a re he's going to explain what many are seeing as a foreign policy blunder. and the decision to withdraw troops from afghanistan. let us join and the decision to withdraw troops from afghanistan. let usjoin my colleague to take you through it. this is bbc news. in the next few minutes — president biden will be speaking for the first time since the taliban took kabul — amid widespread criticism of his handling of the us withdrawal from afghanistan. at the airport in kabul today, surely the defining image of the us withdrawal — hundreds of afghans charging the runway, some desperate to cling on to a departing plane. borisjohnson has called a virtual meeting of the g7 leaders to respond to the talebans takeover — while the uk's defence secretary admits that some of those they'd like to evacuate will be be left behind. and in haiti the rescue operations continue as almost 13 hundred people are now known to have died in saturday's earthquake. they're now bracing

for tropical storm grace. good evening. the white house rejects any notion that the us exit from afghanistan should in any way compare to the capitulation in saigon in 1975. but how should the world view the images we have seen today from kabul airport? amid the scramble to evacuate western diplomatic staff — and with taliban now surrounding the airfield — there was chaos on the runway as afghans clung desperately to one of the few military transporters that left. not quite the last plane out, but surely the enduring image of this chaotic american withdrawal. we've heard nothing from joe biden since saturday. he's just about to appear at the white house. let's take you there to hear his comments.—

white house. let's take you there to hear his comments. | white house. let's take you there to hear his comments. good afternoon. i want to speak — hear his comments. good afternoon. i want to speak today _ hear his comments. good afternoon. i want to speak today to _ hear his comments. good afternoon. i want to speak today to the _ hear his comments. good afternoon. i want to speak today to the unfolding i want to speak today to the unfolding situation in afghanistan. the developments that have taken place in the last week and the steps we are taking to address events. my national security team and i have been closely monitoring the situation on the ground in afghanistan and moving quickly to execute the plans we had put in place to respond to every constituency, including in contingency, including the rapid collapse we are seeing now. i will speak more in a moment about the specific steps we are taking, but i want to remind everyone how we got here. and what america's interests are in afghanistan. we went afghanistan 20 ago with clear goals. get those who attacked us on september 11, 2001 and make sure al-qaeda could not use afghanistan as a base from which to attack us

again. we did that. we never gave up the hunt are some of bin laden and we got him. that was a decade ago. our vision in afghanistan was never supposed to be a nation building. it was never supposed to be creating a unified, centralised democracy. 0ur unified, centralised democracy. our only vital national interest in afghanistan remains today what it has always been, preventing a terrorist attack on american homeland. i've argued for many years that our mission should be narrowly focused on counterterrorism, not counterinsurgency or nation—building. that's why i oppose the surge when it was proposed in 2009 when i was vice president, and that's why as president i'm adamant we focus on the threats we face today in 2021, not yesterday's threats. today, the terrorist threat

has metastasised well beyond afghanistan. else bad in somalia, al-qaeda in the arabian peninsula, isis attempting to create a caliphate in syria and iraq and establish affiliates in multiple countries, in africa and asia. these threats earn our attention and our resources. we conduct effective counterterrorism missions against terrorist groups in multiple countries where we don't have permanent military presence. if necessary, we will do the same in afghanistan. we have developed counterterrorism over the horizon capability that will allow us to keep our eyes firmly fixed on the direct threats to the united states in the region and act quickly and decisively if needed. when i came into office, i inherited a deal that

president trump negotiated with the taliban. under his agreement, us forces would be out of afghanistan by may one, 2021. just a little over three months after i took office. us forces had already drawn down during the trump administration from roughly 15,500 american forces to 2500 troops. the taliban was at its strongest militarily since 2001. the choice i had to make as your president was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting the taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season. there would have been no ceasefire after may one. no agreement protecting our forces after may one. there was no status quo or stability without american

casualties after may one. there was only cold reality of either following through on the agreement to withdraw our forces or escalating the conflict and sending thousands more american troops back into combat in afghanistan. lurching into the third decade of conflict. i stand squarely behind my decision. after 20 years, i have learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw us forces. that's why we are still there. we were a clear eyed about the risks. we plan for every contingency, but i always promised the american people that i would be straight with you. the truth is, this did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated. so what has happened? afghanistan political leaders gave up and fled

the country. the afghan military collapsed, sometimes without trying to fight. if anything, the developments of the past week reinforced that ending us military enforcement in afghanistan now was the right decision. american troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and cannot and should not be fighting in a warand dying cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves. we spent over $1 trillion, we trained and equipped an afghan military force of some 300,000 strong. incredibly well equipped. a first larger in size than the militaries of many of our nato allies. we gave them every tool they could need. we paid their salaries. we provided for the

maintenance of their air force. something in the taliban doesn't have. the taliban does not have an air force. have. the taliban does not have an airforce. we provided close air support. we gave them every chance to determine their own future. we could not provide them with the will to fight for that future. there are some very brave and capable afghan special forces units and soldiers, and f afghanistan is unable to mount any real resistance to the taliban now there is no chance that one more year, five more years or 20 more years of us military boots on the ground would have made any difference. —— if afghanistan is unable to mount any real resistance.

if the political leaders of afghanistan were unable to come together for the good of their people, unable to negotiate for the future of their country when the chips were down, they would never have done so while us troops remained in afghanistan bearing the brunt of the fighting for them. and our true strategic competitors, china and russia, would love nothing more than the united states to continue to funnel billions of dollars in resources and into afghanistan indefinitely. again when i spoke to president gonnae injuly, we had very frank conversations. we talked about how afghanistan should be prepared to fight their civil wars after the us military departed. to clean up the corruption in

government so the government could function for the afghan people. they failed to do any of that. i also urge them to engage in diplomacy, to seek a political settlement with the taliban. this advice was flatly refused. mr ghani insisted the afghan forces would fight but obviously he was wrong. so i'm left again to ask of those who argued we should stay, how many more generations of america's daughters and sons would you have me sent to fight afghanistan's civil war when fight afg hanistan's civil war when afghan fight afghanistan's civil war when afghan troops will not? how many more american lives is it worth? how many endless rows of headstones in arlington national cemetery? i'm clear in my answer. i will not

repeat the mistakes we've made in the past. the mistake of staying and fighting indefinitely in a conflict thatis fighting indefinitely in a conflict that is not in the national interest of the united states, of doubling down on a civil war in a foreign country, of attempting to remake a country, of attempting to remake a country through the endless military deployment of us forces, those are the mistakes we cannot continue to repeat. because we have significant vital interests in the world that we cannot afford to ignore. i also want to acknowledge how painful this is to acknowledge how painful this is to so many of us. they scenes we are seeing in afghanistan, they are gut—wrenching. particularly for our veterans, our diplomats, humanitarian workers, for anyone who has spent time on the ground working to support the afghan people. for those who have lost loved ones in

afghanistan, and for americans who have fought and served in the country, serve our country in afghanistan. this is deeply, deeply personal. it is for me as well. i've worked on these issues as long as anyone. i've been throughout afghanistan during this war while the work was going on, from kabul to kandahar. i have travelled there on four different occasions. i have met with the people. i have spoken to the leaders. i spent time with our troops. and i came to understand first—hand what was and was not possible in afghanistan. so now we are focused on what is possible. we will continue to support the afghan people. we will lead with our diplomacy, our international influence and our humanitarian aid. we will continue to push for regional diplomacy and engagement to

prevent violence and instability. we will continue to speak out for the basic rights of the afghan people, of women and girls, just as we speak out all over the world. i've been clear that human rights must be the centre of our foreign policy, not the periphery, but the way to do it is not through endless military deployments, it is with our diplomacy, our economic tools and rallying the world to join us. let me lay out the current mission in afghanistan. i was asked to authorise, and i did, 6000 us troops to deploy to afghanistan for the purpose of assisting in the departure of us and allied civilian personnel from afghanistan, and evacuate our afghan allies and vulnerable afghans to safety outside of afghanistan. 0ur troops are working to secure the airfield and

ensure continued operation of both the civilian and military flights. we are taking over air traffic control. we have safely shut down our embassy and transferred our diplomats. 0ur diplomatic presence is now consolidated at the airport as well. 0ver is now consolidated at the airport as well. over the coming days, we intend to transport out thousands of american citizens who have been living and working in afghanistan, who also continue to support the safe departure of civilian personnel, the civilian personnel of our allies who are still serving in afghanistan. 0peration allied refugee, which i announced back in july, has already moved 2000 afghans who are eligible for special immigration visas and their families to the united states. in the coming days, us military will provide

assistance to move more siv eligible afghans and their families out of afghanistan. we are also expanding refugee access to cover other vulnerable afghans who work for our embassy. us non—governmental organisations, and afghans who otherwise are at great risk in us news agencies. i know there are concerns about what we did not begin evacuating afghan civilians sooner. part of the answer is some of the afghans did not want to leave earlier, still hopefulfor afghans did not want to leave earlier, still hopeful for their country. and part of it is because the afghan government and its supporters discouraged us from organising a mass exodus to avoid triggering, as they said, a crisis of confidence. american troops are performing this mission as professionally and effectively as

they always do. but it is not without risks. as we carry out this departure, we have made it clear to the taliban, if they attacked our personnel or disrupt our operation, the us presence will be swift and the us presence will be swift and the response will be swift and forceful. we will defend our people with devastating force if necessary. 0ur with devastating force if necessary. our current military mission will be short in time, limited in both scope and focused in its objectives. get our people and our allies safely as quickly as possible, and once we have completed this mission we will conclude our military withdrawal, we will end america's longest war after 20 long years of bloodshed. the events we are seeing now are sadly

proof that no amount of military force would ever deliver a stable, united, secure afghanistan, as known in history as the graveyard of empires. what is happening now are just as easily happen five years ago, or15 just as easily happen five years ago, or 15 years in the future. you have to be honest. 0ur ago, or 15 years in the future. you have to be honest. our mission in afghanistan has taken many missteps, made many mistakes over the past two decades. i am made many mistakes over the past two decades. iam now made many mistakes over the past two decades. i am now the first american president to preside over war in afghanistan. two democrats, to republicans. i will not pass this responsibility on to a fifth president. i will not mislead the american people by claiming that just a little more time in afghanistan will make all the difference, norwill afghanistan will make all the difference, nor will i shrink from my fare of responsibility for where we are today and how we must move forward from here. i am we are today and how we must move forward from here. iam president we are today and how we must move forward from here. i am president of the of america and the buck stops

with me. i'm deeply saddened by the facts we now face but i do not regret my decision to end america's were fighting in afghanistan and maintain a laser focus on our counterterrorism mission there and in other parts of the world. our mission to degrade the terrorist threat of al-qaeda in afghanistan and kill 0sama bin laden was a success, are decades long effort to overturn centuries of history and permanently change afghanistan was not, and i wrote and believed that it never could be. i cannot and will not ask our troops to fight on endlessly in another country's civil war, taking casualties, suffering life shattering injuries, leaving families broken by grief and loss.

this is not in our national security interest. it is not what the american people want. it is not what our troops who have sacrificed so much over the past two decades deserve. i made a commitment to the american people when i ran for president but i would bring america's military involvement in afghanistan to an end. while it has been hard and messy, and yes, far from perfect, i've honoured that commitment. more importantly, i've made a commitment to the brave men and women who served this nation that i wasn't going to ask them to continue risking their lives in a military action that should have ended long ago. our leaders did that in vietnam when i got here is a young man. iwill in vietnam when i got here is a young man. i will not do it in afghanistan. i know my decision will be criticised. but i would rather take all of that criticism than pass

this decision on to another president of the united states, yet another one, a fifth one. because it's the right decision for our people. the right one for our brave servicemembers who have risked their lives to serving our nation. and it's the right one for america. thank you, may god protect our troops, our diplomats, and all brave americans serving in hard way —— micro in harms way. jae americans serving in hard way -- micro in harms way.— micro in harms way. joe biden s-ueakin micro in harms way. joe biden speaking at — micro in harms way. joe biden speaking at the _ micro in harms way. joe biden speaking at the white - micro in harms way. joe biden speaking at the white house | micro in harms way. joe biden - speaking at the white house after some extraordinary events that we witnessed in kabul over the last few days. let's bring in general mark kimmitt — who served under president george w bush as assistant secretary of state for political military affairs. the president was focused on the

decision to leave afghanistan. there's a difference between the decision and the execution of that decision. a lot of the criticism has been the decision to move back 7000 us troops, to evacuate people who were still stranded.— were still stranded. well, you actually took _ were still stranded. well, you actually took my _ were still stranded. well, you actually took my nature - were still stranded. well, you - actually took my nature impression away~ _ actually took my nature impression away~ this — actually took my nature impression away. this was a classic red herring speech _ away. this was a classic red herring speech. what we are talking about or why he _ speech. what we are talking about or why he was_ speech. what we are talking about or why he was on the podium had absolutely nothing to do with the decision— absolutely nothing to do with the decision to withdraw. every president has wanted to withdraw. president — president has wanted to withdraw. president bush, president 0bama, president — president bush, president 0bama, president trump, and now him. that was hot _ president trump, and now him. that was not extraordinary. no one would disagree _ was not extraordinary. no one would disagree with the fact that we should — disagree with the fact that we should be leaving. nobody wants to stay one _ should be leaving. nobody wants to stay one year, five year, ten years, thats— stay one year, five year, ten years, that's not— stay one year, five year, ten years, that's not the — stay one year, five year, ten years, that's not the issue. the issue is the shambolic execution of the withdrawal, which i think calling it a hasty— withdrawal, which i think calling it a hasty withdrawal is kind. this was cut and _ a hasty withdrawal is kind. this was cut and run. — a hasty withdrawal is kind. this was cut and run, lean and simple. the

pentauon cut and run, lean and simple. the pentagon has _ cut and run, lean and simple. tia: pentagon has announced today cut and run, lean and simple. ti2 pentagon has announced today that they are moving another thousand paratroopers into the country. that will bring the total number to 7000. there were 2.5 thousand that were in the country after the majority withdrawal post—mate. now we have three times as many troops in the country as we had before. let’s three times as many troops in the country as we had before. let's be clear, country as we had before. let's be clear. those _ country as we had before. let's be clear, those trips _ country as we had before. let's be clear, those trips are _ country as we had before. let's be clear, those trips are not - country as we had before. let's be clear, those trips are not going . clear, those trips are not going into fight _ clear, those trips are not going into fight. those troops are not going _ into fight. those troops are not going into _ into fight. those troops are not going into advice, nortrain, nor provide — going into advice, nortrain, nor provide logistics. they are very simply— provide logistics. they are very simply at — provide logistics. they are very simply at the international airport to protect — simply at the international airport to protect the perimeter, protect the diplomats, protect the american citizens— the diplomats, protect the american citizens inside. it is a pure force defensive — citizens inside. it is a pure force defensive mission with nothing else to do— defensive mission with nothing else to do but— defensive mission with nothing else to do but make sure the evacuation is done _ to do but make sure the evacuation is done in _ to do but make sure the evacuation is done in a — to do but make sure the evacuation is done in a safe and speedy manner. you are _ is done in a safe and speedy manner. you are just — is done in a safe and speedy manner. you are just back from a visit to iraq. he said there any speech that

this was never supposed to have been nation building, which is not true is it, because initially he backed the decision to build something new in afghanistan. he called on it when he was the vice president. 0riginally, president george w bush and present biden have backed nation in afghanistan. and present biden have backed nation in afghanistan-— in afghanistan. well, this is a classic american _ in afghanistan. well, this is a classic american mission - in afghanistan. well, this is a l classic american mission creep. in afghanistan. well, this is a - classic american mission creep. you -et classic american mission creep. you get into— classic american mission creep. you get into a _ classic american mission creep. you get into a country and you want to make _ get into a country and you want to make the — get into a country and you want to make the country look like america. it is make the country look like america. it is a _ make the country look like america. it is a fault — make the country look like america. it is a fault that we have been doing — it is a fault that we have been doing for— it is a fault that we have been doing for years and we have nobody to blame _ doing for years and we have nobody to blame but ourselves. in fairness to blame but ourselves. in fairness to president biden, he in fact has been _ to president biden, he in fact has been against the afghanistan expansion for quite some time. the way he _ expansion for quite some time. the way he was — expansion for quite some time. the way he was against the iraq expansion. but he was vice president for eight _ expansion. but he was vice president for eight years, and if the president didn't listen to his adviser— president didn't listen to his adviser and continue to expand, and emissions _ adviser and continue to expand, and emissions inside afghanistan, one wonders _ emissions inside afghanistan, one wonders whether his counsel to the president— wonders whether his counsel to the president was worthwhile and whether

we should _ president was worthwhile and whether we should trust his council now. what _ we should trust his council now. what did — we should trust his council now. what did they make of what they have seenin what did they make of what they have seen in afghanistan in baghdad where you were? do they worry that the americans might cut and run there? i don't think so. if you take a look at what — don't think so. if you take a look at what happened after president 0bama _ at what happened after president 0bama was elected, he was very clear that we _ 0bama was elected, he was very clear that we were going to get out of trad _ that we were going to get out of trad that— that we were going to get out of iraq. that was a very well—planned operation — iraq. that was a very well—planned operation that went on for about a year, _ operation that went on for about a year, commanded coincidentally by the curreht— year, commanded coincidentally by the current secretary of defence, lloyd _ the current secretary of defence, lloyd austin. and we had no americans killed, no helicopters coming — americans killed, no helicopters coming to— americans killed, no helicopters coming to the embassy, no panic among _ coming to the embassy, no panic among the — coming to the embassy, no panic among the iraqi security forces. it was done — among the iraqi security forces. it was done in — among the iraqi security forces. it was done in a planned and executed welt _ was done in a planned and executed welt there — was done in a planned and executed well. there is no reason why that couldn't — well. there is no reason why that couldn't be — well. there is no reason why that couldn't be done here. he well. there is no reason why that couldn't be done here.— well. there is no reason why that couldn't be done here. he said that his hand had _ couldn't be done here. he said that his hand had been _ couldn't be done here. he said that his hand had been forced _ couldn't be done here. he said that his hand had been forced by - couldn't be done here. he said that his hand had been forced by former president trump, that after the may

drawdown of us forces they didn't have enough in the country to fight a war, a resurgent taliban, in the middle of the fighting season. if he would have not withdrawn, he would have had to escalate troops. was the status quo impossible? a lot of people in britain say, for a moderate nato force, the status quo could have been maintained. it is imortant could have been maintained. it is important to _ could have been maintained. it is important to note that very few of those _ important to note that very few of those troops that were in their were actually— those troops that were in their were actually engaged in combat. i find that argument somewhat flat very simply— that argument somewhat flat very simply because his predecessor, president — simply because his predecessor, president trump, felt no obligation to live _ president trump, felt no obligation to live up _ president trump, felt no obligation to live up to the commitments made by president 0bama so why would president — by president 0bama so why would president biden feel he is beholden to the _ president biden feel he is beholden to the promises made by president trump? _ to the promises made by president trump? again, another red herring argument — trump? again, another red herring argument. we trump? again, another red herring aruument. ~ . ,

trump? again, another red herring aruument. . . , ., trump? again, another red herring aruument. ~ . , ., ., argument. we are very grateful for our argument. we are very grateful for your time- — argument. we are very grateful for your time- joe _ argument. we are very grateful for your time. joe biden _ argument. we are very grateful for your time. joe biden speaking - argument. we are very grateful for your time. joe biden speaking in i your time. joe biden speaking in just the last few minutes at the white house. we will bring you more reaction to that. to stay with us here on bbc news. how we mist most of this rain in lords today, i still don't know. we have had a weather front taking that wetter weather away from the south—east. there's been a fair bit of sunshine today across eastern parts of scotland, and those clearer skies have been filtering southwards across northern and eastern parts of england. still not that warm for this time of year. the further west, where we have seen all of that cloud continuing, that cloud is coming back eastwards again overnight. thickening cloud as well which will bring a bit more cloud and drizzle backin bring a bit more cloud and drizzle

back in from the north—west. for tuesday, high—pressure to the south—west. hence all the cloud in the forecast. within that north—westerly airflow, rain during tuesday morning. the worst of this rain will leave us with damp weather here or there.

we move towards the latter part of the week. we've got these weather fronts coming in from the atlantic. there weather cloud, some outbreaks of rain towards east anglia. it's a little bit drier. temperatures are still below par for the time of year.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines president biden says... it's no longer in the national interest to have a presence there. i will not repeat the mistakes he has made in the past. the mistake of staying and fighting indefinitely and the contract that is not international interest of the united states. we international interest of the united states. ~ . ~ international interest of the united states. ~ ., ,, ., states. we will talk to their remarkable _ states. we will talk to their remarkable nhs _ states. we will talk to their remarkable nhs doctor - states. we will talk to their| remarkable nhs doctor who states. we will talk to their - remarkable nhs doctor who left cobbled behind and ended up securing a place at cambridge university. find out what his family members who are still there are now going through. rescue efforts are intensifying to find survivors of the earthquake in haiti before it that tropical storm hits injust the earthquake in haiti before it that tropical storm hits in just a few hours' time.

president biden has said he spends behind his decision to withdraw troops in afghanistan. in his first major address to fit taliban stepped into cobbled he said he argued for years that the us mission in afghanistan should be focused on counterterrorism and was never supposed to be about nation building. instead, he called on america to focus on the current security threats. fiur america to focus on the current security threats.— america to focus on the current security threats. our mission was never supposed _ security threats. our mission was never supposed to _ security threats. our mission was never supposed to be _ never supposed to be nation—building. it was never supposed to be creating a centralised democracy. however on many national interest and remains today what has always been,

preventing a terrorist attack on american homeland. i've argued for many years that i went mission should be narrowly focused on counterterrorism, not counterinsurgency or nation—building. that's why i opposed the search when act was proposed in 2009 when i was vice president and that's why as president and that's why as president i am adamant we focus on the threats we face today in 2021, not yesterday's threats. president biden said not yesterday's threats. president isiden said in _ not yesterday's threats. president biden said in his _ not yesterday's threats. president biden said in his mind _ not yesterday's threats. president biden said in his mind the - not yesterday's threats. president biden said in his mind the events| not yesterday's threats. president i biden said in his mind the events of last week validated his decision to withdraw troops and he placed the blame for the deteriorating situation on the shoulders of the afghan forces and their political leaders. it afghan forces and their political leaders. . , leaders. if anything, the development _ leaders. if anything, the development of - leaders. if anything, the development of the - leaders. if anything, thej development of the past leaders. if anything, the - development of the past week reinforced that any us military involvement in afghanistan now was the right decision. american troops cannot, and should not be fighting in a wire and dying in our that

afghan forces are not committing to fight for themselves. jae afghan forces are not committing to fight for themselves.— fight for themselves. joe biden said the united states _ fight for themselves. joe biden said the united states would _ fight for themselves. joe biden said the united states would continue i fight for themselves. joe biden said the united states would continue to work to uphold human rights in afghanistan and to help women and girls. today, the united nations assay to have reports from 16 afghan provinces that women and girls are experiencing the same violations they suffer under the taliban rule 20 years ago. stories of forced marriage, violence against women, with the report that attacks on the civilian population. it had been denied oil is happening but on one section of the afghan population there is deep scepticism in the assurance the group has given. there is not a real risk of the refugee crisis with thousands already displaced. there are desperate seem that the airport and families hiding in fear and that the airport and families hiding infearand very that the airport and families hiding in fear and very few aircraft available to evacuate those who want to leave. running for their lives.

frantically trying to escape afghanistan, this us military came, this is how desperate some afghans are to leave the country. a handful tragically cleaning on even after take—off before falling to their deaths. foreign nationals and some afghans are being evacuated. the huge crowds gathered at rumours even those without visas could travel. 0utside air even more chaos. taliban members firing in the air to assert their authority, trying to keep control. despite the danger is, some residents still risking their lives to try and get inside. the group has promised amnesty to those with links to the government but many still fear they will be targeted by the

militants. inside fact airport, american forces fired into the air as well. panic is a number of people died. us officials said they were assessing what happened but could not confirm details. ijust saw three people but there's more people maybe. it's a very bad situation and it can chaos. no one is quite sure what comes next in afghanistan. though, it is clear that taliban are in charge. are out in force patrolling in vehicles seized from a government security forces. brute patrolling in vehicles seized from a government security forces. we are ”reventin government security forces. we are preventing blue _ government security forces. we are preventing blue and _ government security forces. we are preventing blue and thieves - government security forces. we are preventing blue and thieves from i preventing blue and thieves from harming the people says despite her. the group has also reportedly demanded all weapons handed over to them. the unraveling of the state has come at a pace many still struggle to comprehend. now it'll be the taliban who what direction the

country takes. you the taliban who what direction the country takes-— the taliban who what direction the country takes. you want an aft and inclusive islamic— country takes. you want an aft and inclusive islamic government. - country takes. you want an aft and inclusive islamic government. so l country takes. you want an aft and l inclusive islamic government. so by that we mean all other afghans also have participation so of course that would be a legitimate time and deliberation and talks. the terror and anic deliberation and talks. the terror and panic at— deliberation and talks. the terror and panic at the _ deliberation and talks. the terror and panic at the airport _ deliberation and talks. the terror and panic at the airport today - deliberation and talks. the terror and panic at the airport today an | and panic at the airport today an awful ending to two decades of international efforts to rebuild this country. for all of its fractures and rampant corruption, afghanistan could also see financial progress. the future for its people is now deeply uncertain. you saw the pictures of the chaos at the airport. joe biden said just that american troops had secured air traffic control and the perimeter of

the airport but clearly they are not yet fully in control. i will show you some satellite images that were taken this morning. you will see how the situation developed. i don't think you can make out at the bottom of the screen the black dots, those are people who were inside according and outside the airport you see more of the chaos as people arrived at the airport desperate to catch any site that was leaving. 0ur the airport desperate to catch any site that was leaving. our next guest was born in afghanistan, as a young boy he fled the country passing through refugee camps and somehow surviving and at the age of 15 he was smuggled into the uk with just $100 in his pocket and threw his determination i should say no shortage of courage he will go on to study medicine at cambridge university. he is now an nhs doctor. that evening and welcome to the programme. i will put on screens and pictures of you as a young boy that left afghanistan in the 19805 during the

russian war. i wonder what came back to you today when you watched tho5e to you today when you watched those pictures of people clambering onto a c-17 pictures of people clambering onto a c—17 transporter? pictures of people clambering onto a c-17 transporter?— pictures of people clambering onto a c-17 transporter? when i came to the uk with hardly _ c-17 transporter? when i came to the uk with hardly an _ c-17 transporter? when i came to the uk with hardly an education _ c-17 transporter? when i came to the uk with hardly an education and - uk with hardly an education and hundred dollars i also brought the start of conflict with me, i bought symptoms of ptsd. which i think it experiencing for the past few days. that includes hypervigilance and nightmares my heart goes out to the people who are not experiencing the same, again. people are fearful because a lot of the people who have been through civil war in the past like myself they know that if the country goe5 like myself they know that if the country goes in that direction what they could expect. i'll give an example. being born in 1983 to a conflict spent five years hiding and went into refugee camps in pakistan that many refugees where they were

suffering inhumane conditions and where the refugees are now still suffering inhumane conditions such as living in a muddy rhythm and attempt to many feminine members suffering from malaria and tuberculosis and we came back into afghanistan in 1991 and the civil war broke out in 1992 and yesterday when i receive messages saying the government hasn't toppled i started crying because my memory came flooding back to me because he had to free from one part of the city to another and stepping over dead bodies and bullets flying overhead and going back and forth to pakistan again for the next two years until i managed to get out and most of our time was spent hiding from rockets and that's where my education happened so those memories are very raw steel many other people will have been to civil war, those memories are coming back and now we

see the same situation as a disaster is unfolding so rapidly in front of our eyes which if you're not careful from a humanitarian perspective and peaceful perspective and going that direction. tens of thousands of people have been already in afghanistan and neighbouring countries we need to start providing humanitarian aid to them and they have not seen a proper package in the global package for these people that need support and be need food and any medicine and they're also in the middle of a pandemic. let and any medicine and they're also in the middle of a pandemic.— and any medicine and they're also in the middle of a pandemic. let me put to use some — the middle of a pandemic. let me put to use some of— the middle of a pandemic. let me put to use some of the _ the middle of a pandemic. let me put to use some of the arguments - the middle of a pandemic. let me put to use some of the arguments that i to use some of the arguments that joe bidenjust in to use some of the arguments that joe biden just in that speech. they have poured in $1 trillion and trained over a million afghans over the last 20 years in the military capitulated in two weeks and he is right, they will be lots of people around the world to ask why should american soldiers die when afghans are themselves prepared to stand up and fight for what they want?

ultimately, a has to be solved by afghans, eight has to be a peace process however it was a decision by the rest to enter the country two decades ago and they have been part of this conflict of the past two decades so i agree on one hand but it has to be a peaceful dialogue but the manner that the country has been left in its own fate that is what people are angry about and we still have a relative play and we have to oversee that peaceful process and we have to make sure that people are human rights are abided by and most importantly among the refugees, and among those lucky refugees and with nothing with that dream to be able to do something with my life and i was given compassion in the uk and because of that compassion i was able to study at cambridge and give back to the uk as a as to a charity

but there are so many others and they will be landing in parts of the world and we need to start supporting them as well as from the people you need to look at them as humans. i people you need to look at them as humans. , . ., ., people you need to look at them as humans. , ., , ., humans. i wish we could do your sto for humans. i wish we could do your story forjustice _ humans. i wish we could do your story forjustice in _ humans. i wish we could do your story forjustice in a _ humans. i wish we could do your story forjustice in a short - humans. i wish we could do your story forjustice in a short time l humans. i wish we could do your. story forjustice in a short time we have available because it's have available because its extraordinary to go from the young offenders institute where you are put because he did not have to buy paper and to harvard to become a doctor. it's remarkable.— paper and to harvard to become a doctor. it's remarkable. thank you very much- — doctor. it's remarkable. thank you very much- i _ doctor. it's remarkable. thank you very much. i told _ doctor. it's remarkable. thank you very much. i told about _ doctor. it's remarkable. thank you very much. i told about this - doctor. it's remarkable. thank you very much. i told about this in - doctor. it's remarkable. thank you very much. i told about this in my| very much. i told about this in my memoir as well to inspire people. but there are many more like me. i want to talk about your charity because you now help doctors in war—torn areas virtually and we have a picture here of something that you have been helping doctors with them the last few days. i think it's an x—ray of a blast injury. to little bit about what the doctors on the ground are telling you of the

casualties coming into the hospitals. casualties coming into the hospitals-— casualties coming into the hositals. ,., , casualties coming into the hositals. , , hospitals. over the past three days, there have been _ hospitals. over the past three days, there have been casualties - hospitals. over the past three days, there have been casualties and - hospitals. over the past three days, | there have been casualties and there have been every time it's connected to a doctor connecting photos from the world and they exchange messages and give advice on mobile phones so we have been receiving these cases. fortunately not being the bloodshed i've witnessed and to be helped that situation does not going that direction we've already seen the impact of that with blast injuries and glisten injuries that have come that we have not put up yet. but we really hope that situation does not go into that. for one reason to give back and refugees when they have shown compassion regardless of wherever they are in the uk or anywhere, they will give back to their societies have the government in the uk with the boys that needs

to be scrapped and the rest of the world needs to look at refugees as an investment and give them their human rights. we an investment and give them their human rights-— an investment and give them their human rights. we receive the best with our human rights. we receive the best with your work. _ human rights. we receive the best with your work. thank _ human rights. we receive the best with your work. thank you - human rights. we receive the best with your work. thank you very - human rights. we receive the best i with your work. thank you very much for coming on the programme. we will look back at the origins of the us in afghanistan and how it holds up today. most pupils in scotland will be returning to schools this week with many covid—19 restrictions in place. secondary school pupils must wear masks and social distance from their teachers and the measures are expected to continue until the end of september. the excitement and anticipation of a new term. many

covid—19 restrictions in secondary schools remain in place for senior students, it's all very familiar. i'm really relaxed about it before we stopped and predicted that it was the same restrictions coming in sanitising your hands, going to classroom, wearing a facemask and... for those moving up from primary school, it's the first time they've had to wear a face covering in the classroom. i had to wear a face covering in the classroom-— classroom. i don't really mind. i would buy _ classroom. i don't really mind. i would buy the — classroom. i don't really mind. i would buy the social _ classroom. i don't really mind. i would buy the social distance i classroom. i don't really mind. i. would buy the social distance and wear a mask than having to sit in the house. ifind it kind of tricky but i might get used to it after a few days. i but i might get used to it after a few da s. . ., ., ., ,., few days. i am not too bothered about it because _ few days. i am not too bothered about it because it _ few days. i am not too bothered about it because it keeps - few days. i am not too bothered| about it because it keeps people safe. forteachers, about it because it keeps people safe. for teachers, the restrictions which will be reviewed in six weeks' time wearing additional responsibilities.- time wearing additional responsibilities. they will be sanitising — responsibilities. they will be sanitising on _ responsibilities. they will be sanitising on entry _ responsibilities. they will be sanitising on entry and - responsibilities. they will be sanitising on entry and exit i responsibilities. they will be i sanitising on entry and exit to responsibilities. they will be - sanitising on entry and exit to the building and classrooms and it would

allow people to mix more freely. because of coronavirus, education has been disrupted for the last two school years. pupils and teacher is now in the classrooms hope this year will bring much more normality. a higher maths class on a monday morning, after two years with no tradition exams, students expect to find out soon if they will go ahead next year. most of the pope —— focus is on afghanistan. in haiti, they are still counting the dead after the devastating earthquake that hit the south of the country on saturday. almost 13—hundred people are now known to have died. many more are feared to be trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. and as if that wasn't bad

enough, now they must brace for tropical depression grace which is expected to pass over the worst affected areas later today and into tomorrow, which could exacerabte things further. hospitals in the area are inundated, struggling to cope with the number of injured, which has almost doubled to around six thousand people. medical teams are being despatched from cuba and ecuador. from haiti here's the bbc�*s james clayton. more than 30,000 families have been left homeless. humanitarian organisations are seeing medical supplies and drinking water are critical and many bullets are blocked you to gang violence. medical teams are being dispatched from cuba and ecuador. injust a few weeks america will be marking the 20th anniversary of 9/11. the event sparked the war in iraq and afghanistan. in december 2001, president bush declared victory over the taliban and promised a lasting

legacy of the invasion would be freedom for all. thanks to our military and analyse and brave fighters of afghanistan the taliban regime is coming to an end. yet, our responsibility to the people of afghanistan have not ended. we work for a new era of human rights and human dignity in that country. i human rights and human dignity in that country-— that country. i should remind you that country. i should remind you that at that _ that country. i should remind you that at that time _ that country. i should remind you that at that time the _ that country. i should remind you that at that time the taliban - that country. i should remind you that at that time the taliban had | that at that time the taliban had only partial control of the country and today they have over 90% of it. that is talked at a republican correspondent who worked closely with president george w. bush in the white house. thank you for being with us. in his memoirs, he devoted an entire chapter to afghanistan and he writes afghanistan was the ultimate nation—building mission. iwonder

how he might react to what he just heard from joe biden? it’s how he might react to what he 'ust heard from joe edemfi heard from joe biden? it's nice to see ou heard from joe biden? it's nice to see you as _ heard from joe biden? it's nice to see you as well. _ heard from joe biden? it's nice to see you as well. i _ heard from joe biden? it's nice to see you as well. i think— heard from joe biden? it's nice to see you as well. i think president| see you as well. i think president george w. bush would be a little disappointed in what he heard from his successor in office. i think it's been a mistake for the last 20 years for politicians in the west to believe that an nation—building exercise could prevail in afghanistan but i think the initial mission that we took on back in the early 2000 was to remove the taliban to make sure that country and afghanistan could not be a threat of terrorism against the united states and the rest. but i think the president missed an opportunity this afternoon to address the humanitarian aspect of this at the outset of his speech. take humanitarian aspect of this at the outset of his speech.— humanitarian aspect of this at the outset of his speech. take me back to that time- _ outset of his speech. take me back to that time. you _ outset of his speech. take me back to that time. you are, _ outset of his speech. take me back to that time. you are, is _ outset of his speech. take me back to that time. you are, is not - outset of his speech. take me back to that time. you are, is not in - outset of his speech. take me back to that time. you are, is not in the | to that time. you are, is not in the room, certainly in the corridor is

outside the room, did they envisage when they took on the taliban that they would be there for several years, never mind 20 years? absolutely not. i certainly remember the incursion into iraq and remember the incursion into iraq and remember the incursion into afghanistan and there was a sense in the white house that this might be months, maybe a year or a little longer to provide stability in the region and one year turned into the next and as i reflect on this i just turned into the next and as i reflect on this ijust remember that heavy sense of a dense fog of fear and uncertainty to each ensuing day where the united states medical next and what's going on in the oval office and what's going on in number ten and how we find a way out and we have seen 20 years on that several american presidents and prime ministers in the uk and in the west that have not figured out the proper answer to that very question. i read answer to that very question. i read a tweet today _ answer to that very question. i read a tweet today from _ answer to that very question. i read a tweet today from a _ answer to that very question. i read a tweet today from a british - answer to that very question. i read | a tweet today from a british veteran who asked on twitter whether he lost

his legs for nothing and whether the suffering the loss of so many combat soldiers was in vain. how should those people in america, the thousands of families who have borne the brunt of this, how should they respond to what's happening? the soldiers respond to what's happening? ti2 soldiers and airmen and marines and coast guards answered the call when their nation asked them and they performed honorably and be performed in a difficult circumstance because the commander—in—chief asked them to do so. they did not lose names or their lives in vain. i think what's happened is our political leadership here in the us and around the world failed to have a clearly defined mission of how do we define success and had to be execute that success and had to be execute that success and recognise if we cannot persevere and recognise if we cannot persevere and how objectives, we need to get these brave soldier —— sailors and soldiers out of harms way and that's what president biden is trying to do but ultimately it will lead to more

instability in my heart goes out for the women and children who have never suffered at the hands of the taliban who are in the most undescribable terror in the days ahead. edit undescribable terror in the days ahead. . ., , undescribable terror in the days ahead. , h undescribable terror in the days ahead. , �*, ., , ahead. of course, it's the military families that _ ahead. of course, it's the military families that share _ ahead. of course, it's the military families that share the _ ahead. of course, it's the military families that share the burden - ahead. of course, it's the military i families that share the burden but, 70% of the american population —— agrees with president biden that us forces should no longer be in afghanistan. so, politically if this smart move? yes, there is criticism about the nature of the withdrawal in the way it's been execute executed but politically, as this creates a longer—term problem for joe biden? i creates a longer-term problem for joe biden? ~ ., , ~ joe biden? i think it does. i think many americans, _ joe biden? i think it does. i think many americans, myself- joe biden? i think it does. i think| many americans, myself included wanted us to be out of afghanistan but you have to do so in such a way that you can do it safely, to remove diplomats and those who aided the united states and western nations without the horrific images that we've seen today of people clinging to aeroplanes and dropping from aeroplanes and dying as a result of that and people are also going to

say we are injapan, south korea, and very tense places around the world and have been for more than 50 years and could we not have found a better, safer, more diplomatic solution that what we have seen in the last 36, 72 hours on the ground? but he points the finger at the former republican administration. he says his hands were tied and troops were drawn down by me first and they were drawn down by me first and they were into the fighting season and they were two options. after we stepped up the forest the planning to take on the taliban again, the status quo is untenable. the status quo is untenable but it's easier to point the finger and they made it than having a cold and steely eyed view at what's going on in the world. he has an informed, seasoned military leaders at his disposal and joint chairman of the chief of staff of all this military leadership and from everything i've heard they said that the president do not move this quickly, this fast and move our

troops out and that's being a decision on the president can make, not a senator voting, not a vice president advising, the president made that decision and ultimately he would have to be at a cost of it. americans are on their holidays and it's likely to focus elsewhere in the weeks ahead but if there is another attack as we look towards 9/11 and the anniversary and people can draw a line between that attack and afghanistan. surely, that could change things by the president? it could come back to haunt him? it could come back to haunt him? it could come back to haunt the president and hunt the democrats who control the american congress. we are coming up on the 20 year anniversary. it's a bittersweet anniversary. it's a bittersweet anniversary for myself and those in uniform who had to confront the direct result of terrorism and i genuinely believe that if you see the taliban and flag fly over the american embassy in kabul in the days and weeks to come up of americans will say what in the world to be deal with all that blood, sweat, and treasure for the last 20

years has come to nothing. it would be very difficult politically for president biden and his allies to digest. and what will prevail in the 2022 the midterm election. thank ou. monday it is a cool day for mid august despite some places being lucky enough to get some sunshine. to the rest of the week we will stay on the cool side. they will be a lot of cloudiness. they will be the chance of some rain and drizzle. the weather pattern into tuesday will be the same. high pressure in the southwest of the uk. he will not arrive yet. around the top of the area of high pressure the wind felt and picking up moisture with a lot of cloudiness and within that northwestern airflow the leather friends will bring cloudiness and rain and drizzle. that's how we start on tuesday. the worst of it will be moving away. it will be damp weather here and there into the

afternoon but it will brighten up across the west country and across eastern parts of scotland. we look at my shelter from that northwestern breeze. it will get temperature as a boost of 21 celsius or so. 17 i think he will be on the mark with many places being cloudy into the evening as well. the temperatures will be below what would be expected for this time of year. into wednesday, the same sort of northwestern airflow. another week weather front and with that. we will find a few buckets of rain or drizzle here and there. many places will be dry on wednesday. don't expect much sunshine. it will be a bonus. a lot of cloudiness in the northwestern airflow. temperatures could sneak up to 21 celsius or so. we will have light wind on thursday. instead of high pressure to the southwest following pressure and areas of low pressure in the letter funds will bring a change into parts of england and wales. we have

cloudiness and rain and moving east the midlands towards east anglia. rain further north and dry and bright. they will be patchy rain left over into northern parts of scotland. the temperature is 17 for 20 degrees. towards the end of the week there are no isobars or wind at all selling everything down in the low pressure trying to bring some rain. it will continue to slow down. the details may change but friday next dry across many parts of the country. the rain coming into northern ireland and ahead of the will be bright skies and seeing temperature is getting up to 22 degrees. getting closer to normal for this time of year. towards the first day of the weekend, the details to change but things are so slow moving and the weather systems are bringing rain and from the last making more progress across northern parts of the uk and allowing some

brightness and sunshine to come through on saturday for england and wales and more of a southern breeze as well and that means not only do we get more sunshine we start to get more warmth as well. it looks more promising on saturday. however the low pressure has got to move across the uk on a sunday. below are likely to have rain before it moves away. high pressure will build up three tuesday and beyond. not seeing southern breeze so not expecting a heat wave. temperatures will be near—normal as it settles down on tuesday. before then we have got some rain on sunday. it will clearly for northern areas on monday. things will start to settle down and it becomes dry and bright with some sunshine.

planes, trying to escape. mr biden admitted the situation had unravelled quickly, but defended the withdrawal. i stand squarely behind my decision. after 20 years i've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw us forces. in kabul, taliban militants on patrol in the streets — there's widespread fear the regime will bring repression, especially of women. we have to take some bold stances for the protection of women and girls, for the protection

of minority groups and for peace and stability.