Editors:

I own a small business and see homelessness, hunger and abuse of power (in Afghanistan). However, until we take care of our own how can we help others? I see (Afghani) refugees go into hotels in California that could have housed the homeless. People are being evicted and we are spending money on a country that would not help us if the tables were turned. This is not our business!

--Angela Barbara, Yermo, California

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Can Biden's Presidency Be Saved?

The tragic suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport should not be politicized, former Republican strategist and No Labels co-founder Mark McKinnon said Thursday night on MSNBC’s The Eleventh Hour, where he’s a regular guest pundit. Indeed, while both arms of the American political horseshoe agree Thursday was the worst day of Joseph Biden’s presidency, many to the left of the Fox News regulars say that if evacuations continue swiftly and efficiently, if not very safely by next Tuesday’s deadline, the result will be as good as could be expected from any recent commander-in-chief.

In his press conference yesterday, Biden once again evoked the deal his predecessor made with the Taliban, when he took a question from “the most interesting guy I know in the press.”

That would be Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy, who asked Biden whether he bears responsibility in the killing of 13 U.S. troops in Thursday’s blasts.

“I bear responsibility for fundamentally all that has happened,” Biden responded. But he continued, “The former president made a deal with the Taliban that he would get all the American forces out of Afghanistan by May 1. In return, the commitment was made, and that was a year before, in return, he was given a commitment that the Taliban would continue to attack others but would not attack any forces. Remember that?”

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News & Notes -- Blame Pompeo?

While Democrats and the left have, overall, leveled considerable criticism on President Biden for a lack of planning in the withdrawal of tens of thousands of Americans and local allies from Afghanistan by the August 31 deadline, Trump administration Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continues to draw more and more scrutiny over the issue, Politico reports.

Pompeo led Trump’s efforts to negotiate with the Taliban early last year for the withdrawal, without any input from Afghanistan’s duly elected government. Trump floated the possibility of hosting Taliban leaders at a summit at Camp David, and ultimately set a withdrawal date of May 1 of this year, under the misguided assumption he would be re-elected.