Biden asks for ‘contingency plans’ to extend Afghanistan withdrawal in stunning reversal

Biden asks for ‘contingency plans’ to extend Afghanistan withdrawal in stunning reversal: President Joe Biden announced that he has asked defense officials to put together “contingency plans” for keeping American forces on the ground in Afghanistan beyond the end of this month — despite claiming earlier Tuesday that the White House would abide by the Taliban’s “red line” of a full withdrawal by Aug. 31. Biden said Tuesday that the completion of US forces’ evacuation operation at Kabul’s international airport by the end of this month “depends on the Taliban continuing to cooperate,” and confirmed that he had asked the Pentagon and the State Department for “contingency plans to adjust the timetable, should that become necessary.”