this afternoon, president biden will speak at the white house about the situation in afghanistan. after the taliban seized control and the government collapse. watch live coverage of the presidents remarks here in c-span. c-span is your unfiltered view of government. we are funded by these television companies and more, >> supports c-span as a public service along with these other providers. giving you a front roasted to democracy. defenseone.com. back to your phone calls this morning, talking to you about this question.

what does the war in afghanistan mean, after 20 years and the city of kabul falling to the taliban. this is abdullah in virginia, on our line for a finished in war veterans. good morning -- for afghanistan war veterans. good morning. you are up. caller: good morning. host: when were you in afghanistan? caller: i just went to afghanistan in 2001, 2002, the beginning of 2002. i had been there until 2013. host: what was your role when you were there? caller: first i went to afghanistan, because i am an engineer by profession and i thought it was time to go to

afghanistan, to do some land development and wound up building a city. that is a successful project. i was partnered with -- host: forgive me, i am just trying to understand your role. were you working with the u.s. military? were you a contractor brought in on these engineering projects? caller: no. i designed from managing the project and i came back home. taxpayer money being wasted in afghanistan.

a conference, i stood up and talked about -- the head of logistics asked me to come to the headquarters. i did a presentation about projects, how the projects are being selected and all of that. they sent me here and i went to afghanistan and pakistan. i made a presentation at the pentagon about contracting systems and they hired me as a business advisor. in that capacity, i spent about three years with the major generals, and tried to do the right thing. i think if you have any specific questions, i would like to answer. but other than that, why we are there and why we went there and

what has been done, i can talk about that issue. host: how are you feeling today, looking back on 20 years of u.s. efforts there? caller: it is a mixed feeling. i am disappointed about the way things folded out. a rapid withdrawal, i think it shouldn't have been that way but it is what it is in there is nothing you can do. right now, i am focusing on want to do next and what is the solution. that is what i am focusing on and trying to organize the people here. host: what is the solution? what do you think needs to happen? caller: i think this moment, this critical moment, what needs to happen is to make sure our policy is such that they can force pakistan to influence the

taliban, to make sure that the genocide and killing and all of that stops, and think about the 350,000 people out of their houses. no food. they are the priority now. the future, how things fold, i can say one thing and that is, -- is going to take over and become the leader. i hope that will be the case. i think if the taliban except his leadership, that is one of the solutions -- accept

his leadership, that is one of the solutions. if we could influence pakistan to make sure that -- the situation and they stop the killing of innocent people. that is the priority right now. how things fold, nobody expected this. host: you sounded proud earlier of that project, you designed in afghanistan. do you know if it is still there? caller: that is the most successful project in that region. you can check the new york times or the washington post. a book was written about the project. it's about 10,000 acres designed with consultants and because i worked 11 years for -- on that,

i knew that the zoning and all the standards, to create a modern city that is unique in the region. i think it is there and people are really appreciating they infrastructure -- the infrastructure. another project in kabul, an apartment complex. after i criticized, they offered me a job to be a senior advisor. i did eight projects for the armed forces, including stadiums, schools, clinics and even dormitories for women. that was done under my watch.

the only projects afghanistan has done without corruption and good quality. host: i was just going to say, thank you for telling us about it, calling in from virginia. caller: no problem, my pleasure. host: up next out of indiana, independent, go ahead. caller: hello? host: go ahead paul. caller: this is a sad day for america. it is like vietnam all over again. we could have won that war. this war -- the russians couldn't even beat the afghanistans in this war. it is so sad, all these young men and ladies who gave their

lives, for freedom for this country, and now -- i listen to cnn and fox. i stayed up all night listening to this. it touched my heart. i am a military man. my heart goes out to all the mothers and fathers, and all those young men and ladies who lost their lives, for people to be free. why do these presidents tell people we will be out of there in five weeks, instead of saying nothing and keeping their mouth shut? the $1 trillion that you said, that is over 20 years. is that what you are telling me? host: that is one of the numbers, one of the estimates on u.s. spending in that country.

caller: is that just for the army troops or is that training? host: i think that is total u.s. expenditure, for training. the number i had seen on that was in the $80 billion range. $83 billion on training of afghan forces. caller: do you know what that could have done in the united states, for the homeless? schools? i think we ought to pull out of all the countries, bring our troops home, let the countries take care of themselves. host: paul in indiana. the human cost of the war in afghanistan. the number of u.s. service members killed through april of this year, 2448. another 3000 contractors. allied forces including those from nato member states, and additional 1144. afghan national military and police personnel killed, 66,000.

tens of thousands of afghan citizens. those numbers from the associated press. earl is next, in indiana, republican. what did the war in afghanistan mean? caller: i believe this is the start of armageddon. the last days. people rioting in the streets. the young people rise up against their parents. we will have destruction everywhere. we will have all kinds of destruction. we are getting ready for the one world government, the one world church. that is what the bible says it is coming to. we are heading for the battle of armageddon. israel was -- host: we got your point. our next caller is out of louisiana, democrat. caller: good morning, how are you doing? it has always been about the money from the beginning.

the minute you leave, that is their culture, they will not fight against their people. russia tried like the gentleman said earlier and they left. we should have went in with the purpose and then got out. in truth, there is no great way to get out of a war. you say don't say anything but you think those people waited 20 years? there is no way they could have moved that fast. they were watching everything we were doing. if they saw people leaving. it was going to be a mess trying to get out any kind of way. host: 20 years, over four administration's. does one u.s. president bear more responsibly than others? caller: all of them bear the response ability.

all a general wants is war. they never want to get out of a war. i say follow the money. you have general contractors, defense contractors making all kinds of money. it is not only corruption in afghanistan, it is corruption here. you have people in the government making all kinds of money. host: this is marked on that line for afghanistan service members and family members. when were you in afghanistan? caller: this debacle we are watching unfold as a slap in the face for our goldstar families. i've lost brothers in combat in both iraq and afghanistan. i did three tours in afghanistan. their sacrifices are being trampled on right now. this is an insult to all of us who served in our families who sacrificed. i've been deployed five times myself and i was retired this year. joe biden and the democrats are

cowards, and the generals and the pentagon that followed them. everybody knew this was going to happen. i called this in april. i have a friend in kabul. this debacle, everybody who has been on the ground knew this was going to happen. you have the generals and pentagon who are not on the ground and do not listen to their officers and senior enlisted on the ground. that is why this happened. this is on joe biden, aspen and millie. those cowards knew this was going to happen. you can't just walk out of afghanistan. the airport will be attacked, mark my words. host: you say you called this in april. are you talking about the announcement that president biden made in april, about the september 11 withdrawal date? caller: absolutely. i was talking to my brothers then. i said there is going to be a saigon moment. all of us know the culture, there. we know the enemy.

host: was yesterday the saigon moment? caller: absolutely. the taliban will have a ceremony at our embassy. this isn't over yet. they know biden is a coward. they're going to start attacking western europe, and then the united states again because he is not going to do anything. millie and those generals are not going to do anything either because they are nothing but politicians. host: what years were you there, and what capacity did you serve in? caller: i was in afghanistan in 2009, 2010 and 2013. i flew tactical air vac. i was in the infantry before that in iraq. i spent a lot of time working with afghans and nato forces. everybody knew, this commitment was not for 10 years, not for 20. it was for 100 years. after world war ii, we are still in germany and japan. western type countries.

70 years after world war ii. how long did you think we were going to have to be in a middle eastern or south central asian country? that is a century long commitment. the american people have to start thinking long term. the afghans had a saying. you have all the watches, but we have all the time. because we are a week people now, not like the world war ii generation. we are selfish and weak. our enemies have found that out, and we are going to suffer greatly, our children and grandchildren. host: mark in indiana, pennsylvania, talking about how he knew this day was coming back in april, at the announcement that joe biden, president biden made about the september 11 withdrawal date. this is president biden's statements from april the first of this year. [video clip] >> i'm speaking to you today from the roosevelt treaty room in the white house, the same

spot where on october of 2001, president george w. bush informed our nation the united states military had begun strikes on terrorist training camps in afghanistan. it was just weeks after the terrorist attack on our nation that killed 2977 innocent souls, that turned lower manhattan into a disaster area, destroyed parts of the pentagon and made hallowed ground of a field in shanksville, pennsylvania. it sparked an american promise that we would never forget. we went to afghanistan in 2001 to root out al qaeda, to prevent future terrorist attacks against the united states, planned from afghanistan. our objective was clear. our cause was just. our nato allies and partners rallied beside us. i supported that military action along with overwhelming majority

of the members of congress. more than seven years later, 2008, weeks before we swore the oath of office, president obama and i were about to swear, president obama asked me to travel to afghanistan and report back on the state of the war. i flew to afghanistan, to the kuhn our valley. a rugged mountainous region on the border with pakistan. what i saw on that trip reinforced my conviction, that only the afghans have the right and responsibility to lead the country, and that more an endless military force from america could not create a sustained in durable afghan government. i believed that our presence in up stand should be focused on the reason we went in the first place, to ensure afghanistan would not be used as a base from which to attack our homeland again. we did that. we accomplish that objective -- accomplished that objective. host: that is president biden

from april of this year. asking you this morning, what did the war in afghanistan mean? we are taking your phone calls as well as listening -- reading your tweets and text messages. one writing in, i don't know what this means because a generation of afghans who've experienced a different life, we don't know. alan saying it means we should have left a long time ago. how many days are going to talk about this? this from janet in florida. unless the u.s. learns a lesson that starting misguided unwinnable wars causes more harm than good, it will mean nothing. donna westbrook saying the failure of the afghanistan coup -- is what this means. just a few of your comments from social media this morning. also want to show you some newspapers from around the world. this from the guardian. the fall of kabul is the

headline. a few other newspapers from around the world just to show you some pictures on the front pages of belgium and turkey. saudi arabia as well, with the graveyard of empires as the headline from arab news this morning. from the united arab emirates, chaos in kabul. from israel, this morning, the headline there with a picture of the taliban fighters driving through the streets of kabul. from brazil, the headline as well about the taliban in afghanistan. also one from germany this morning. just some of the front pages. darrell is next out of idaho, independent. thank you for waiting. what does this all mean? caller: good morning. i was in the marine corps. i was supposed to get out september 29 in 1965.

everybody got extended september 15. i was only a corporal. i had to stand for an additional four months and i got out in january, and then i go over to men's warehouse the other day and i am buying a brand-new shirt that is made in vietnam. everybody was saying when the north vietnamese get in, they will do this and that. turns out they united their country. now we are in afghanistan and for some reason, nobody understands descriptors. it says one of the verses, i will break the pride of your power. women shall rule over you. slowly but surely -- host: you don't trust female elected officials? caller: i'm thinking about that lady in chicago, lightfoot.

she has not only married to another woman but we have this kind of a world going on, and the creator of the universe controls the stuff. host: all right, that is darrell in idaho. this is matthew in new jersey, independent. caller: good morning, and thank you. here is the problem with mr. biden's unnecessary and precipitous disastrous withdrawal. as both veterans and president trump's statement mentioned, we have now lost our eyes and ears, our intelligence ability to prevent taliban and isis from committing another god for bid 9/11 terrorist attack, and also the taliban have now implemented sharia law, which not only prevents girls and women from going to school, but it allows

women to be stoned to death if they do not cover themselves from head to to. may god help the afghan men and women who helped us, our forces, trying to keep us safe over there. they will now be subject to torture and killing, along with their families because the ungodly taliban and isis are merciless. host: that is matthew in new jersey. this is kathy in new york, republican. you are next. caller: thank you for having me. we are focusing on kabul today and we failed. meanwhile, we are being invaded on our own borders, taking our eye off the ball while biden tries to figure out what is happening. we could have taliban coming in here with the droves of immigrants. we don't understand other cultures. we go into countries with nothing but ignorance, like we can save them from themselves with money. let the arabs with all their

opulence handle their own country. thank you. host: kathy in new york. a bit of discussion this morning, among viewers and on the sunday shows yesterday about whose fault this is. where the blame lies for what happened in kabul yesterday and what has been happening in afghanistan for the past several weeks. another voice on that from congresswoman liz cheney, on abc news this week, and was asked that question about who is to blame. this is what the republican congresswoman said. [video clip] >> who bears response ability? >> i think absolutely president biden bears response ability for making this decision but there is no question that president trump's administration with secretary pompeo also bear a significant possibility for this. they walked down this path of legitimizing the taliban, perpetuating this fantasy, telling the american people that

the taliban were a partner for peace. president trump told us the taliban was going to fight terror. secretary pompeo told us the taliban was going to renounce al qaeda. none of that has happened. today as we watch the taliban release prisoners across afghanistan, there is very real concern that they are not just fighters in those prisons who will join the battle and afghanistan, but the terrorist groups globally will be fed new soldiers from those prisons. this is a devastating set of circumstances, but the delegitimization of the afghan government, the notion in the trump administration, the suggestion that they were going to invite the taliban to camp david. this disaster certainly began -- the notion of we are going to end endless wars, that campaign

slogan. but we are watching right now in afghanistan is what happens when america withdraws from the world. everybody who has been saying america needs to withdraw, we are getting a devastating catastrophic real-time lesson and what that means. host: congresswoman liz cheney on abc, talking a bit about the trump administration and specifically former secretary of state mike pompeo. pompeo was on fox news sunday and was asked about his efforts to negotiate with the taliban. here is a bit of that back and forth yesterday. [video clip] >> you were the first american secretary of state to ever meet with the taliban, and you talked about how they had agreed to join us in the fight against terrorism. here you are, sir. >> the gentleman i met with agreed they would break that relationship and that they would work alongside of us, to destroy, deny resources to and have al qaeda depart from that place. >> do you regret giving the

taliban that legitimacy? do you regret pressing the afghan government to release 5000 prisoners, which they did, some of whom are now back on the battlefield fighting with the taliban? >> the statement i made that day was absolutely true. you can ask the military leaders on the ground. we did good work to crush al qaeda. when we left office, they were fewer than 200 al qaeda left in afghanistan ash there were fewer than 200 al qaeda left in afghanistan. we did not trust the taliban. you can ask them yourselves. we made abundantly clear that if they did not have up to that piece of paper, we would not allow them to walk away from any deal, that we would go crush them and impose real cost on them. we were going to let them take these provincial capital states. they understood that american power was going to come to their village, to their community, to their friends and family around them and we were going to make sure that they understood america wasn't going to allow americans to be killed.

we didn't take the word of the taliban. we watched their actions on the ground. when they did the right thing and helped us against terror, that was all good. when they didn't, we crush them. host: just a bit of the discussion from yesterday. this morning, asking our viewers what did the war in afghanistan mean. that special line for afghanistan war veterans and their founding members. evan is on that line of hudson, -- and their family members. evan is on that line out of houston -- out of hudson. in what capacity were you there? caller: i was an infantryman in the u.s. army. host: how do you feel today? caller: i saw this coming years ago. it was the only way. those people there, the taliban and afghans, they have a way of living that they have been living for centuries. they don't see any reason to

change. those that went along with us went along with us because it benefited them personally in the moment. now that we are gone, they will go back to living the way they've lived for centuries. the only way to change that would be through decades or centuries of oppression and reeducation, basically genocide. any notion to the contrary is a fantasy. when i was there in 2008, 2009, i realized that this was the way we work -- this was the way it was going to be. we would spend a lot of time, resources and contractors, war materials, suppliers would make a lot of money.

this is the way it ended up. host: ed is in jacksonville, florida, also for that -- also on that line for afghanistan war veterans and their families. caller: i served in vietnam in 19 623-1971. i also served in afghanistan, 2004 through 2005. i was an apache first sergeant. afghanistan is not vietnam, that is for sure. it is a sorry day for our country, the way we exited that country as opposed to the way we exited vietnam as well. most of your veterans from afghanistan that i hear speaking this morning our spot on about the culture, and the way that people are -- morning are spot on about the culture in the way the people are over there. i don't think america has a grip on the way culture is in that part of the world.

host: why do you disagree with that comparison of the fall of saigon to what happened yesterday in kabul? caller: what i'm getting at, there is it is a different type of people, in the sense that the people there, in my opinion, the taliban are really bad people. the people that we served with in vietnam had a destiny or goal to take over the country. these are tribal people in afghanistan. you can get one part of the country to agree on something, and then you can't get the other part of the country to agree on it. there will be genocide in that country. host: what responsibility does the u.s. have, if and when that happens? caller: this is strictly -- i am sitting here in my living room watching it on tv. i don't want to be a monday night quarterback but i think

the responsibility has been passed. we should have gotten some kind of control before we closed down -- i don't believe we should have closed it down. we should have put a station in like korea and germany, so that we can somewhat control the country still. host: rosetta is in new york, democrat. good morning. caller: good morning. i have a question as to why do we advertise, or let the enemy know what most of the plans are? why let them know how many troops are withdrawing, how may trips we are adding. not just in this instance but i've noticed that these people have tv's. they have smartphones, whatever the case. why do they let them know what

the plans are? is it necessary to tell the enemy? host: i guess the question in return is, do you think it is necessary that the >> president communicates with the american people about where we are and what we are doing in afghanistan? do you think you can do that without citing trip numbers or specific days? caller: i'm not sure about how he is going to let the american people know, but something has to be done where you can't let the enemy know what you are planning. they watch tv too, or whatever. there has to be something that could be done that you don't have to let them know, all of your secrets or things they shouldn't know. they are the enemy. you have to protect yourself,

protect the country, the united states, and the people that go there to help these people. obviously they are not dumb. host: do we have a responsibility to protect the people in that country anymore? caller: i don't think so. i think get out. obviously they don't want you there, they don't appreciate the fact that you've been there for 20 years. host: that is rosetta in new york. larry is in texas, independent. caller: good morning. it is amazing hearing all the comments, especially from the vets. i want to say thank you for your service. thank you, families for your sacrifice. your child, to go and fight for america, for the freedoms that

we basically have built this country upon, through numerous wars, through numerous sacrifices. it is a shame to hear the grief in the voices of vets. there are numerous emotions, specific language being said, that they are insulted. it is an insult. to spend 20 years in a country. the purpose back in the day was to take care of terrorism, and infrastructure that was there, that we needed to get rid of so that we could be a safer country, but not just for america, a safer world, period. to allow the commander-in-chief -- i don't even know why they give him the title of

commander-in-chief. to make a decision to pull out of a country where we have a strategic military dominance, to a country that borders iran? do you know what the future holds for iran? nuclear capability. the first nuclear bomb is not going to go towards america, it is going to go towards israel. we have supported israel for years, because they are a democracy. that is our whole intention, to have democracy as a religion if you want to call it, to spread throughout the world, because we know that democracy maintains civility and freedoms that other countries like afghanistan and iraq and libya -- can we not

learn from our history? we go into iraq, to take care of saddam. we took out the government. we left a void. what happened there? we tried to support the new iraq government. they have shiites, sunnis. we take their tribes, we try to get a government that will base its new government on democracy. we don't care about that, it is still working up there. host: that is larry in texas. back to that line for afghanistan war veterans and family members. robert in iowa. when were you in afghanistan? caller: i was last there in 2013-2014. host: in what capacity? caller: i served all over the country. it was pretty interesting.

we learned a lot. we learned in the transition from the iraq war going to afghanistan. i believe if more parents had more kids and they were going over there, they would understand the situation going on, not just listen to somebody who goes on the news to get a quick sound bite and then can go home to a lovely house. it is a different world. host: what do we need to understand today, in light of what we saw yesterday? caller: you are going to see that. you will see a fluctuation. service members did it for the country, they did it to their -- did it for their brothers and sisters to the left and right. we can't fix everything. if we would spend another 20 years there, what do you think would happen after that? they teach their kids like we teach our kids.

you can't fight this war with just military only. host: when you joined up, did you want to go to afghanistan? was that something you saw yourself doing when you joined the military? caller: i joined the military in 1995. i didn't retire until 2019. i did want to go over there because i wanted to actually fight. my dad was a vietnam veteran and i thought it was so great to see all of those metals and everything -- those medals and everything on his uniform. he never talked about it, but i wanted to see what it was like for myself. some things are real, people die. host: do you think you will talk about afghanistan when you get

older? caller: not afghanistan, no. afghanistan is a nasty country. host: do you think you would ever want to go back? caller: no, no. i would do iraq again, but afghanistan has mountains and it is cold and snowy. the fighting season is a real fighting season. host: do you have children? caller: i have a son, who i missed multiple years of being with him because of going back and forth to fight wars that we knew we couldn't win. host: how would you feel about him joining the military? caller: i sent him to college. host: that is robert in iowa. bob in jacksonville, democrat. caller: good morning. it is good to hear your voice. i hadn't talked to you since

december 7 last year. a caller, several callers ago still part of my thunder -- stole part of my thunder. i think this trillion dollars price tag is propaganda. first of all, people have forgotten that we went into -- we went over there on a lie about weapons of mass destruction. i suggest that there have been a lot more than a trillion dollars spent. a trillion dollars, you have to tie iraq to afghanistan. if you figure a trillion dollars over 20 years, unless my math is wrong, that is $50 billion a year. i doubt if that would buy the bullets.

host: you said you have to tie iraq to afghanistan, talking about weapons of mass destruction when it comes to iraq. why do you have to tie them together? caller: because i don't think we would have been there if it -- if we hadn't gone to iraq first. host: you said we talked on december 7, talked a lot about 9/11. do you think the date of august 15, 2021 will be remembered much in u.s. history? caller: i doubt it. the event might be remembered, but i doubt very seriously if people will or member the date like they have, december 7 1941 -- remember the date like they have, december 7, 1941. host: do you think people will or -- do you think people remember the fall of saigon?

caller: i don't think they remember the date. they don't even remember 20 years ago that we went over there on a lie. that was a lie, that there were weapons of mass destruction. that was a reason to go over there and spend money. i imagine that there has probably been at least $10 trillion spent since 9/11, in the name of freedom for our country. we just spend money. we went over there and, just think of what that kind of money could have done for this country. if we hadn't have been spending it on war machinery. host: our next caller from north carolina, republican line. caller: the guy you had on yesterday or the day before

explained it pretty good. there was a plan, but our warmongers at the top didn't listen to the intelligence that was given. you've got millie and blinken. they should have to answer to the american -- anti-american strategy and philosophy they hold. for our servicemen, we thank them. they fulfilled their missions and they are not responsible for the lack of leadership. we keep hearing the words defeat and all the negative statements. that has to make them feel -- i don't know how that would make me feel, because we can't forget that our soldiers followed their orders and accomplish their missions, and they have not gotten anything to be ashamed of. they should stand proud, and america loves their soldiers.

the failure is at the top. the ones that are in the positions not because they are intelligent but because they are tokens and quotas. host: here is some of the headlines from today's major u.s. papers. the wall street journal, the taliban seizes power as the u.s. retreats. the u.s. surrenders kabul, scrambles to evacuate. the near times this morning, the taliban capture kabul, stunning the u.s. asking you in this three hour program on the "washington journal" to answer this question. what did the war in up in a stand mean?margie in philly, on the democrats line. caller: we have to look back at the trump administration. when he made deals not with the president of kabul, but with the taliban of kabul. that is what he did. he went over the president.

the president of kabul had to get out of town in the darkness and let the taliban that trump made deals with take power. as far as the army is concerned, the afghan and the taliban. they are two of the same. the afghan army and the taliban. they are two of the same. i don't know why people can't see that when it goes down, they all blend together. host: margie in philadelphia, talking about president trump. we have been showing clips of u.s. presidents over the past four administration's talking about u.s. involvement in up in a stand. this is president trump from august of 2017, speaking at fort meyer in arlington, virginia about u.s. engagement in afghanistan. [video clip] >> military power alone will not bring peace to afghanistan or stop the terrorist threat arising in that country, but

strategically applied force aims to create the conditions for a political process to achieve a lasting peace. america will work with the afghan government, as long as we see determination and progress. however, our commitment is not unlimited and our support is not a blank check. the government of afghanistan must carry their share of the military, political and economic burden. the american people expect to see real reforms, real progress and real results. our patience is not unlimited. we will keep our eyes wide open, and abiding by the oath i took on january 20, i will remain steadfast in protecting american lives and american interests.

in this effort, we will make common cause with any nation that chooses to stand and fight alongside us against this global threat. terrorists take heed. america will never let up, until you are dealt a lasting defeat. under my ad administration, many billions of dollars more is being spent on our military. this includes vests amount being spent -- vast amounts being spent on our nuclear arsenal and missile-defense. in every generation, we have faced down people and we have always prevailed. host: former president trump from four years ago in 2017. this morning, taking your calls, asking you what did the war in afghanistan mean? this is laura in new york, republican. how would you answer that question? caller: hello? host: go ahead, lawrence. caller: what happens, number

one, i agree with what the woman said earlier, in terms of our own borders, we have so many situations going on in our own country that we really need to address. trump, when he was running for president, stressed that one of his goals would be to get us out of these endless wars, to bring our children home. god made the world and people have different cultures and different things, and i think us infringing upon other cultures in the world is just not working. we need to let people have true freedom and true determination. we wasted a lot of money over there, a lot of lives. when will it end? on top of it all, who are the real rightful owners of who should be running or governing afghanistan?

like the woman said earlier, are they both one and the same people? that's about it for me. host: this is tina in pennsylvania, independent. caller: hello? host: go ahead. caller: i just want to say it is a sad day for america. i sat here yesterday and cried for all the bloodshed of the americans who went over there to fight. let me just bring america into where i'm looking. i turned on al jazeera and saw them take the provincial palace. the one fighter that -- the presidential palace. the one fighter that was there who did eight years in gitmo. do you think they will forget what we did a guantanamo bay question mark our borders are wide open. we need to get out and secure our nation, our children, because this is going to get bad. this is going to top saigon.

stop with the blame game. let's come together. now we are in trouble. we are really in trouble. god bless every service member is going over there. we need to protect our country. get them out, bring them over, close our borders. we've got trouble coming, like it or not. it is not a failure for our soldiers. it is a failure for biden. he needs to get our boys and girls out. thank you. host: eric, long island, independent. caller: good morning and thank you for c-span. there was a few callers earlier that referenced -- talking about -- i can't stand any of these colors to keep defending our presidents over in afghanistan. we weren't supposed to be over there in 20 -- 20 years ago. host: go ahead.

did we lose you? i apologize for that. tom in new jersey, republican. caller: how is it going? first of all, as far as it goes with liz cheney. her dad was part of the war machine, with the whole halliburton thing. the first george bush went into iraq, spank them and got out. they probably should have done that in afghanistan. we probably should not have spent 20 years there, trying to weasel out every person that hated america, because you could go all over the world and find people that hate america. i feel bad for the people that relied on the u.s., just like i felt bad about -- because i knew

people that were older than me that went to vietnam. i was a little young to go there. they came back with some stories, saying how they were wondering why they were there. i can feel for the soldiers that were over in afghanistan, and iraq on the second tour. that's about it. have a good day. host: tom in new jersey. under scholar on that line for afghanistan war veterans and their family members, out of kansas city, missouri. are you with us? caller: yes. host: go ahead. when were you in afghanistan? we lost him. our next caller is from texas, democrat. caller: good morning.

in 19 627, when i graduated from high school, -- in 19 627, when i graduated from high school, i was so proud of my right to vote i volunteered for the army and for vietnam. something that really bothers me . every war since vietnam that we go to, we go without the full complete support of our people. we cannot change countries that have been at war for centuries. we cannot make them do what we want them to do. a person forced against his will has the same opinion still. it is time for us to spend money, instead of going and trying to run everybody else's country, on us, the americans.

host: take yourself back to october 20 -- october 2001. do you think we went into afghanistan with the full and complete support of the american public at that time, a little more than a month after 9/11? caller: after 9/11, everybody supported going because it was horrendous, what bin laden and his group were able to do. we got bin laden. the rest is trying to make people change or make people be somebody else. that's not going to happen. host: should we have left after we got bin laden? caller: we should have left after bin laden, because not only did we get the taliban mad, but we got other people that didn't really support bin laden

but hated the way we snuck over there and got him. just like we hated the way they snuck over here and got us. host: this is michael in north carolina, democrat. caller: yes. i agree with every single thing, just about everybody said on c-span. thank god for c-span. we should have guarded our own borders. we should have made sure that we spent the money on the people that are here, struggling with the coronavirus. we should have been focused on us. i'm to the point where donald trump, i did not agree with a lot of things he said but i do agree with one thing he said. he said that we should protect ourselves. host: that is michael in north carolina.

a reminder as you are waiting on hold, please put your tv on mute. it makes the conversations a little bit easier. it is coming up on not :00 on the east coast -- on 9:00 on the east coast and we are spending the full three hours of our program talking about what happened yesterday in afghanistan. the united states flag coming down at the u.s. embassy. ,, the rush to evacuate u.s. troops continuing -- personnel, afghan allies out from the airport and the situation continues to be chaotic on the ground. as we see a day in which kabul fell, what did the war there, what did the u.s. effort they're mean? -- there mean? democrats, (202) 748-8000. independents, (202) 748-8002.

and that special line for afghan war veterans and their family members, (202) 748-8003. throughout this three hour program, showing you moments in which the presidents from the past four and ministrations of talked about u.s. efforts in afghanistan, key moments of u.s. policy decisions over the years when it comes to that country. this from december of two thousand nine, then president barack obama speaking to me cadets at west point, announcing 30,000 additional troops into afghanistan at that time. this is what the president had to say. [video clip] >> afghanistan is not lost. for several years, it has moved backwards. there is no imminent threat of the government being overthrown but the taliban have gained momentum. al qaeda has not reemerged in afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11 but retain their safe havens along the border. our forces lack the support they

need to effectively train and partner with afghan security forces and better secure the population. our new commander in afghanistan has reported the security situation is more serious than he anticipated. the status quo is not sustainable. as cadets, you volunteered for service during this time of danger. some of you fought in afghanistan. some of you will deploy their -- there. as your commander in chief, iou a mission that is clearly defined and worthy of your service. that is why after the afghan voting was completed i insisted on a thorough review of our strategy. let me be clear. there has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010. there has been no delay or

denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war during this review period. the review has allowed me to ask the hard questions and to explore the different options along with my national security team, our military, and civilian leadership in afghanistan and are key partners. -- our key partners. i owed the american people and our troops no less. this review is complete. as commander-in-chief, i have determined it is in our national interest to send an additional 30,000 u.s. troops to afghanistan. after 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. these are the resources we need to seize the initiative while building the afghan capacity to allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of afghanistan. host: former president barack

obama from december 1 of 2009. now we want to fast-forward ahead to may 22, 2010. president obama back at west point, that commitment ceremony, speaking about the situation in afghanistan six months later. [video clip] >> six months ago i came to west point to announce a new strategy for afghanistan and pakistan. i stand here humbled by the knowledge that many of you will soon be serving in harm's way. i assure you you will go with the support of a proud and grateful nation. we face a tough fight in afghanistan. insurgency confronted with a direct challenge will turn to new tactics. that is what the taliban has done through assassination and indiscriminate killing and intimidation.

any country that has known decades of war will be tested in finding political solutions to his problems and providing governance that can sustain progress and serve the needs of its people. this war has changed over the last nine years. it is no less important than it was after 9/11. we toppled the taliban regime. now we must break the momentum of a taliban insurgency and train afghan security forces. we have supported the election of a sovereign government. now we must strengthen its capacity. we brought hope to the afghan people. we must see that their country does not fall prey to our common enemies. there will be difficult days ahead. we will adapt. we will persist. i have no doubt that with our

>> this afternoon, president obama -- president biden will speak at the white house. watch the remarks live at 3:45 eastern, here on c-span. >> earlier today, the united nations security council held a meeting on afghanistan following the fall of the afghan government to the taliban. here's a portion of the meeting.