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Biden WH memo before Taliban takeover sought to lift protections for Americans trapped abroad
The Biden administration moved in June to dismantle a system designed to protect American citizens trapped abroad — just months before the Taliban took over Afghanistan, stranding thousands of Americans in the Central Asian country.
Fox News has obtained the June 11 memo sent around the State Department that gave the green light to the "discontinuation of the establishment, and the termination of, the Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau (CCR)."
The sensitive but unclassified memo was signed by Deputy Secretary of State Brian McKeon, just a couple of months before the Biden administration’s botched troop withdrawal that saw Afghanistan fall under Taliban control.
CCR was formed under Trump-era Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and was tasked with providing "aviation, logistics, and medical support capabilities for the Department's operational bureaus, thereby enhancing the secretary's ability to protect American citizens overseas in connection with overseas evacuations in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster."
The bureau could have played a role in the response to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, where thousands of American citizens and allies are trapped behind terrorist lines. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.
In other developments:
- Biden says as many as 15,000 Americans looking to flee Afghanistan
- Biden says ongoing 'chaos' in Afghanistan was 'priced' into withdrawal decision during ABC interview
- Geraldo hits Biden for 'pitiful' speech as Afghanistan crumbles: 'What the hell did COVID have to do with' it?
- Biden admin's finger-pointing over Taliban fiasco just accelerated
- Afghans plead for faster US evacuation from Taliban rule
California suspect dead, two police officers wounded day after sheriff's deputy was shot
The suspect linked to an ambush shooting of a Southern California sheriff's deputy earlier this week was killed Wednesday after getting into a shootout with police that left two officers wounded, authorities said.
The scene of Wednesday's shootout in California. (FOX 11 of Los Angeles)
Officers with the San Bernardino Police SWAT unit were attempting to take the unidentified suspect into custody in connection with the deputy shooting just before 3:40 p.m. when gunfire erupted, San Bernardino police Lt. Michele Mahan told reporters.
"Two of our officers were shot," Mahan said. "Both of them were able to speak at the time our own officers transported them to a local hospital."
The suspect, who had been under surveillance for several hours Wednesday, was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident occurred in the city of Highland, 66 miles east of Los Angeles. The officers' injuries were not disclosed but they are expected to survive, Mahan said.
The incident came a day after a San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy was shot while trying to pull over a motorist. The deputy was fired upon as he turned a corner during a brief car chase, authorities said. He remained hospitalized in stable condition. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- California deputy 'ambushed' in shooting as suspect was ‘lying in wait,’ cops say
- NYC hatchet attack suspect under evaluation after arrest, authorities say
- California deputies say woman 'safe' after possible kidnapping caught on alarming video
- Florida prosecutors seek death penalty for accused Daytona Beach cop killer
Chicago Mayor Lightfoot 'tied the hands of police,' says dad of badly wounded cop
The father of a wounded Chicago police officer called out Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday, saying policy changes at the city's police department gave bad guys an upper hand against law enforcement.
Carlos Yanez Sr., himself a retired city police officer, said his son, Carlos Yanez Jr. — who suffered serious injuries in a shootout with suspects earlier this month that also resulted in the death of Officer Ella French -- and other officers were told they could not draw their weapons unless the situation "warrants it," the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
"They didn’t do that when I was on the job," he told the paper. "They let us be police. There wasn’t a day that I didn’t draw my weapon, have it behind my leg or behind my thigh."
He told the paper that he did not want Lightfoot to visit his son in the hospital because his son was "no fan," to "put it mildly."
Lightfoot's office did not immediately respond to an after-hours email from Fox News about the criticism.
On Aug. 7, Yanez and French, 29, exchanged fire with suspects during a traffic stop. French’s death was the first fatal shooting of a Chicago officer in the line of duty since 2018 and put a new focus on gun violence in the city. On that same weekend, at least 64 others were shot, including 10 fatally. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- Ella French funeral: Chicago mourns slain police officer as brother details how 'she loved this city'
- Chicago officer injured in shooting that killed Ella French speaks out for first time
- Chicago man arrested after ramming 2 police officers, dragging one 40 feet with car
- Chicago expressway shooting kills special ed teacher, 67, heading home from White Sox game
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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Biden accuser Tara Reade threatens to take legal action against Washington Post: 'I'm fighting back'
- Washington state man claims hospital refusing transplants to the unvaccinated
- Cedar Point guest struck by 'small metal object' from roller coaster
- White House doubles down on Harris' Asia trip amid Afghan crisis: 'Many interests around the world'
- Britney Spears' boyfriend, Sam Asghari, on if he thinks the pop star will return to the stage
THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
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- Ohio man pleads guilty to running $300 million bitcoin money laundering service
CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOX NEWS’ CROSSWORD PUZZLE OF THE WEEK
SOME PARTING WORDS
Saber Nasseri, an Afghan translator for 11 years who lost his fingers to the Taliban for helping U.S. forces in the region, pleaded with President Biden on Wednesday’s "Hannity" to spare his family from the terrorist group as it continues its takeover of the country.
"The Taliban, they just cut my cousin's neck off a couple of days ago. … They are hunting my family and my brother's family," he said, adding "I fought for this country. … I lost my fingers in the war, the Taliban cut my fingers off and cut my body, I got a lot of shrapnel. I worked for the Navy SEALs, U.S. Marines in Afghanistan, but right now the Taliban, they are hunting my family.
"I am very worried about my family. I might lose my family," he added.
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