890 and the secretary's intention to 07:08.890 --> 07:11.980 require it . He has not yet made that 07:11.980 --> 07:13.924 direction . And well , did you say 07:13.924 --> 07:16.280 there's not yet a deadline for doing 07:16.280 --> 07:18.040 that ? What I'm saying , we're 07:18.040 --> 07:20.430 preparing , we're preparing now 07:20.440 --> 07:23.380 actionable guidance to the force . Uh 07:23.390 --> 07:25.740 we're gonna move forward making that 07:25.740 --> 07:27.570 max that vaccine mandatory were 07:27.570 --> 07:29.570 preparing the guidance to the force 07:29.570 --> 07:33.070 right now . Um and that the actual 07:33.080 --> 07:35.440 completion date of it , in other words , 07:35.450 --> 07:37.561 how fast we want to see it get done . 07:37.561 --> 07:39.561 We're working through that guidance 07:39.561 --> 07:41.783 right now . Can I ask you a question on 07:41.783 --> 07:43.839 Afghanistan ? Also a couple things . 07:43.839 --> 07:45.894 One is you've said , I think general 07:45.894 --> 07:48.006 taylor said a number of times as well 07:48.006 --> 07:50.260 that The military airlift capacity at 07:50.260 --> 07:52.427 the airport was in the neighborhood of 07:52.427 --> 07:55.010 5,000 9000 . You've now gone beyond 07:55.010 --> 07:57.480 that at least yesterday . Can you say 07:57.480 --> 07:59.860 what the capacity has grown too ? And 07:59.860 --> 08:02.090 also can you explain a little more 08:02.090 --> 08:04.580 about the perimeter issue that general 08:04.580 --> 08:06.730 alluded to very briefly when the 08:06.740 --> 08:08.851 president yesterday said something to 08:08.851 --> 08:11.018 the effect that the perimeter had been 08:11.018 --> 08:13.610 moved back significantly to facilitate . 08:13.620 --> 08:15.920 Uh can you claim that So a couple 08:15.920 --> 08:17.950 things bob on the capacity thing um 08:17.960 --> 08:20.880 you're right . We had set a goal of 5 08:20.880 --> 08:22.991 to 9000 day . Yesterday . We exceeded 08:22.991 --> 08:25.047 that . We're not taking anything for 08:25.047 --> 08:27.102 granted bob we're taking this day by 08:27.102 --> 08:29.310 day . We'd love to see those numbers 08:29.400 --> 08:31.910 continue to rise . But we're going to 08:31.910 --> 08:34.132 just take it day by day . There's a lot 08:34.132 --> 08:36.740 of factors that go into be able to 08:36.740 --> 08:39.360 reach that output capacity to include 08:39.740 --> 08:41.860 uh huh temporary safe havens that you 08:41.860 --> 08:44.027 can bring these individuals to as they 08:44.027 --> 08:46.000 complete their screening and the 08:46.000 --> 08:48.056 screening is a big part of that . We 08:48.056 --> 08:50.167 have intelligence and law enforcement 08:50.167 --> 08:52.360 personnel at these sites making sure 08:52.360 --> 08:54.304 that a robust screening is done of 08:54.304 --> 08:56.471 these individuals so that nobody comes 08:56.471 --> 08:58.582 in the United States that hasn't been 08:58.582 --> 09:01.170 screened in a robust manner . Um And so 09:01.170 --> 09:03.170 there's lots of factors that affect 09:03.170 --> 09:05.360 throughput . We were very glad to see 09:05.440 --> 09:07.607 That we're able to get that number out 09:07.607 --> 09:09.662 yesterday but we're going to take it 09:09.662 --> 09:11.884 day by day , day by day . So the number 09:11.884 --> 09:13.829 of aircraft that are available . I 09:13.829 --> 09:15.996 think you reach the number of aircraft 09:15.996 --> 09:19.480 was like 20 . Yeah . Uh No no no but I 09:19.480 --> 09:21.840 mean the same number of aircraft are 09:21.840 --> 09:23.896 about available on any given day . I 09:23.896 --> 09:26.520 mean we we can get up to on a given day 09:26.520 --> 09:28.340 you can get up to about 30 C 09:28.340 --> 09:31.120 seventeen's that doesn't mean that 30 09:31.120 --> 09:33.287 you're gonna fly every day and we were 09:33.287 --> 09:35.509 under that yesterday and still was able 09:35.509 --> 09:37.731 to get out . Uh we're still able to get 09:37.731 --> 09:39.842 out more than 10,000 in the perimeter 09:39.842 --> 09:41.787 questions permitted question and I 09:41.787 --> 09:43.731 think the general addressed this a 09:43.731 --> 09:45.731 little bit in his opening statement 09:45.731 --> 09:47.842 without getting into tactical details 09:47.842 --> 09:47.580 here Bob and I think you can understand 09:47.580 --> 09:51.010 why we wouldn't do that . Um we are 09:51.020 --> 09:54.500 uh we are very interested in making 09:54.500 --> 09:58.320 sure that access to the 09:58.320 --> 10:01.940 airport remains as fluid as 10:01.940 --> 10:04.960 possible , particularly for american 10:04.960 --> 10:07.870 citizens trying to get in as well as uh 10:07.880 --> 10:10.310 our special immigrant visa applicants . 10:10.740 --> 10:12.962 Um and there's a lot of factors that go 10:12.962 --> 10:16.280 into making sure that access uh remain 10:16.280 --> 10:18.447 secure and that we can facilitate it . 10:18.447 --> 10:20.810 Uh and what the what the president was 10:20.810 --> 10:23.850 referring to was was efforts to uh 10:24.440 --> 10:28.430 uh improve that access from 10:28.430 --> 10:32.420 a geographical space uh out beyond just 10:32.420 --> 10:35.180 the perimeter of the airfield . And I 10:35.180 --> 10:38.290 won't speak to the details of how we're , 10:38.300 --> 10:41.230 how we're managing that , but you can 10:41.240 --> 10:45.210 uh imagine thus far and going forward , 10:45.220 --> 10:48.280 it does require a constant coordination 10:48.280 --> 10:51.300 and deconfliction with the taliban . It 10:51.300 --> 10:53.411 absolutely is going , it's absolutely 10:53.411 --> 10:56.600 requiring of us to keep these lines of 10:56.600 --> 10:58.822 communication with the taliban open who 10:58.822 --> 11:00.822 do have check points out beyond the 11:00.822 --> 11:03.180 airport . Um and what we have seen is 11:03.190 --> 11:05.490 that this coordination has worked well . 11:05.500 --> 11:08.420 This deconfliction has worked well um 11:08.430 --> 11:12.130 in terms of uh allowing access and 11:12.130 --> 11:15.510 flow to continue um as well as 11:15.520 --> 11:17.420 reducing the overall sides of the 11:17.420 --> 11:20.110 crowds just outside the airport . And 11:20.110 --> 11:22.221 those crowds have been a factor bob , 11:22.340 --> 11:24.507 you heard me talk about this the other 11:24.507 --> 11:27.090 night , uh when , you know , several 11:27.090 --> 11:30.120 days ago , um uh one of our commanders 11:30.130 --> 11:32.186 used a helicopter to bring people in 11:32.186 --> 11:34.408 and it was largely because of the crowd 11:34.408 --> 11:36.574 size outside the Abbey Gate . So crowd 11:36.574 --> 11:38.797 size matters here too . And that's what 11:38.797 --> 11:41.130 this president was referring to . So we , 11:41.130 --> 11:43.297 you know , um , mm , I would like to , 11:43.297 --> 11:45.463 I have two questions . I would like to 11:45.463 --> 11:47.630 go back to the incident . Can you be a 11:47.630 --> 11:49.852 little bit more specific and tell us if 11:49.852 --> 11:51.860 you can rule out that the Attackers 11:51.870 --> 11:54.990 were taliban first and I would like 11:54.990 --> 11:58.110 also to go back to the deadline . The 11:58.110 --> 12:01.200 french foreign minister said today that 12:01.210 --> 12:05.190 it's quote necessary To continue 12:05.190 --> 12:09.160 the Afghani evacuations beyond August 12:09.160 --> 12:11.540 31 cannot rule out who the hostile 12:11.540 --> 12:13.762 actor was in the shooting incident last 12:13.762 --> 12:16.110 night . I think as you saw Central 12:16.110 --> 12:18.800 Command statement referred to it as a 12:18.810 --> 12:21.630 hostile actor , We don't know more than 12:21.630 --> 12:23.852 that and this just happened Sylvia . So 12:23.852 --> 12:26.200 I don't know when we'll have more 12:26.200 --> 12:28.610 forensics on this . Um , again , our 12:28.610 --> 12:30.880 focus was on uh , making sure that we 12:30.880 --> 12:33.047 can maintain security at the airport . 12:33.047 --> 12:35.158 It was maintained uh , sadly we , you 12:35.158 --> 12:37.269 know , uh , resulted in the loss of a 12:37.269 --> 12:40.050 life of of one afghan soldier and 12:40.060 --> 12:42.640 wounded several others . So , I mean 12:42.640 --> 12:44.862 obviously that's our focus right now on 12:44.862 --> 12:47.029 the deadline . I can't speak for other 12:47.029 --> 12:49.084 nation states . I can only speak for 12:49.084 --> 12:51.307 the Department of Defense And you heard 12:51.307 --> 12:53.418 the secretary addressed this over the 12:53.418 --> 12:55.473 weekend . The goal is to get as many 12:55.473 --> 12:57.529 people out as fast as possible . And 12:57.529 --> 12:59.529 while we're glad to see the numbers 12:59.529 --> 13:01.751 that we got yesterday . We're not going 13:01.751 --> 13:03.862 to rest on any laurels . The focus is 13:03.862 --> 13:06.029 on trying to do this as as best we can 13:06.029 --> 13:08.084 by the end of the month . And as the 13:08.084 --> 13:10.251 secretary said , if there need , if we 13:10.251 --> 13:12.610 need , if he needs to have additional 13:12.610 --> 13:14.610 conversations with the commander in 13:14.610 --> 13:16.666 chief about that timeline , he'll do 13:16.666 --> 13:18.888 that . But we're just not at that point 13:18.888 --> 13:22.150 right now . Yeah . Has the Taliban told 13:22.150 --> 13:24.620 you that August 31 is the deadline and 13:24.620 --> 13:26.676 that you must leave then ? Are those 13:26.676 --> 13:28.620 communications happening ? Is that 13:28.620 --> 13:30.509 something you've agreed to at the 13:30.509 --> 13:30.270 Taliban ? We've seen the public 13:30.270 --> 13:32.270 statements by the Taliban spokesman 13:32.270 --> 13:34.214 about their views on 31 August , I 13:34.214 --> 13:36.510 think we all understand that view . And 13:36.520 --> 13:39.460 can you explain , is it only americans 13:39.460 --> 13:42.230 and s ivy holders that are allowed 13:42.230 --> 13:44.563 through the gate now , has that changed ? 13:44.563 --> 13:46.750 What is the policy about afghans in 13:46.750 --> 13:48.972 need ? Now , coming afghans in need are 13:48.972 --> 13:51.120 still are still being 13:52.590 --> 13:55.960 processed and facilitated given the 13:56.040 --> 13:58.207 number of people who are in hiding who 13:58.207 --> 14:00.970 were either S ivy recipients , some 14:00.980 --> 14:04.880 americans of afghan allies , Why 14:04.880 --> 14:08.190 not reopen bagram Airbase , why not go 14:08.200 --> 14:11.440 get an agreement to from the Qataris to 14:11.440 --> 14:13.720 come and land in Kandahar and Mazar e 14:13.720 --> 14:16.090 Sharif elsewhere . We saw the Qataris 14:16.100 --> 14:19.550 bring the mullah Baradar back with a C 14:19.550 --> 14:22.730 17 , Why not use the pakistanis and the 14:22.970 --> 14:26.650 and the qataris to help bring 14:26.650 --> 14:28.539 people out from because right now 14:28.539 --> 14:30.594 you're just bringing people out from 14:30.594 --> 14:32.761 Kabul and it's a , it's a trip point . 14:32.850 --> 14:35.450 Well , first of all , the float , the 14:35.450 --> 14:37.172 throughput hasn't improved and 14:37.172 --> 14:39.610 increased . Um , and , and I'm not 14:39.610 --> 14:42.250 gonna , I don't think it would be a 14:42.250 --> 14:46.120 useful uh , expenditure of our time 14:46.120 --> 14:48.580 to monday morning quarterback . The 14:48.580 --> 14:50.802 whole issue with bagram , it was closed 14:50.802 --> 14:52.950 down as part of the retrograde , jen 14:52.960 --> 14:55.090 about monday morning quarterbacking . 14:55.100 --> 14:57.322 I'm talking about , why not look at the 14:57.322 --> 14:59.322 situation now , you need air fields 14:59.322 --> 15:01.600 that you can land on to get people out , 15:01.600 --> 15:03.600 jen , we are , we are major general 15:03.600 --> 15:05.822 taylor about this . Let me , let me try 15:05.822 --> 15:07.933 it first and then I'll give it to the 15:07.933 --> 15:07.710 general , clearly we are , we are 15:07.710 --> 15:10.060 improving our throughput at Hamid 15:10.060 --> 15:12.282 Karzai International Airport . Um , and 15:12.282 --> 15:14.504 we think , uh , that we will be able to 15:14.504 --> 15:16.393 continue to try to improve that . 15:16.393 --> 15:18.670 That's the , that's the goal . Um , but 15:18.670 --> 15:20.781 what you're talking about is would be 15:20.781 --> 15:22.610 an expenditure of resources and 15:22.610 --> 15:25.900 personnel um , as well as an increase , 15:25.910 --> 15:27.910 uh , most likely to the threat that 15:27.910 --> 15:31.010 they're under to try to go back and , 15:31.020 --> 15:33.730 and uh , as you put it , retake bagram 15:33.740 --> 15:36.350 air base , which is the size of a small 15:36.350 --> 15:39.030 city . Uh , and I , I understand a lot 15:39.030 --> 15:41.310 of people have , have a views and 15:41.310 --> 15:43.310 opinions about this . It was closed 15:43.310 --> 15:45.532 down as part of the retrograde . It was 15:45.532 --> 15:47.588 always supposed to be closed down as 15:47.588 --> 15:47.540 part of the retrograde , it was the 15:47.540 --> 15:50.330 last base to , to be turned over to the 15:50.330 --> 15:54.050 afghans . And even as recently as 15:54.050 --> 15:56.760 a three weeks ago before we actually 15:56.760 --> 15:58.620 had to conduct a noncombatant 15:58.620 --> 16:01.400 evacuation operation . The leaders in 16:01.400 --> 16:04.100 this building ran a tabletop exercise 16:04.110 --> 16:06.740 on what it would be like to run uh an 16:06.740 --> 16:09.380 effective neo operation out of Hamid 16:09.380 --> 16:11.324 Karzai International Airport . And 16:11.324 --> 16:13.380 we're actually running that play now 16:13.380 --> 16:15.491 now , it's not without its challenges 16:15.491 --> 16:17.713 for sure , but we're doing that now and 16:17.713 --> 16:19.936 that's the focus is on making sure that 16:19.936 --> 16:21.769 we can get as many people out as 16:21.769 --> 16:23.324 possible using Hamid Karzai 16:23.324 --> 16:25.213 International Airport and jen the 16:25.213 --> 16:27.436 numbers are showing that it's that it's 16:27.436 --> 16:29.269 working . Nobody's taking it for 16:29.269 --> 16:31.380 granted . Don't want to be predictive 16:31.380 --> 16:31.270 about tomorrow , but it's working . Do 16:31.270 --> 16:33.603 you have anything to add to that ? Okay , 16:33.603 --> 16:36.300 Tara , Thank you back to the August 31 16:36.300 --> 16:39.190 question Is August 31 extending that 16:39.190 --> 16:41.301 deadline . Is it really an option for 16:41.301 --> 16:43.079 the us anymore ? Is this wholly 16:43.079 --> 16:45.023 dependent upon whether the Taliban 16:45.023 --> 16:46.857 would agree to let a us presence 16:46.857 --> 16:49.134 remained in Afghanistan past that date . 16:49.134 --> 16:51.190 Our focus is on getting this done by 16:51.190 --> 16:53.412 the end of the month . Tara . Um and uh 16:53.412 --> 16:55.579 what we do here at the building at the 16:55.579 --> 16:58.320 pentagon is options . We our job is to 16:58.330 --> 17:00.441 provide the President , the Commander 17:00.441 --> 17:02.663 in chief options . And as you heard the 17:02.663 --> 17:04.880 Secretary say if he gets to a point , 17:04.890 --> 17:07.001 he and Chairman Millie , they believe 17:07.001 --> 17:09.168 they get to a point where they need to 17:09.168 --> 17:11.334 provide that advice and counsel to the 17:11.334 --> 17:13.700 President about uh an extension then 17:13.700 --> 17:15.756 he'll do that . We just aren't there 17:15.756 --> 17:17.978 right now . And you heard the secretary 17:17.978 --> 17:20.144 say himself if he had more time on the 17:20.144 --> 17:20.120 clock he would absolutely use more time 17:20.120 --> 17:22.120 on the clock . But we're focused on 17:22.120 --> 17:24.120 getting this done by the end of the 17:24.120 --> 17:26.287 month . And secondly for major General 17:26.287 --> 17:28.509 taylor , you mentioned that 42,000 have 17:28.509 --> 17:30.509 been evacuated since july . Is that 17:30.509 --> 17:32.640 42,000 just on military airlift ? Or 17:32.640 --> 17:35.020 does that include the commercial and 17:35.020 --> 17:37.100 chartered planes ? Yes . So that the 17:37.110 --> 17:40.630 total number is a U . S . Military plus 17:40.630 --> 17:43.340 U . S . Civilian State department . 17:43.340 --> 17:45.229 Some of that was State Department 17:45.229 --> 17:47.284 Contract air that went out also have 17:47.284 --> 17:49.173 any breakdown of the number of us 17:49.173 --> 17:51.062 citizens in that 42,000 that have 17:51.062 --> 17:53.380 gotten out ? Um I do but I don't have 17:53.380 --> 17:56.960 that right now . Idris 17:56.970 --> 17:59.600 uh just a couple of quick questions 17:59.600 --> 18:01.940 firstly on the vaccine . This would be 18:01.940 --> 18:03.940 specifically the fighter right that 18:03.940 --> 18:06.162 would be mandatory . Recorded the other 18:06.162 --> 18:08.384 vaccine right now . We're focused on on 18:08.384 --> 18:10.540 the Pfizer vaccine because of the FDA 18:10.540 --> 18:12.596 approval that came in this morning . 18:12.596 --> 18:14.818 Just another couple of quick one stop . 18:14.818 --> 18:17.040 How many I guess Afghan soldiers remain 18:17.040 --> 18:19.262 in the perimeter . I think you had said 18:19.262 --> 18:21.373 5-600 . We can place that . Still the 18:21.373 --> 18:23.596 number . I believe that's the operative 18:23.596 --> 18:25.651 number . And then how many Americans 18:25.651 --> 18:27.651 have been evacuated ? You gave 2500 18:27.651 --> 18:29.762 Americans . Has that number changed ? 18:29.762 --> 18:33.160 Uh We we think that that 18:33.540 --> 18:37.020 Overall uh we we've been able to 18:37.030 --> 18:40.330 evacuate several 1000 Americans and I'd 18:40.340 --> 18:42.890 be reticent to get more specific than 18:42.890 --> 18:46.020 that . But since the 14th uh we believe 18:46.020 --> 18:48.131 we have been able to evacuate several 18:48.131 --> 18:50.187 1000 Americans very quickly . So the 18:50.187 --> 18:52.130 last table top exercise for a new 18:52.130 --> 18:54.330 operation from hK it was about three 18:54.330 --> 18:56.386 weeks ago , it was about three weeks 18:56.386 --> 18:58.552 ago . It was certainly before uh Kabul 18:58.552 --> 19:00.552 fell . This was something that I've 19:00.552 --> 19:02.719 talked about this before . I mean this 19:02.719 --> 19:04.719 was something that the pentagon had 19:04.719 --> 19:04.600 been thinking about for a long time . I 19:04.600 --> 19:07.540 mean as far back as late april uh when 19:07.550 --> 19:10.720 uh when we held a rehearsal of concept 19:10.730 --> 19:12.952 exercise here at the Pentagon . Looking 19:12.952 --> 19:14.897 at the retrograde and how that was 19:14.897 --> 19:17.119 going to parse out over and through the 19:17.119 --> 19:19.174 summer . A part of that conversation 19:19.174 --> 19:21.174 was the potential for non combatant 19:21.174 --> 19:20.720 evacuation operations and what that 19:20.720 --> 19:22.553 would look like and how we would 19:22.553 --> 19:25.070 execute that Nancy . Thank you . I 19:25.080 --> 19:27.136 wonder if you could clarify a couple 19:27.136 --> 19:29.358 points that you made earlier , you said 19:29.358 --> 19:31.358 that any extension beyond August 31 19:31.358 --> 19:33.580 would be the secretary talking with the 19:33.580 --> 19:35.802 president . Would that decision include 19:35.802 --> 19:37.969 inputs from NATO allies , particularly 19:37.969 --> 19:40.247 those who say that they need more time ? 19:40.247 --> 19:40.100 Is that a factor in the U . S . 19:40.100 --> 19:41.822 Consideration about ? We would 19:41.822 --> 19:43.711 absolutely consider the views and 19:43.711 --> 19:45.933 opinions of our allies and partners who 19:45.933 --> 19:49.240 also have people there and are as the 19:49.250 --> 19:51.820 general brief very much a part of 19:51.830 --> 19:54.052 moving people out and have any of those 19:54.052 --> 19:56.219 NATO allies communicated to the United 19:56.219 --> 19:58.386 States that they need more time beyond 19:58.386 --> 20:00.274 august 35 . Not aware of specific 20:00.274 --> 20:02.163 conversations that we've had with 20:02.163 --> 20:04.386 respect to the deadline and then on the 20:04.386 --> 20:06.330 perimeter , I'm having a hard time 20:06.330 --> 20:05.850 understanding when the president talked 20:05.850 --> 20:07.850 yesterday said about expanding that 20:07.850 --> 20:10.017 perimeter , can you help me understand 20:10.017 --> 20:12.183 who's part of that ? Is that us forces 20:12.183 --> 20:14.350 have they moved where there were their 20:14.350 --> 20:16.517 physician from , where they were a few 20:16.517 --> 20:18.517 days ago without . And I want to be 20:18.517 --> 20:20.572 very careful here uh , to talk about 20:20.572 --> 20:22.990 specific movements at a tactical level 20:22.990 --> 20:25.760 on any given day . And so I'm just not 20:25.760 --> 20:27.982 gonna do that . And I know that will be 20:27.982 --> 20:29.871 largely unsatisfying . But let me 20:29.871 --> 20:32.720 finish . Uh , so that as caveat , 20:32.730 --> 20:36.280 uh , we continue to look at security on 20:36.280 --> 20:38.169 the airport itself as well as the 20:38.169 --> 20:40.180 immediate environs of the airport . 20:40.190 --> 20:42.470 Because in those immediate environs 20:42.480 --> 20:45.700 outside uh the airport , that's where 20:45.700 --> 20:47.811 you have taliban checkpoints , that's 20:47.811 --> 20:49.756 where you have crowds assembling . 20:49.756 --> 20:52.100 That's where access to the gates is 20:52.100 --> 20:55.770 critical in in the , in that space just 20:55.770 --> 20:58.480 outside the airport where we don't have 20:58.520 --> 21:01.970 uh a military presence of a sustained 21:01.970 --> 21:04.850 nature . And uh what we're doing is 21:04.850 --> 21:07.200 that we are in constant communication 21:07.200 --> 21:09.650 with the taliban about that space and 21:09.650 --> 21:11.840 what that space looks like . Uh , and 21:11.840 --> 21:14.580 the only thing I would say is that uh 21:14.590 --> 21:16.701 as you heard the secretary say this , 21:16.701 --> 21:18.868 you've heard general Milley say this , 21:18.868 --> 21:20.979 we're going to do what is required on 21:20.979 --> 21:22.757 any given day at every possible 21:22.757 --> 21:24.757 opportunity uh to make sure that uh 21:24.757 --> 21:26.979 those who need to get out can get out . 21:26.979 --> 21:30.500 And that includes uh that includes the 21:30.510 --> 21:33.600 monitoring and uh accessibility of that 21:33.600 --> 21:35.822 space outside the airport . But what it 21:35.822 --> 21:37.878 looks like on any given day nancy is 21:37.878 --> 21:40.100 going to change . I appreciate that but 21:40.100 --> 21:42.378 I'm not looking for a tactical details . 21:42.378 --> 21:42.270 I just think once that movement happens 21:42.270 --> 21:44.214 it's a different threat to U . S . 21:44.214 --> 21:46.270 Forces and something that the public 21:46.270 --> 21:48.492 has a right to know . So I just want to 21:48.492 --> 21:47.980 get an understanding of how often they 21:47.980 --> 21:50.036 cross it , How we should be thinking 21:50.036 --> 21:52.202 about where the U . S . Military is in 21:52.202 --> 21:54.369 that in that environment . I will tell 21:54.369 --> 21:56.591 you that we already consider our troops 21:56.591 --> 21:58.840 in harm's way at the airport . It's a 21:58.840 --> 22:01.460 dangerous situation . There is no 22:01.460 --> 22:03.349 question about that and we're not 22:03.349 --> 22:05.682 taking any of these threats for granted . 22:05.682 --> 22:07.900 Um And the commanders on the ground 22:07.900 --> 22:10.450 have the wherewithal to move their 22:10.450 --> 22:13.920 forces as they see fit to 22:13.920 --> 22:17.400 again do essentially three things . 22:17.410 --> 22:19.632 Make sure the airport is secure and can 22:19.632 --> 22:21.570 be defended , make sure that air 22:21.570 --> 22:24.210 operations can continue to carry on at 22:24.210 --> 22:26.570 the clip . We need them to carry on and 22:26.580 --> 22:28.802 and see and this is an important one to 22:28.802 --> 22:30.802 make sure that american citizens at 22:30.802 --> 22:33.500 risk afghans are s ivy applicants can 22:33.500 --> 22:35.760 get access to the gates to get entry 22:35.760 --> 22:37.927 process and entry to the field ? Those 22:37.927 --> 22:40.090 are the three primary tasks and our 22:40.090 --> 22:42.034 commanders on the ground know that 22:42.034 --> 22:44.257 there are , that's what their tasks are 22:44.257 --> 22:46.820 uh and can move forces , can employ 22:46.820 --> 22:49.660 forces and assets as they see fit to do 22:49.660 --> 22:51.820 that . And again , on any given day , 22:51.820 --> 22:54.042 that could change nancy . And I , and I 22:54.042 --> 22:56.209 just don't think it would be helpful , 22:56.209 --> 22:56.200 particularly because the threat 22:56.200 --> 22:58.380 environment is so high for us to talk 22:58.380 --> 23:00.491 with any great specificity about what 23:00.491 --> 23:03.300 that's gonna look like . David john , 23:03.300 --> 23:06.030 were you being deliberately vague when 23:06.030 --> 23:09.620 you uh said the number of americans was 23:09.630 --> 23:12.550 several 1000 ? Or was it because you're 23:12.550 --> 23:16.480 not sure of the number ? If you need to 23:16.480 --> 23:18.702 check the number , I mean that's that's 23:18.702 --> 23:20.813 the most important number here in the 23:20.813 --> 23:23.300 number of americans . So if it's just a 23:23.310 --> 23:25.800 matter of checking the number , can you 23:25.810 --> 23:28.290 do that and give it to us or if you're 23:28.290 --> 23:30.401 being deliberately vague , don't tell 23:30.401 --> 23:32.679 me why you're being deliberately vague . 23:32.679 --> 23:34.790 I think I'm just going to leave it at 23:34.790 --> 23:37.012 several 1000 right now . Dave Well then 23:37.012 --> 23:39.550 tell us why because I think the number 23:39.550 --> 23:42.760 is very fluid and it Located changes 23:42.760 --> 23:44.704 nearly by the hour . It's not more 23:44.704 --> 23:47.840 fluid than these 11:37 . I'm going to 23:47.840 --> 23:49.729 leave it several 1000 right now . 23:49.729 --> 23:53.150 What's up ? Uh huh . You said that you 23:53.150 --> 23:55.500 heard the public statements from 23:55.500 --> 23:57.880 Taliban about the red line ? The August 23:57.890 --> 24:00.550 31 . Does this mean that you didn't 24:00.550 --> 24:03.680 hear it directly from them since you're 24:03.680 --> 24:06.120 communicating with them on daily basis . 24:06.130 --> 24:08.352 Are you communicating with them on this 24:08.352 --> 24:10.770 issue ? Did you tell them discuss with 24:10.770 --> 24:13.890 them the need for maybe extending the 24:13.890 --> 24:17.610 august 31st ? I'm not gonna speak to 24:17.610 --> 24:19.610 specificity with the communications 24:19.610 --> 24:21.721 that we're having with the Taliban on 24:21.721 --> 24:23.721 any given day . It happened several 24:23.721 --> 24:26.350 times a day . Uh We are well aware uh 24:26.740 --> 24:30.510 of the state of desire To buy the 24:30.510 --> 24:32.830 Taliban to have this mission completed 24:32.830 --> 24:35.600 by 31 August . I would tell you that we 24:35.600 --> 24:38.630 too are still planning On completing it 24:38.630 --> 24:41.040 by 31 August . That is the mission that 24:41.040 --> 24:43.262 we have been signed by the commander in 24:43.262 --> 24:45.318 chief assigned to us and that's what 24:45.318 --> 24:47.484 we're trying to execute it . Let me go 24:47.484 --> 24:49.707 ahead . Are the forces remaining now in 24:49.707 --> 24:51.540 Kabul focusing on the evacuation 24:51.540 --> 24:54.860 mission ? The U . S . Forces of course . 24:55.540 --> 24:58.580 Are they maintaining that cab 24:59.240 --> 25:02.700 Capability to maybe deal with the 25:02.700 --> 25:05.400 threat from Taliban beyond the August 25:05.400 --> 25:08.770 31 deadline or maybe attacks again , 25:08.780 --> 25:12.530 I appreciate the You know the question 25:12.530 --> 25:15.030 in terms of hypothesizing past the 31st 25:15.040 --> 25:17.250 we're just aren't there yet ? Our 25:17.250 --> 25:19.472 troops are focused on the mission . The 25:19.472 --> 25:21.528 three missions I just articulated uh 25:21.528 --> 25:23.528 and that includes as I said , being 25:23.528 --> 25:25.694 able to defend the airport which means 25:25.694 --> 25:27.694 being able to defend themselves and 25:27.694 --> 25:29.861 their operations and we have assets in 25:29.861 --> 25:32.028 places , assets in place to allow them 25:32.028 --> 25:34.194 to do that as well . I am not going to 25:34.194 --> 25:36.780 speculate about uh post august 31st we 25:36.780 --> 25:39.640 are head down focused on keeping these 25:39.640 --> 25:41.807 numbers up as best we can . Getting as 25:41.807 --> 25:44.029 many people out as we can by the end of 25:44.029 --> 25:46.770 the month . And if there needs to be a 25:46.780 --> 25:48.558 discussion about extending that 25:48.558 --> 25:50.780 timeline , then we absolutely will have 25:50.780 --> 25:53.002 that discussion at the appropriate time 25:53.002 --> 25:55.224 with the commander in chief . Let me go 25:55.224 --> 25:57.447 to the phones which I have not done yet 25:57.447 --> 25:56.950 Jeff showgirl , You get the first one . 25:58.040 --> 25:59.929 Thank you very much regarding the 25:59.929 --> 26:03.390 incident . Um Was the gunman killed ? 26:03.400 --> 26:06.210 And was it us troops who shot this 26:06.210 --> 26:10.050 person ? I do not know on either Jeff , 26:10.060 --> 26:11.893 you could certainly reach out to 26:11.893 --> 26:14.650 central command for more detail at that 26:14.650 --> 26:16.650 level of the incident . But again , 26:16.650 --> 26:18.872 this just happened Jeff . And so I just 26:18.872 --> 26:20.840 don't think we have that level of 26:20.850 --> 26:22.906 forensic detail to offer you today . 26:23.340 --> 26:25.720 Thanks carla . I think he has one . You 26:25.720 --> 26:28.053 have one more Jeff . Oh yes , I'm sorry . 26:28.053 --> 26:30.276 From what we're hearing on the ground . 26:30.276 --> 26:32.387 Only american citizens and green card 26:32.387 --> 26:34.331 holders are being allowed into the 26:34.331 --> 26:36.387 airport . Do you know when that will 26:36.387 --> 26:36.160 change ? And afghans at risk will be 26:36.160 --> 26:39.770 able to enter as I mentioned to gen uh 26:39.780 --> 26:42.910 it's for american citizens . It's for s 26:42.910 --> 26:45.320 I ? Ve applicants can still be 26:45.320 --> 26:47.431 processed through the gates at risk . 26:47.431 --> 26:49.653 Afghans are absolutely being considered 26:49.653 --> 26:52.360 for entry color . Two questions . Uh 26:52.370 --> 26:54.370 First of all , how many people have 26:54.370 --> 26:56.592 been killed at the airport , we've been 26:56.592 --> 26:59.090 hearing reports of 79 , a NATO official 26:59.090 --> 27:01.146 told abc there were 20 killed in and 27:01.146 --> 27:03.368 around the airport . What's that number 27:03.740 --> 27:07.400 you're talking about ? Afghans ? Uh 27:07.410 --> 27:09.740 people who were killed on Monday during 27:09.740 --> 27:12.160 the incident when the C17 took off to 27:12.160 --> 27:14.500 that were killed during skirmishes 27:14.500 --> 27:16.500 inside the airport . The guy killed 27:16.500 --> 27:18.500 today ? What's that total number of 27:18.500 --> 27:21.280 people who have died ? Less than what ? 27:21.290 --> 27:23.512 The number ? I don't have exact numbers 27:23.512 --> 27:25.640 of that . So I can't answer the exact 27:25.640 --> 27:27.920 number right now . Can you take that 27:27.920 --> 27:30.590 question and get back ? And then also 27:30.590 --> 27:32.812 you had mentioned sir that the capacity 27:32.812 --> 27:35.600 was 5800 troops at the airport right 27:35.600 --> 27:38.160 now . Um and then the Secretary of 27:38.160 --> 27:40.271 Defense had told us last week that he 27:40.271 --> 27:42.382 did not have the capability to go out 27:42.382 --> 27:44.604 and do extractions because there's just 27:44.604 --> 27:46.716 not enough troops there defending the 27:46.716 --> 27:48.327 airport . Have you asked for 27:48.327 --> 27:50.438 authorization of additional troops to 27:50.438 --> 27:52.271 go into the airport to help with 27:52.271 --> 27:54.438 potential extraction should it come to 27:54.438 --> 27:56.160 that ? Yeah , I think uh we're 27:56.160 --> 27:59.080 capability um and the the actual troop 27:59.080 --> 28:01.080 number I think are two different uh 28:01.080 --> 28:02.580 things . So we have 5000 , 28:02.580 --> 28:06.550 approximately 5800 forces . Uh and as I 28:06.550 --> 28:09.690 briefed over the week as forces flew in , 28:09.700 --> 28:12.670 you know , float in capability continue 28:12.670 --> 28:15.330 to increase . Initial security was the 28:15.330 --> 28:17.750 most important ability to establish 28:17.750 --> 28:19.806 because without that security uh the 28:19.806 --> 28:22.990 ability to do other things is just not 28:22.990 --> 28:26.450 possible . So Uh as our capability 28:26.460 --> 28:29.480 increased and at that 5800 number as 28:29.480 --> 28:32.930 you've seen , we have the capability 28:32.940 --> 28:36.120 and have executed other operations to 28:36.120 --> 28:38.830 ensure that American citizens are being 28:38.830 --> 28:41.730 brought in uh safely and prepared for 28:41.730 --> 28:43.840 evacuation . So just so I can 28:43.850 --> 28:46.017 understand what you're saying . Just a 28:46.017 --> 28:48.180 recap . You think that at 5800 troops 28:48.480 --> 28:51.640 the US has the capability now to expand 28:51.640 --> 28:53.473 the perimeter at the airport and 28:53.473 --> 28:55.307 continue all of this to or to do 28:55.307 --> 28:57.362 whatever the president had mentioned 28:57.362 --> 28:59.473 with the opening of the perimeter and 28:59.473 --> 29:01.584 also to do extractions if needed . Or 29:01.584 --> 29:03.751 are you going to ask for authorization 29:03.751 --> 29:06.500 of more troops said is at 5800 . We're 29:06.500 --> 29:08.833 able to continue to secure the airfield , 29:08.833 --> 29:11.240 continue to increase safety there uh 29:11.250 --> 29:14.170 and continue to do . Uh the operations 29:14.170 --> 29:17.020 that we already have and Carla , what 29:17.020 --> 29:20.300 the secretary said was that where he 29:20.300 --> 29:22.356 was on last Wednesday that we didn't 29:22.356 --> 29:24.578 have the capability to do large scale , 29:24.578 --> 29:27.150 you know , massive movements of people . 29:27.150 --> 29:29.520 But he did say if there's an incident 29:29.530 --> 29:31.641 where somebody is an extremist and we 29:31.641 --> 29:33.808 need to get them in small numbers , we 29:33.808 --> 29:35.863 can do that . And we have been doing 29:35.863 --> 29:38.086 that . And as the general said that was 29:38.086 --> 29:40.197 last Wednesday over the course of the 29:40.197 --> 29:42.141 ensuing days , more capability has 29:42.141 --> 29:44.308 flown in more troops have flown in and 29:44.308 --> 29:46.580 so we do have the ability to help when 29:46.580 --> 29:48.670 we can and where we can to help 29:48.680 --> 29:51.820 americans move towards the gates . And 29:51.820 --> 29:53.709 we're not going to talk about the 29:53.709 --> 29:55.987 details of each and every one of those , 29:55.987 --> 29:58.209 but we do have those capabilities . One 29:58.209 --> 30:00.376 last . I guess what I'm asking is , do 30:00.376 --> 30:00.030 you foresee the deed to authorize 30:00.030 --> 30:02.350 additional troops to go in ? Should the 30:02.350 --> 30:04.572 situation , should you have a hard stop 30:04.572 --> 30:06.739 at august 31st and you have to ramp up 30:06.739 --> 30:08.620 capacity again ? Do you foresee 30:08.630 --> 30:10.830 authorizing additional ? I don't think 30:10.830 --> 30:12.830 it would be helpful to get ahead of 30:12.830 --> 30:14.941 where we are right now . There are no 30:14.941 --> 30:17.440 plans at this time to request or to 30:17.440 --> 30:20.510 authorize additional U . S . Forces to 30:20.510 --> 30:23.460 this mission , Courtney are U . S . 30:23.460 --> 30:25.682 Troops leaving the airport on a regular 30:25.682 --> 30:27.904 basis . I still don't understand what's 30:27.904 --> 30:30.360 going on Courtney on occasion as needed . 30:31.540 --> 30:34.490 Our commanders have uh the authority 30:34.490 --> 30:38.390 that they need uh to use their assets 30:38.390 --> 30:41.870 and their forces to help assist 30:41.880 --> 30:44.050 americans who need to get to the 30:44.050 --> 30:46.217 airport , get to the airport on a case 30:46.217 --> 30:48.960 by case basis . Your question 30:48.960 --> 30:52.760 was leaving in a regular . It's not 30:52.770 --> 30:56.770 it's not regular . I don't want to I 30:56.780 --> 30:58.891 don't want to leave you with the idea 30:58.891 --> 31:00.780 that we're somehow patrolling the 31:00.780 --> 31:02.724 streets of Kabul , but on occasion 31:02.724 --> 31:04.669 where there's a need and there's a 31:04.669 --> 31:06.502 capability to meet that need our 31:06.502 --> 31:08.724 commanders on the ground are doing what 31:08.724 --> 31:10.613 they feel they need to do to help 31:10.613 --> 31:13.510 americans reach the airport . Um , and 31:13.510 --> 31:16.230 there's a variety of methods that that 31:16.230 --> 31:19.050 can be affected and uh without going 31:19.050 --> 31:21.800 into detail , we're using the variety 31:21.800 --> 31:23.856 of methods at our disposal . We know 31:23.856 --> 31:26.078 about the chinooks last thursday at the 31:26.078 --> 31:27.744 Baron Hotel . Have there been 31:27.744 --> 31:29.856 additional cases since then ? Can you 31:29.856 --> 31:29.040 tell us any details about ? There has 31:29.040 --> 31:32.030 been at least one additional instance 31:32.030 --> 31:35.380 where rotary airlift was used to help 31:35.390 --> 31:38.950 americans get from outside the airport 31:38.990 --> 31:41.101 into the airport . Uh And I think I'm 31:41.101 --> 31:43.101 just gonna leave it at that today . 31:43.240 --> 31:47.230 Uh you know , you're 31:47.230 --> 31:49.397 planning organization , what is your , 31:49.397 --> 31:51.619 when do you expect that ? You will have 31:51.619 --> 31:53.619 to assuming that you're sticking to 31:53.619 --> 31:55.841 this August 31 deadline ? When will you 31:55.841 --> 31:58.430 have to stop taking in additional 31:58.430 --> 32:00.490 people at the airport to evacuate 32:00.490 --> 32:02.546 because you're gonna have to get the 32:02.546 --> 32:04.490 5800 american U . S . Troops out ? 32:04.490 --> 32:06.268 Right . You mean stop taking in 32:06.268 --> 32:08.101 evacuees correct ? Yes . One and 32:08.101 --> 32:10.268 additional americans , whoever is left 32:10.268 --> 32:12.379 out there , like what is the deadline 32:12.379 --> 32:14.268 so that you'll be able to get the 32:14.268 --> 32:16.323 american military guard there at the 32:16.323 --> 32:18.490 airport supporting in any last embassy 32:18.490 --> 32:20.657 people who are there out when will you 32:20.657 --> 32:22.879 stop accepting to evacuation ? Remember 32:22.879 --> 32:25.101 it's important remember that we are not 32:25.101 --> 32:27.212 the only people flying evacuees out . 32:27.212 --> 32:30.220 Um uh So uh it's certainly conceivable 32:30.220 --> 32:32.080 that that even without a U . S . 32:32.080 --> 32:34.247 Military footprint there , that people 32:34.247 --> 32:36.469 can still be able to get out of Kabul . 32:36.469 --> 32:39.470 Um I don't have specific 32:39.480 --> 32:43.120 retrograde timeline to speak to today . 32:43.130 --> 32:45.700 Um uh we'll work through that as 32:45.700 --> 32:48.300 appropriate as we get closer to the end 32:48.300 --> 32:51.320 of the mission um and uh as you well 32:51.320 --> 32:53.098 know , we very methodically and 32:53.098 --> 32:56.280 deliberately uh plan in the movement 32:56.290 --> 32:59.120 out of assets and equipment and 32:59.120 --> 33:01.590 resources so that we can preserve the 33:01.590 --> 33:03.646 capability we need for as long as we 33:03.646 --> 33:05.701 need it . I think I just leave it at 33:05.701 --> 33:07.868 that , I only ask that because it took 33:07.868 --> 33:10.090 several days to flow these 5800 in . So 33:10.090 --> 33:11.979 I know that there were logistical 33:11.979 --> 33:11.840 hurdles to get them in , presumably 33:11.840 --> 33:13.951 won't take as long out , but it could 33:13.951 --> 33:16.118 theoretically take a day or two to get 33:16.118 --> 33:18.118 everyone the military back out . So 33:18.118 --> 33:20.173 that may bump the timeline back from 33:20.173 --> 33:24.050 august 31st to the 28 9 , look clearly 33:24.050 --> 33:27.510 german speaking about 28 clearly , 33:27.520 --> 33:29.742 you know , you have to do some backward 33:29.742 --> 33:32.040 planning for retrograde . Obviously I'm 33:32.040 --> 33:33.984 not prepared today to speak to the 33:33.984 --> 33:36.670 specific uh dates are processed by 33:36.670 --> 33:39.980 which that would occur , but obviously 33:39.980 --> 33:42.220 we're thinking through that right now 33:42.230 --> 33:44.508 and a lot of that's going to depend on , 33:44.508 --> 33:47.230 on how far we get , as fast as we can 33:47.230 --> 33:49.174 get , you know , by the end of the 33:49.174 --> 33:50.897 month . I I just don't want to 33:50.897 --> 33:53.008 speculate now about what that's gonna 33:53.008 --> 33:55.230 look like . But let me just back up , I 33:55.230 --> 33:57.286 mean the focus is on getting as many 33:57.286 --> 33:59.480 people out as we can as fast as we can 33:59.490 --> 34:02.120 um that means being able to secure and 34:02.120 --> 34:04.380 defend the airport , which we are doing 34:04.390 --> 34:07.040 now . Uh and we will factor all of 34:07.040 --> 34:09.050 those things in uh to whatever the 34:09.050 --> 34:11.161 departure timeline looks like to make 34:11.161 --> 34:12.994 sure we can continue to maximize 34:12.994 --> 34:15.106 throughput as best we can and without 34:15.106 --> 34:17.272 getting anybody hurt . And and and and 34:17.272 --> 34:19.850 thus far uh with obviously some 34:19.850 --> 34:23.350 exceptions , uh some small exceptions . 34:23.350 --> 34:25.880 I mean , uh , we've been , we've been 34:25.880 --> 34:28.170 fortunate that that that nobody has . 34:28.740 --> 34:32.240 Okay , mike , is there any effort to 34:32.250 --> 34:34.680 tally up the number of us weapons and 34:34.680 --> 34:36.736 equipment that are now under Taliban 34:36.736 --> 34:39.310 control ? And is there any program to 34:39.320 --> 34:41.640 mitigate this problem through 34:41.650 --> 34:44.040 destruction or confiscating them back ? 34:44.040 --> 34:46.151 Taking them back , Michael . I mean , 34:46.151 --> 34:48.380 we talked about this before , I don't 34:48.380 --> 34:50.260 have an exact inventory of what 34:51.140 --> 34:55.070 equipment the that the afghans 34:55.080 --> 34:57.750 had at their disposal , that that now 34:57.760 --> 35:00.650 might be at risk . Obviously we don't 35:00.650 --> 35:04.530 want to see any um any 35:04.530 --> 35:08.240 weapons or systems that to fall into 35:08.240 --> 35:12.160 hands of people that 35:12.540 --> 35:14.762 that would use them in such a way to uh 35:14.762 --> 35:17.100 that uh to harm our interests or those 35:17.100 --> 35:19.770 of our our partners and allies . I mean , 35:19.780 --> 35:22.080 uh we have a vested interest obviously 35:22.080 --> 35:24.640 and and not wanting that to happen . Um , 35:24.650 --> 35:26.880 but I don't have any policy solutions 35:26.880 --> 35:30.260 for you today about how we would 35:30.640 --> 35:33.640 or could address that going forward . I 35:33.640 --> 35:36.700 would remind you though , Mike that an 35:36.700 --> 35:40.230 awful lot of equipment , weapons 35:40.240 --> 35:43.910 resources uh were drawn down even in 35:43.910 --> 35:46.770 the last The years and months of the 35:46.780 --> 35:48.947 previous administration . As President 35:48.947 --> 35:51.180 Trump decided to move down to a force 35:51.180 --> 35:52.958 of 2500 . So there was a lot of 35:52.958 --> 35:55.670 retrograde of things up to that point . 35:56.040 --> 35:58.262 And then after the President's decision 35:58.540 --> 36:01.460 in mid april to complete this drawdown , 36:01.830 --> 36:04.950 albeit on an extended timeline . A very 36:04.960 --> 36:07.016 and we talked about this to the very 36:07.016 --> 36:09.127 big part of the retrograde was uh the 36:09.127 --> 36:11.760 disposition of weapons and equipment 36:11.770 --> 36:14.190 and systems and vehicles . Some of them 36:14.190 --> 36:16.830 were destroyed , some of them were 36:16.840 --> 36:19.620 brought back home , some of them were 36:19.630 --> 36:21.930 uh deployed , redeployed into the 36:21.930 --> 36:24.097 region and yes , some were turned over 36:24.097 --> 36:27.120 to the afghans . Uh and uh we're 36:27.120 --> 36:29.342 working through right now to try to get 36:29.342 --> 36:31.398 a better sense of of what that would 36:31.398 --> 36:33.231 look like . But I don't have any 36:33.231 --> 36:35.398 specific solutions for you in terms of 36:35.398 --> 36:37.509 what , what we're , what we're , what 36:37.509 --> 36:39.731 we can or will do going forward on this 36:39.731 --> 36:43.080 then uh to the 36:43.080 --> 36:45.302 degree . Well , I'll leave it at that , 36:45.302 --> 36:47.620 I'll leave it at that . Thank you . Let 36:47.620 --> 36:49.950 me ask you to a general taylor please . 36:50.430 --> 36:54.030 Uh you know , uh the United States 36:54.030 --> 36:57.660 has requested the South Korea to help 36:58.230 --> 37:01.970 upset afghan left this . Do you 37:01.970 --> 37:05.370 have any more detail on this ? I don't 37:05.370 --> 37:07.203 other than that communication is 37:07.203 --> 37:10.550 happening uh and that like I said 37:10.550 --> 37:13.900 earlier , we are very grateful for all 37:13.900 --> 37:17.620 of our partners allies that continue to 37:17.720 --> 37:21.470 offer any assistance to allow the 37:21.480 --> 37:24.190 safe evacuation of afghans . American 37:24.190 --> 37:27.670 citizens has any military support , the 37:27.670 --> 37:30.970 United States and South Korea , 37:30.970 --> 37:34.240 something like military aircraft . 37:36.230 --> 37:40.060 Um , I don't , I don't know how many 37:40.630 --> 37:42.686 Republic of Korea aircraft have been 37:42.686 --> 37:44.741 used . We've had , you know , as you 37:44.741 --> 37:47.700 said today , uh a lot of countries have 37:47.710 --> 37:50.050 been supporting and we , we appreciate 37:50.050 --> 37:52.217 that . But I don't have the number off 37:52.217 --> 37:54.740 hand . Can you take a vacation ? Thank 37:54.740 --> 37:58.160 you very much . All right . Uh , 37:59.330 --> 38:02.840 back to the phones here uh , kim Dozer . 38:05.320 --> 38:08.650 Thanks john I wanted to ask if you were 38:09.020 --> 38:11.131 given the short amount of time left , 38:11.131 --> 38:13.076 just seven days . Are you going to 38:13.076 --> 38:16.050 allow private charters to start landing 38:16.050 --> 38:18.390 in greater numbers at hK a daily to 38:18.400 --> 38:21.200 pick up afghans at risk because even by 38:21.210 --> 38:23.210 conservative Matthew can't possibly 38:23.210 --> 38:25.321 move all the american citizens out in 38:25.321 --> 38:27.543 just seven days , much less . The green 38:27.543 --> 38:29.766 card holders , afghan special operators 38:29.766 --> 38:32.500 etcetera . Also , private charter 38:32.500 --> 38:34.500 companies tell me they've been told 38:34.620 --> 38:36.787 when they can land that they only have 38:36.787 --> 38:39.260 an hour to land , pick everybody up and 38:39.260 --> 38:41.870 take off . And some of them are leery 38:41.870 --> 38:44.037 of even going because they don't think 38:44.037 --> 38:46.770 they can get it done that fast . So the 38:46.770 --> 38:50.560 ability to continue throughput is 38:50.560 --> 38:53.200 very important . And so as we look at 38:53.210 --> 38:55.990 airfield operations and the ability to 38:55.990 --> 38:58.880 get aircraft landed safely uh 38:58.890 --> 39:01.900 immediately in uh , and loaded and that 39:01.900 --> 39:04.067 drives a lot of the what we would call 39:04.067 --> 39:07.740 time on ground uh , to maximize 39:07.920 --> 39:11.150 um the amount of evacuees that we can 39:11.150 --> 39:14.050 get out as you saw in the last day that 39:14.050 --> 39:17.240 the numbers that required as you just 39:17.240 --> 39:19.351 said , you know , aircraft on average 39:19.351 --> 39:21.407 should be on the ground less than an 39:21.407 --> 39:23.580 hour , which is very quick . Um I do 39:23.580 --> 39:26.470 know that uh trans come and the 39:26.470 --> 39:28.303 commanders on the ground who are 39:28.420 --> 39:31.450 facilitating that synchronization are 39:31.450 --> 39:34.930 using and want to continue to use every 39:34.940 --> 39:38.910 capability possible to get people out 39:38.910 --> 39:41.450 of out of Kabul . So uh that's all . I 39:41.450 --> 39:45.160 have . One more on the phone here , Sam 39:45.160 --> 39:48.940 Lagrone . Hey john can we 39:48.940 --> 39:52.190 get an update on us support for the 39:52.190 --> 39:54.357 Haiti earthquake and disaster relief ? 39:55.720 --> 39:57.790 Yeah , I think we can uh facilitate 39:57.790 --> 40:00.090 that a little bit later Sam but yes , 40:00.090 --> 40:02.730 we can get you an update on that . Yeah . 40:02.920 --> 40:05.142 The question for the general real quick 40:05.142 --> 40:07.430 sir , it sounds like from what we're 40:07.430 --> 40:10.710 hearing from the podium but that the US 40:10.710 --> 40:12.821 is essentially relying on the taliban 40:12.821 --> 40:14.932 for crowd control outside the gates . 40:14.932 --> 40:16.877 Obviously that was not part of the 40:16.877 --> 40:18.877 original plan . Um what forces were 40:18.877 --> 40:21.099 originally assigned to conduct security 40:21.099 --> 40:23.140 outside the perimeter ? And how did 40:23.140 --> 40:25.307 that fall apart ? Where are they now ? 40:25.307 --> 40:28.670 Um and I have a follow up . So the 40:28.680 --> 40:32.360 5800 forces were part of that force 40:32.360 --> 40:34.360 package to provide security for the 40:34.360 --> 40:37.880 airfield as you know , uh within the 40:37.880 --> 40:40.570 last seven days we've seen the ability 40:40.570 --> 40:44.260 to continue to um coordinate 40:44.270 --> 40:46.820 and uh synchronized with taliban 40:46.820 --> 40:49.470 checkpoints . Um and I would say is you 40:49.470 --> 40:52.140 look the last two days , that ability 40:52.140 --> 40:54.280 with the commanders on the ground to 40:54.280 --> 40:56.840 work with the taliban tactical 40:56.840 --> 41:00.140 commanders has uh allowed . And I would 41:00.140 --> 41:03.160 say the ability to control better uh 41:03.170 --> 41:05.870 the access into that . So you're saying 41:05.870 --> 41:07.870 that U . S . Troops were originally 41:07.910 --> 41:10.132 plan to be on the perimeter outside the 41:10.132 --> 41:12.243 airport , but that did not work out . 41:12.243 --> 41:14.466 Is that what I understood Now that that 41:14.466 --> 41:17.120 was the original 5800 forces were 41:17.120 --> 41:19.380 planned to secure H . Chi in those 41:19.380 --> 41:21.491 gates , the interior of the airport . 41:21.491 --> 41:23.602 There was no one planned to be on the 41:23.602 --> 41:25.658 outside . That's not what I said . I 41:25.658 --> 41:28.190 said , you know , as the plan that went 41:28.190 --> 41:30.320 in and the what has changes the 41:30.810 --> 41:33.630 coordination and using the use of or 41:33.630 --> 41:36.090 the taliban being there understood . 41:36.100 --> 41:38.211 Okay , one last question . If I might 41:39.110 --> 41:42.510 given this arrangement , does this mean 41:42.520 --> 41:44.990 that the taliban is on for better or 41:44.990 --> 41:47.101 worse and now in a better position to 41:47.101 --> 41:50.190 potentially dictate when we leave ? I 41:50.200 --> 41:52.311 can't answer that . What I do know is 41:52.311 --> 41:54.340 that our continued mission which we 41:54.340 --> 41:57.270 were given was secured the airfield and 41:57.270 --> 42:01.080 to ensure the to facilitate uh the 42:01.080 --> 42:03.310 evacuation by August 31 . And I'll just 42:03.310 --> 42:05.590 refer back to the comment that Mr Kirby 42:05.590 --> 42:08.020 has already made about uh the August 31 42:08.030 --> 42:10.630 1st date ? Yes . Yeah . I mean we've 42:10.630 --> 42:13.200 covered this pretty well About August 42:13.200 --> 42:16.160 31 Megan . So the vaccine rollout plan 42:16.170 --> 42:18.430 is the idea now that Pfizer will become 42:18.430 --> 42:22.290 mandatory and the secretary will wait 42:22.290 --> 42:25.030 until mid september to ask for Madonna 42:25.030 --> 42:26.919 and johnson johnson , will he ask 42:26.919 --> 42:29.440 earlier or will the vaccines become 42:29.440 --> 42:31.670 mandatory ads ? They become fully 42:31.670 --> 42:33.781 licensed ? Yeah . What I can tell you 42:33.781 --> 42:35.781 is the focus right now . Today with 42:35.781 --> 42:37.726 this FDA approval is on the Pfizer 42:37.726 --> 42:39.781 vaccine and moving forward , uh , to 42:39.781 --> 42:41.720 implement a mandatory vaccination 42:41.730 --> 42:43.786 regimen for Pfizer . I don't want to 42:43.786 --> 42:45.786 get ahead of decisions that haven't 42:45.786 --> 42:49.070 been made yet . Yeah . I'm sorry mike . 42:49.210 --> 42:52.050 Sorry . Thanks guys . With the masks on 42:52.050 --> 42:54.272 getting everybody confused . Good . Can 42:54.272 --> 42:56.050 you speak a little to any covid 42:56.050 --> 42:57.939 prevention that's going on at the 42:57.939 --> 43:00.380 airport are evacuees being tested 43:00.380 --> 43:02.436 before they get on aircraft that are 43:02.436 --> 43:04.380 being tested in their intermediary 43:04.380 --> 43:06.602 countries ? Yeah . Good question . Um , 43:06.602 --> 43:08.491 uh , as I understand it , medical 43:08.491 --> 43:10.610 personnel at the at Hamid Karzai 43:10.610 --> 43:13.930 International Airport are conducting 43:13.930 --> 43:15.819 covid screening for those who are 43:15.819 --> 43:18.580 feeble or symptomatic . Um , uh , and 43:18.580 --> 43:21.560 then , uh , as appropriate , depending 43:21.560 --> 43:24.110 on what the the temporary safe haven , 43:24.110 --> 43:26.760 what the , what the guidelines are at 43:26.760 --> 43:28.816 the temporary safe Havens additional 43:28.816 --> 43:30.927 screenings at , at some of those safe 43:30.927 --> 43:33.320 havens occur . Uh , and then upon 43:33.700 --> 43:35.890 arrival at the United States , all 43:35.890 --> 43:39.080 passengers are being tested upon 43:39.080 --> 43:42.430 arrival and then and then medical 43:42.430 --> 43:44.430 professionals make proper decisions 43:44.430 --> 43:46.430 after that . Are there any concerns 43:46.430 --> 43:48.319 about positive tests and sold for 43:48.319 --> 43:50.374 soldiers on the ground . Of course , 43:50.374 --> 43:52.280 there's any examples of soldiers 43:52.280 --> 43:54.502 testing positive . I have not . I don't 43:54.502 --> 43:56.724 have that level of these . I don't know 43:56.724 --> 44:00.140 what what positive results they may 44:00.140 --> 44:03.090 have come in for soldiers working at 44:03.090 --> 44:04.979 the air full but obviously at the 44:04.979 --> 44:06.979 airfield obviously their health and 44:06.979 --> 44:09.034 safety remains a top concern for for 44:09.034 --> 44:11.570 all of us . Yeah . Louis a complication 44:11.580 --> 44:13.802 at the top . I think you announced that 44:13.802 --> 44:15.913 showing face McGuire Dix Lakehurst is 44:15.913 --> 44:18.100 now that is correct . Is that a new in 44:18.100 --> 44:20.322 addition ? Is that something new ? That 44:20.322 --> 44:22.433 is now that is one additional base we 44:22.433 --> 44:24.600 have been talking about three prior to 44:24.600 --> 44:26.600 that . Fort lee , Fort McCoy , Fort 44:26.600 --> 44:29.610 Bliss Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst 44:29.610 --> 44:33.240 is now uh is now available to 44:33.250 --> 44:36.210 receive some of these uh s ivy 44:36.210 --> 44:40.030 applicants . Um And With the four bases . 44:40.890 --> 44:43.840 Uh Well what our goal would be is to 44:43.840 --> 44:46.880 reach the ability not necessarily the 44:46.880 --> 44:50.110 actual Count but the ability to build 44:50.110 --> 44:53.490 out to about 25,000 capacity . We 44:53.490 --> 44:55.657 aren't there yet Louis it's gonna take 44:55.657 --> 44:57.823 days and weeks I think for all four to 44:57.823 --> 45:00.157 be able to combine to get to that level . 45:00.157 --> 45:02.490 But that's the goal as we are right now . 45:02.490 --> 45:04.601 And the other thing I would say is uh 45:04.601 --> 45:06.768 if the secretary in communication with 45:06.768 --> 45:08.990 the Chairman and with General Van Herck 45:08.990 --> 45:11.101 at North um feels like we need to add 45:11.101 --> 45:13.990 to that capacity and uh add to the list 45:14.000 --> 45:15.850 additional U . S . Military 45:15.850 --> 45:18.017 installations then we'll do that . But 45:18.017 --> 45:20.128 right now we're at four . And what is 45:20.128 --> 45:22.239 the current number of individuals who 45:22.239 --> 45:24.461 are at those for ? I do not have that . 45:24.461 --> 45:26.572 We can take the question and I'm sure 45:26.572 --> 45:26.190 the Northern Command would have you a 45:26.190 --> 45:28.412 better number than I do right now . And 45:28.412 --> 45:30.468 my last question is this I apologize 45:30.468 --> 45:34.130 for asking three . Um it's such an 45:34.140 --> 45:37.910 effort to get into the airport 45:37.920 --> 45:40.300 and some people are lucky to get in . 45:40.990 --> 45:43.310 But now we're hearing that the food 45:43.310 --> 45:45.720 supplies , the water supplies , 45:46.850 --> 45:50.830 sanitation , hygiene are really bad 45:50.840 --> 45:53.760 inside the airport and so bad that some 45:53.760 --> 45:56.240 people are actually returning to go 45:56.240 --> 45:58.980 outside the perimeter . So my question 45:58.980 --> 46:01.990 is this how can you prevent a 46:02.000 --> 46:04.910 humanitarian crisis inside the airport 46:05.680 --> 46:09.490 as this goes on and on . Yeah . 46:09.500 --> 46:11.444 Fair questions . I'm gonna let the 46:11.450 --> 46:13.506 general take it and I think you have 46:13.506 --> 46:15.506 the number two for the installation 46:15.506 --> 46:17.394 that was in right now in the open 46:17.394 --> 46:19.561 account right at approximately 12 1200 46:19.561 --> 46:22.360 have entered into the United States as 46:22.360 --> 46:25.160 we talk about the conditions and the 46:25.160 --> 46:28.850 ability to continue to provide a humane 46:28.850 --> 46:31.600 and safe piece on the airfield . 46:32.180 --> 46:34.860 As you see some of those flights uh 46:34.870 --> 46:38.710 that continue to come in to to kabul . 46:38.720 --> 46:40.887 Those are bringing those supplies in . 46:40.887 --> 46:43.570 So as those supplies are used we are 46:43.570 --> 46:46.590 continually replenishing those to 46:46.590 --> 46:50.220 ensure that we have food and all those 46:50.220 --> 46:52.760 things that are needed water . Uh two 46:52.760 --> 46:54.980 for those that are preparing for 46:54.980 --> 46:57.700 evacuation flights . So you know the 46:57.700 --> 47:00.410 last 48 hours we had a lot of folks on 47:00.410 --> 47:02.790 there which is a good thing right ? 47:02.790 --> 47:04.623 That means we have gotten people 47:04.623 --> 47:06.679 through the gate , we process them . 47:06.679 --> 47:08.846 That means we have people safe then we 47:08.846 --> 47:10.957 can fly out . Um The commanders there 47:10.957 --> 47:12.680 are always assessing what the 47:12.680 --> 47:15.970 requirements are to ensure that safe 47:15.970 --> 47:19.610 and humanitarian environment . And I 47:19.610 --> 47:22.150 was just said louis I mean we're 47:22.160 --> 47:24.216 mindful of these reports to it's not 47:24.216 --> 47:27.540 lost on us , there's a lot of people um 47:27.540 --> 47:31.380 and they are desperate and we 47:31.380 --> 47:33.720 are trying to do the best we can to get 47:33.720 --> 47:35.609 them out of harm's way as fast as 47:35.609 --> 47:38.050 possible . And when you have a problem 47:38.050 --> 47:40.217 it means that some people are going to 47:40.217 --> 47:42.272 be stuck in a given location whether 47:42.272 --> 47:44.217 it's at Hamid Karzai International 47:44.217 --> 47:46.217 Airport or Qatar or other temporary 47:46.217 --> 47:48.383 safe havens , nobody wants to see this 47:48.383 --> 47:50.661 go on for any longer than it has to be . 47:50.661 --> 47:52.883 And believe me nobody more than the U . 47:52.883 --> 47:55.106 S . Military and our troops want to see 47:55.106 --> 47:57.272 anybody suffer any more than they have 47:57.272 --> 47:59.490 to . And we are we are very aware that 47:59.490 --> 48:01.720 there are and have been uh some 48:01.720 --> 48:04.800 sanitation issues as well as um you 48:04.800 --> 48:07.190 know issues of sustainment and as the 48:07.190 --> 48:09.134 general said , we're making that a 48:09.134 --> 48:11.079 priority as we float some of these 48:11.079 --> 48:13.079 planes are coming in with with that 48:13.079 --> 48:15.190 material on that that kind of support 48:15.190 --> 48:17.246 and then their leaving with people , 48:17.246 --> 48:19.134 we're doing the best we can under 48:19.134 --> 48:21.357 extraordinary circumstances and believe 48:21.357 --> 48:23.357 me the pain and the suffering , the 48:23.357 --> 48:26.140 fear , the anxiety , all of that . None 48:26.140 --> 48:29.170 of it is lost on us , our troops . Just 48:29.180 --> 48:32.370 you have to report um , the british 48:32.380 --> 48:34.324 evacuation commander in Kabul Vice 48:34.324 --> 48:36.520 Admiral Ben Key has been locked out of 48:36.520 --> 48:38.720 all negotiations between us , centcom 48:38.720 --> 48:40.680 staff 82nd Airborne and Taliban 48:40.680 --> 48:42.680 commanders and that there's a great 48:42.680 --> 48:44.791 deal of tension right now between the 48:44.791 --> 48:47.013 brits who want , who are sending people 48:47.013 --> 48:49.180 outside the airport And members of the 48:49.180 --> 48:51.291 82nd airborne who want to join them . 48:51.470 --> 48:53.480 What is happening with our british 48:53.480 --> 48:57.240 allies ? Is this report accurate ? And 48:57.240 --> 48:59.750 supposedly there was supposed to be an 48:59.750 --> 49:02.550 82nd airborne jump into bagram airbase 49:03.000 --> 49:05.090 to open that field and that that was 49:05.090 --> 49:07.257 shut down by the White House . Is that 49:07.257 --> 49:09.479 accurate , jen I first that I'm hearing 49:09.479 --> 49:11.701 these reports , you're going to have to 49:11.701 --> 49:13.701 let me go back and look at this . I 49:13.701 --> 49:15.923 don't know the only thing I would , you 49:15.923 --> 49:18.146 mentioned that the brits who want to go 49:18.146 --> 49:21.480 out , we are doing it as well . Uh we 49:21.480 --> 49:23.560 are , we are going out as needed and 49:23.560 --> 49:25.680 helping americans get into the field 49:25.690 --> 49:27.820 only described one of those instances 49:27.820 --> 49:30.590 to Courtney with I , she asked me 49:30.590 --> 49:32.690 specifically about airlift and I 49:32.690 --> 49:35.000 mentioned one using rotary wing 49:35.000 --> 49:37.111 aircraft . That doesn't mean it's the 49:37.111 --> 49:39.333 sum total of what we're doing to go out 49:39.333 --> 49:41.444 and try to bring and assist americans 49:41.444 --> 49:43.444 coming in . We're just not going to 49:43.444 --> 49:43.290 detail all of them because the threat 49:43.290 --> 49:45.234 environment is so high as to these 49:45.234 --> 49:47.401 reports first . I've heard you have to 49:47.401 --> 49:49.512 give us a little time to dissect this 49:49.512 --> 49:51.623 and come back to you report that some 49:51.623 --> 49:53.623 of the equipment that we left and I 49:53.623 --> 49:55.846 have landed in the hands of Taliban are 49:55.846 --> 49:57.901 going towards Pakistan . Do you have 49:57.901 --> 50:00.170 that report as well ? If it lands in 50:00.170 --> 50:01.837 the hands of Pakistan , those 50:01.837 --> 50:04.059 equipments , are you asking Pakistan to 50:04.059 --> 50:06.059 get them back to you ? I don't have 50:06.059 --> 50:08.226 anything on that reporting that you've 50:08.226 --> 50:07.690 got there . I think we'll just have to 50:07.690 --> 50:10.023 take a look . We can take the questions . 50:10.023 --> 50:12.023 See if we get back to you . I don't 50:12.023 --> 50:11.680 have anything on that nancy . Thank you . 50:11.690 --> 50:13.912 Could you clarify something um that you 50:13.912 --> 50:15.857 said to jen that Courtney about on 50:15.857 --> 50:18.650 occasion going out to do missions 50:18.650 --> 50:20.261 outside of it . What kind of 50:20.261 --> 50:22.206 coordination then happens with the 50:22.206 --> 50:24.150 Taliban forces on the ground ? Are 50:24.150 --> 50:23.910 there enjoying patrols happening 50:23.920 --> 50:25.976 between Taliban and U . S . Forces ? 50:25.976 --> 50:28.198 There's no joint patrols . What kind of 50:28.198 --> 50:30.420 communication happens ? Can you give us 50:30.420 --> 50:32.420 any sense ? There's no , there's no 50:32.420 --> 50:34.253 joint patrols . There's no joint 50:34.253 --> 50:36.364 coordination , but obviously we're in 50:36.364 --> 50:38.420 communication with the Taliban about 50:38.420 --> 50:40.531 their presence and where it is around 50:40.531 --> 50:42.698 the field . Um , and I think nancy for 50:42.698 --> 50:44.809 reasons . I hope you understand we're 50:44.809 --> 50:47.031 just not going to get into the tactical 50:47.031 --> 50:49.198 level details of , of what we're doing 50:49.198 --> 50:51.142 to help facilitate the passage and 50:51.142 --> 50:53.364 assist the passage of americans getting 50:53.364 --> 50:55.587 on to the field and we want to preserve 50:55.587 --> 50:57.531 as money as many options as we can 50:57.531 --> 50:59.364 going forward because the threat 50:59.364 --> 51:01.476 environment outside the airport is so 51:01.476 --> 51:03.587 dynamic and quite frankly dangerous . 51:03.587 --> 51:06.940 So um for I think very good reasons of 51:06.940 --> 51:08.940 operational security we're just not 51:08.940 --> 51:11.107 gonna detail everything we're doing in 51:11.107 --> 51:12.829 every opportunity we're taking 51:12.829 --> 51:15.051 advantage of . I do appreciate that . I 51:15.051 --> 51:17.273 just I just wanna understand if the U . 51:17.273 --> 51:19.107 S . Forces are side by side with 51:19.107 --> 51:18.930 Taliban . I'm trying to get a visual 51:18.930 --> 51:21.270 what it looks like . That's all I know 51:21.310 --> 51:23.760 that we are not out there side by side 51:23.760 --> 51:25.593 with them . It's not about joint 51:25.593 --> 51:27.760 patrols so you can erase that visual . 51:27.760 --> 51:29.982 That is not what's happening . Okay I'm 51:29.982 --> 51:32.038 gonna have to get going guys . Thank 51:32.038 --> 51:34.093 you very much appreciate it . Um our 51:34.093 --> 51:36.160 goal is to come back here again and 51:36.160 --> 51:39.660 around 1500 for an afternoon update 51:39.670 --> 51:41.892 and we'll keep you apprised if and when 51:41.892 --> 51:44.750 that changes . Thanks very much . Thank 51:44.750 --> 51:46.580 you . Yes .