'Special Report' on growing concerns about evacuating Afghanistan

close

Video

Afghanistan evacuation: Concerns bubble as Aug. 31 deadline approaches

Fox News contributors Steve Hayes, Mara Liasson and Byron York discuss the administration's mission to rescue Americans and allies from Afghanistan.

This is a rush transcript from "Special Report," August 25, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BAIER: Well, the administration, including Secretary of State Blinken, saying that the Taliban has promised, insisted that they will allow safe passage for Americans who want to leave the country to get to the airport. The Taliban.

Now, just moments ago, NBC, their chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel, a producer there, said the Taliban spokesperson telling Richard Engel "there's no evidence Bin Laden was involved in 9/11," and then tells him "the withdrawal is almost finished. These are our happiest moments."

Let's bring in our panel, Byron York, chief political correspondent of "The Washington Examiner," Mara Liasson, national political correspondent of National Public Radio, and Steve Hayes, editor of "The Dispatch."

Steve, I'm struck by this. Bin Laden was not involved in 9/11, from the guy, the spokesperson who speaks for the Taliban who we are trusting to get Americans out once U.S. troops leave Afghanistan.

STEVE HAYES, EDITOR, "THE DISPATCH": Yes, well, it's nonsense. We can expect that from the spokesman for the Taliban. I think the Taliban have proven time and time again, not just in the past couple of weeks but over the past 20 years their word is not to be taken seriously.

The greater risk I think here is you have this overlap between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda which presents a tremendous threat to the United States, not only folks in this immediate crisis where we're trying to evacuate people, but looking forward. You have Taliban, Al-Qaeda fighters who have been released from prison. You have members of the Haqqani Network providing security in parts of Kabul. You have Taliban and Al-Qaeda related terrorists who are running operations throughout the country, and other jihadists associated with Al-Qaeda returning to Afghanistan because they understand that it is likely to be a safe haven, a greater safe haven than it has been in the past.

We're focused, and I think the media is appropriately focused on the crisis of the moment, which is evacuating Americans and our allies who worked with us over there now. But this looming problem on the horizon is a significant one, and one that we'll be dealing with for years as the Taliban spokesman's quote suggests.

BAIER: Yes. Mara, Senator Cotton pointed out the disparity between the briefer up on Capitol Hill and what Secretary of State Blinken said about the number of Americans still on the ground and the confusion there, 4,100, 1,500 are from the secretary of state. They later corrected the briefer. It's just been a mess as far as messaging and getting the facts out there.

MARA LIASSON, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO: One level is you've got to figure out how many Americans are still there. Then you've got to get them out. And as the president has said and administration officials have said, any American who wants to leave Afghanistan, we're going to get them out. And that's kind of the bottom line.

Now, over time, if Afghanistan returns to being a safe haven for terrorists and there is a terrorist attack launched on U.S. interests from Afghanistan, that, I think, will be the absolute worst-case scenario for Joe Biden. In the short-term, he has to get every single American out with no American casualties.

BAIER: Byron, this congressional trip, two congressmen on their own decide to go, a Democrat and a Republican, to get a firsthand look at the airport. It really threw people for a loop at the Pentagon and the leadership in both parties.

BYRON YORK, CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, "THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER": Well, I have to say, personally, I'm glad a couple of members of Congress went over and looked at it with their own eyes. And the way we have seen Nancy Pelosi, we have seen the White House, we have seen the Pentagon just smack down Congressman Moulton and Meijer to me just smacks of overkill. I'm glad some of our lawmakers have been able to see this, and I believe the Pentagon is capable of accommodating a couple of lawmakers and doing this mission.

But to go back to the original point here, the credulousness of the secretary of state's briefing today about the Taliban was, let's just say, disappointing. He said that we're on track to complete our mission, removing everybody by August 31st, provided the Taliban continue to cooperate and there are no disruptions. And then he said the Taliban have made public and private commitments to permit safe passage for Americans, for third country nationals, and for Afghans at risk. Well, the Afghans are at risk from the Taliban. So the idea that the United States has to go forward on this basis is embarrassing.

BAIER: All right, two guests on this show. When we come back, the panel with tomorrow's headlines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Finally tonight, a look at tomorrow's headlines with the panel. Mara, first to you.

LIASSON: My headline is Biden's deadline is either firm or fluid, and that may depend on the Taliban. Biden has said he wants to be done by August 31st. On the other hand, he said they are also drawing up contingency plans for maybe staying longer if they have to get out more people. And then today we learned that maybe all this depends on the good offices of the Taliban.

BAIER: It could just be one word -- maybe. Steve?

HAYES: Mine is, cracked up, federal judge refers election conspiracy lawyers for possible sanctions, speaking here, of course, Sidney Powell and Lin Wood whose false claims about the election led to so many claims about rigging the 2020 election.

BAIER: All right, Byron, a quick one.

YORK: Mine is kind of a wishful headline. After Pelosi and White House smackdown, lawmakers want to see Afghan fiasco with their own eyes.

BAIER: There you go. Panel, thanks.

Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. That's it for this SPECIAL REPORT, fair, balanced, and still unafraid. Thanks for trusting us. "FOX NEWS PRIMETIME" hosted by Jesse Watters this week starts right now. And there's just a ton of guests that I saw on the graphic.

Content and Programming Copyright 2021 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2021 VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.