How yesterday reminded us of Saigon

Good morning. We're going to focus on Afghanistan today. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Today's Opinions   Monday, August 16 The fall of Kabul and how it reminds of Saigon Good morning. We're going to focus on Afghanistan today. Yesterday the world watched as Kabul fell and the Taliban proceeded to take control of Afghanistan. Today the conversation is centered over how that could have happened so quickly and how President Joe Biden managed our exit from the region.  There is also talk about how images of helicopters helping people evacuate remind us of the fall of Saigon. We offer a very personal look at that very memory.  Fall of Kabul, fall of Saigon By Thuan Le Elston "No one thought that Kabul would fall in less than 24 hours." It's Sunday. Abdul Qahar is recounting his last phone calls with his parents, four brothers and a sister in Afghanistan. He's FaceTiming me from Sacramento, California, and his eyes are drained from lack of sleep: "I was thinking that we would have a week or so to buy them tickets to fly to Pakistan or Turkey." Today's editorial cartoon Mike Thompson, USA TODAY USA TODAY • War in Afghanistan gallery: Editorial cartoonists on the never-ending conflict A well-intentioned miscalculation with disastrous, predictable results Editorial Board  Few American presidents have had their blunders so spectacularly validated in real time as Joe Biden in Afghanistan.  "The likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely," the 46th president told reporters in July after a decision to end U.S. military involvement there. Taliban fighters entered Kabul Sunday demanding unconditional surrender after wresting nearly the entire country from government control in a matter of weeks. More of our Afghanistan coverage  • US waited too long to withdraw from Afghanistan • Political toll of Biden's mishandled Afghanistan end game may be slight • Were U.S. losses in vain? 'Forever war' in Afghanistan resulted in fewer terror attacks This newsletter was compiled by Louie Villalobos Discover more with our newsletters: Get the latest headlines, things to do and more in your inbox. Sign up here.   FOLLOW US Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe • Manage Newsletters • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights • Privacy Notice • Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy • Feedback © 2021 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102