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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US CONGRESS AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL(TV)
HEADLINE: US Lawmakers Probe Failures of 2021 US Withdrawal From Afghanistan
TEASER: Experts testify that the chaotic evacuation was a result of decades of bad decisions in Afghanistan
PUBLISHED AT: 03/08/23
BYLINE: Katherine Gypson
PRODUCERS: Katherine Gypson
CONTRIBUTING:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Jepsen, Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, VOA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: ))
[[NOTE: All broll for this piece is in Frame.io-Central Workspace-In-Progress-Katherine Gypson-Afghanistan]]
((TV/web intro: ))
[[The Republican majority House of Representatives launched an investigation Wednesday into the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in August 2021. Immigration experts and U.S. military who assisted in the evacuation testified that the chaotic pullout was due to decades of bad decision-making. VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson has more.]]
((Video Library Broll of Kabul Evacuation))
((NARRATOR))
The final days of the U.S. conflict in Afghanistan were marked by chaos and death, as the rapid advance of the Taliban caught the U.S. military and State Department by surprise.
((MRT for kgyp mccaul opening statement))
((Rep. Michael McCaul, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman))
“Because of the Biden administration's dereliction of duty, the world watched heartbreaking scenes unfold in and around the Kabul airport for the next two weeks.”
((Cutaways of hearing then back to Kabul Airport Broll))
((NARRATOR))
Congressional Republicans are leading an investigation into the events of August 2021. Democrats argue that the groundwork for the chaotic withdrawal was laid by previous presidential administrations.
((MRT for kgyp meeks evacuation not in a vacuum))
((Rep. Gregory Meeks, Democrat))
“In the years preceding the 2021 withdrawal, the decision to engage in the direct negotiations with the Taliban at the exclusion of the Afghan government and the invitation to meet at Camp David confirmed international legitimacy to the Taliban.”
((Broll of Afghans waiting at Abbey Gate, Kabul))
((NARRATOR))
Congress is also asking why there is a backlog in processing visas for the tens of thousands of Afghans promised safety in return for assisting U.S. forces.
Peter Lucier works for Team America Relief, an organization that has helped support evacuation efforts.
((MRT for kgyp lucier this is an american failure))
((Peter Lucier, Team America Relief))
“This is not the story of a Biden failure or Trump failure. This is a story of an American failure and the effect it has had and continues to have on Afghans.”
((Broll of US planes taking off from Kabul))
((NARRATOR))
Ultimately, about 122,000 people were airlifted out of Afghanistan in the days before the handover to the Taliban. But the immigration status for those Afghans who made it to the U.S. is still uncertain, and tens of thousands remained trapped in Afghanistan.
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((Francis Q. Hoang, Allied Airlift 21))
“We wept as we listened to messages by children pleading for our help.”
((US military at Kabul airport broll))
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory Courtesy: Rise to Peace)) ((video: first shot, Kabul wall crowd))
U.S. service members also testified that unclear rules of engagement at Kabul airport left them defenseless — and alleged that ultimately led to the August 26th bombing — the deadliest day for Americans in Afghanistan in 10 years.
((MRT for kgyp withdrawal was a catastrophe))
((Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, US Marine Corps))
“The withdrawal was a catastrophe, in my opinion. And there was an inexcusable lack of accountability and negligence. The 11 Marines, one sailor and one soldier that were murdered that day have not been answered for.”
((US Capitol dome then back to broll of Afghanistan))
((NARRATOR))
U.S. lawmakers say the Secretaries of State and Defense will soon be asked to testify about their departments’ roles in the evacuation.
((Katherine Gypson, VOA News, Washington))
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington
Embargo DateMarch 8, 2023 19:32 EST
BylineKatherine Gypson
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America, Voice of America - English
