i want to get to your reporting, michael crowley. i had seen the esper comments and i show h.r. mcmaster go even further. and i wonder why he doesn't extend support for an administration that is trying to sort of make the most of the situation that they handed him. >> well, why aren't they more supportive of biden, do you mean? >> well, if they can go so far as to acknowledge that trump put this in motion, these are longstanding figures in the national security establishment. to be intellectually consistent, honest, you would make sure people understood the larger threat and lens through which all of this has transpired. that seems to be their point. >> so first of all, as you kindly recapped at the top, my story explains how even many trump officials say that they feel that the process that trump set in motion with the taliban laid the groundwork for this. and, you know, and i think -- you know, i think their view is it was a terrible deal, that it was basically providing political cover for the u.s. to withdraw without any, you know, real assurances from the taliban that we co

michael crowley is here, "new york times" diplomatic correspondent. jeremy butler, ceo of the iraq and afghanistan veterans of america. congresswoman jackie speier of california is here, a member of the intelligence and armed services committees. we will start with you, congresswoman. i said when i first heard the speech, i listened to every word and i feel maybe 95% of what he said is the way the american public sees this war and has seen it for a while and maybe 95% of the national security establishment and the press who cover it see it the opposite and don't approve of what he said. what do you think of the president's response today? >> i think he was being very honest, nicolle. he has been committed to getting out of afghanistan for close to a decade. i think many of us have been in that position for a long time. what is regrettable is the manner in which we're leaving and the fact that we have something like 18,000 translators seeking to be able to be airlifted out of there, and right now only 2,000 have been. so we have got to negotiate, as i

it's a sacred obligation to do something to get them out and joining me now is "new york times "michael crowley ayman nowaz. they hosted just within the hour of the final departure day on the tarmac, the ambassador, the flag, the corps of consular officials who have done so much to try to get both. they got out and i know the white house is frustrated and not focusing on the 100,000 that did get out and those this left behind were either on the siv list and denied, even though they're veterans buddies said there's no reason. he did two tours with him. no reason that guy should have been denied. how do we ever get them out? >> right, andrea. so the phase that just completed was this frenzied, massive logistical operation of, you know, aircraft coming in at an unbelievable pace, cramming hundreds of people in planes meant to seat far fewer. what will happen now becomes much more of a sort of careful diplomatic effort where the u.s. government tries to persuade the taliban to allow people to the extent they are able to leave the country under their own volition. that could involve taking commercia

michael crowley is with us, "new york times" diplomatic correspondent.istan back in '06. he also served in kabul as deputy nato representative, was a senior adviser to defense secretary ash carter back in the day. gentlemen, welcome to you. who better than mr. crowley, the diplomatic correspondent, to perhaps finish the answer that general mccaffrey started. on the quest for legitimacy, if i'm reading it right, by the taliban and barry's answer that there are other actors, other parties standing by on the figurative outskirts of kabul waiting to come into that vacuum, michael. >> yeah, that's right, brian. i mean the situation in afghanistan is still very much in flux. the taliban took control much faster than anyone had anticipated. as we all know the government and security forces stumbled and collapsed so the taliban stumbled in to some degree. it is not clear they're going to be able to run and govern the country without resistance. you are seeing some pockets of resistance, the former northern alliance up in the panshir valley is trying to rally sup