>> Sandra: JONATHAN HUNT LIVE
ON THE BORDER FOR US.
>> Bill: 10:31 NOW.
WAITING FOR THE PRESIDENT
MOMENTARILY.
MORE THAN TWO DOZEN SENATE
REPUBLICANS ARE PRESSING FOR
ANSWERS ON AFGHANISTAN.
THE LAWMAKERS SENDING A LETTER
TO THE PRESIDENT DEMANDING TO
KNOW THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LEFT
BEHIND INCLUDING AMERICANS AND
GREEN CARD HOLDERS AND VISA
APPLICANTS.
THE SENATOR LEADING THAT CHARGE
TOM COTTON REPUBLICAN FROM
ARKANSAS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I WATCHED THIS GO DOWN EARLIER
IN THE WEEK WITH MIKE
GALLAGHER, A HOUSE REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUE OF YOURS.
IT FAILED MISERABLY.
DEMOCRATS SHOT IT DOWN AND IT
WENT NOWHERE.
CAN THIS GO ANYWHERE?
>> BILL, THE ADMINISTRATION
WILL HAVE TO TELL THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE THE TRUTH SOONER RATHER
THAN LATER.
WE NEED IT SOONER.
THEY’RE FLYING IN 4,000 AFGHANS
A DAY.
WE DON’T KNOW WHO MANY OF THE
PEOPLE ARE.
THE BIGGEST BAIT AND SWITCH IN
AMERICAN POLITICS.
JOE BIDEN APPEALED TO THE
GENEROSITY AND SENSE OF HONOR
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO
RIGHTLY WANTED TO SAVE ALL
THOSE LOYAL AFGHANS WHO WORKED
ALONGSIDE OUR TROOPS THE LAST
20 YEARS.
HIS OWN ADMINISTRATION ADMITS
THEY LEFT THE VAST MAJORITY,
THEIR WORDS, OF THOSE AFGHANS
WHO HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND
VETTED IN AFGHANISTAN.
THAT MEANS THAT TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS WHO HAD NO
DIRECT CONNECTION TO OUR
MILITARY WERE EVACUATED OUT OF
THE COUNTRY AND NOW ARE EN
ROUTE TO OUR COUNTRY IN THE
DAYS AHEAD.
THEY SAY THEY’LL VET THESE
AFGHANS, BUT THAT’S REALLY NOT
POSSIBLE.
AFGHANISTAN IS A THIRD WORLD
COUNTRY.
NOW THE TALIBAN ARE IN CONTROL
OF IT.
THERE IS NO LOCAL POLICE
DEPARTMENT OR F.B.I. OR CREDIT
CHECK YOU CAN RUN ON PEOPLE
SITTING IN GERMANY OR QATAR OR
ELSEWHERE.
WE REALLY DON’T KNOW IF THEY
ARE A SECURITY THREAT TO OUR
COUNTRY OR IF THEY ACCEPT SOME
OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF
AMERICA LIKE CONSTITUTIONAL
GOVERNMENT.
RELIGIOUS TOLERATION AND
EQUALITY AND RIGHTS FOR WOMEN.
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WILL
HAVE TO PROVIDE THE ANSWERS
SOON.
>> Bill: THAT’S ANOTHER
QUESTION AGREED.
WE’LL GET TO THAT IN TIME.
BUT IN THE IMMEDIATE MOMENT, I
AM TOLD THROUGH MICHAEL WALTZ
OUT OF FLORIDA AND SIVs AT
AIRPORTS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE COUNTRY THAT ARE READY TO
LEAVE BUT THE STATE DEPARTMENT
HAS NOT SECURED -- THE
AIRPLANES ARE READY TO GO.
THROUGH THIRD COUNTRIES THEY
HAVE NOT SECURITY THE ABILITY
FOR THEM TO GO THROUGH THE
AREA, TO STOP FOR REFUELING,
WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANS THE
ENTIRE OPERATION IS FROZEN IN
TIME.
IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING NOW,
SENATOR?
>> BILL, WE’VE HAD SIMILAR
CONVERSATIONS WITH THIRD PARTY
ORGANIZATIONS, AMERICAN
CITIZENS AND GREEN CARD HOLDERS
SCATTERED AROUND AFGHANISTAN.
I DON’T WANT TO GET INTO THE
DETAILS ABOUT WHERE THOSE
PEOPLE ARE OR WHERE THE PLANES
ARE.
BUT IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING
THERE ARE THIRD PARTY NATIONS
WILLING TO ACCEPT THOSE
AIRCRAFT THAT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT WON’T SIGN OFF ON
THEIR DEPARTURE BECAUSE OF
CONCERNS ABOUT BUREAUCRATIC RED
TAP.
THE LACK OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
I UNDERSTAND IN MOST CASES YOU
MIGHT NOT WANT TO FLY WITHOUT
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
WHEN YOU HAVE TALIBAN GANGS
CHASING YOU DOWN READY TO KILL
YOU IT’S A RISK MOST PEOPLE
SEEKING TO FLEE AFGHANISTAN,
FELLOW CITIZENS WOULD BE
WILLING TO TAKE.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHAT I MEAN BY
JOE BIDEN SCREWING IT UP COMING
AND GOING.
HE LEFT TOO MANY PEOPLE BEHIND
BUT BROUGHT IN A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT HAVE NO RIGHT TO COME TO
THE UNITED STATES.
>> Bill: WHAT COULD WE DO TO
MAKE IT WORK NOW?
IF THERE ARE PEOPLE AT
DIFFERENT AIRPORTS AROUND THE
WORLD, WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE
DONE TO GET THEM RELEASED NOW?
>> BILL, MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT ALL IT WOULD TAKE IS FOR
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO
TELL THE THIRD PARTY NATIONS
WHERE THOSE FLIGHTS ARE READY
TO FLY TO LET THEM FLY THERE.
THAT WE SUPPORT THAT DECISION
AND WE’LL HELP YOU ONCE OUR
FELLOW CITIZENS AND GREEN CARD
HOLDERS, ONCE THOSE WITH VALID
VISAS GET TO YOUR COUNTRY GET
BACK TO THE UNITED STATES.
YET THE STATE DEPARTMENT
PROBABLY BECAUSE OF
BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE AND MAYBE
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TURN THE
PAGE AND GET AFGHANISTAN OUT OF
THE NEWS IS NOT GIVING THOSE
ASSURANCES TO THIRD NATION
COUNTRIES.
THAT’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN HEARING
FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS NOW.
>> Bill: WE’LL FOLLOW THAT.
THE PRESIDENT SAID THE OTHER
DAY FOR THOSE REMAINING
AMERICANS THERE IS NO DEADLINE.
WE’LL REMAIN COMMITTED TO GET
THEM OUT IF THEY WANT TO COME
OUT.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?
>> NO, IT’S ANOTHER BROKEN
PROMISE BY JOE BIDEN.
HE PROMISED THE TALIBAN HE
WOULD BE OUT BY AUGUST 31 AND
PROMISED AMERICAN CITIZENS HE
WOULD STAY UNTIL THEY GOT OUT.
HE BROKE HIS PROMISE TO
AMERICANS AND CONTINUING TO
BREAK IT BECAUSE THERE ARE
AMERICAN CITIZENS TRYING TO GET
OUT OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE GENEROUS AMERICANS
AND OTHER THIRD PARTY
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM GET
OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT IS NOT
DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO
EVACUATE OUR COUNTRYMEN.
>> Bill: THIS MAY BE A QUESTION
OF TIME AS I’M CERTAIN YOU ARE
WELL AWARE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK TODAY.