NBC Breaks Silence: Army ‘Faults’ Biden Admin With Afghan Disaster

24 hours after NewsBusters reported, the broadcast newscasts did not mention a 24-hour period. Washington PostStory about an Army internal report regarding the disasterous withdrawal from Afghanistan. CBS and ABC were not forthcoming with details on how the report blames the White House and State Department officials who hampered the evacuation. NBC Nightly NewsOn Wednesday, the only broadcast newscast that broke the silence was NBC’s “The View.”

(Video forthcoming)

Instead of reporting on this highly damning report, ABC’s World News TonightThe Super Bowl LVI will be the hottest since 1973 with temperatures of 90 degrees. On the other hand, CBS Evening News, anchor Norah O’Donnell thought time was better spent talking about a water main break in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“We all remember those desperate scenes during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which has left Americans still stranded there,” NBC anchor Lester Holt announced at the top of the segment. “The Army has released a very critical report blaming the Biden government for failing to anticipate what was about to happen..”

The NBC report was delivered by chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell, and she was surprisingly unvarnished in how the Army’s assessment laid blame at the feet of President Biden’s people:

American soldiers lost their lives in the chaos and fatal U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan. A damning report now blames Biden’s administration for failing to evacuate Afghan citizens and their allies.

An Army investigation was first conducted by The Washington Post, one national security official saying “an evacuation would signal ‘we have failed.’”

“This report claims that three days before Kabul fell Rear Admiral Peter Vasely – the commander of top rank in Afghanistan – raised alarms to U.S. officials. Ambassador Ross Wilson,” she told viewers. “But another military official telling investigators: ‘The embassy needed permission for withdrawal and the ambassador didn’t get it.’”

She even leaned on former State department officials from previous Democratic presidencies (Bill Clinton’s and Barack Obama’s respectively) to bring forth criticism:

WILLIAM COHEN, former secretary of defense: When did State Department begin to speed up the processing for those seeking to immigrate to the United States of America? Was there anyone in the White House who was holding up the processing by sending the signal by saying ‘don’t wrap this up or ramp it up’?

(…)

REP. TOM MALINOWSKI (D-NJ): We left Afghanistan in a hurry without any plan. It’s everyone’s fault.

And if the silence from ABC and CBS on the Army report doesn’t get your attention, perhaps their silence on the fact “Many Americans remain stranded abroad in Afghanistan.,” as Mitchell reported, will. She also noted that those left behind include “thousands of Afghan allies, including many women protesters at risk but The U.S. does not allow flights that take people out..”

The endorsement by made this latest instance of bias by omission possible. United Healthcare on ABC, and Capital One on CBS. They are linked.

You can find the transcript below. To read it, please click on “expand”.

NBC Nightly News
February 9, 2022
Eastern, 7:15:11

LESTER HOLT – We all recall those sad scenes from the U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan. This has resulted in Americans being left stranded on that continent. A highly critical Army report slams the Biden administration’s inability to see what was going to happen. Here’s Andrea Mitchell.

[Cuts to video]

ANDREA MITCHELL : 13 U.S. military personnel lost their lives in the chaotic and fatal U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. A damning report now blames Biden’s administration for failing to evacuate Afghan citizens and their allies.

An Army investigation was first conducted by The Washington Post, one national security official saying “an evacuation would signal ‘we have failed.’”

Reports state that three days prior the fall of Kabul, Rear Admiral Peter Vasely (the top commander in Afghanistan) raised alarms to U.S. officials. Ambassador Ross Wilson. But another military official telling investigators: “The embassy needed permission for withdrawal and the ambassador didn’t get it.”

Congress ordered an expanded investigation.

WILLIAM COHEN (former Secretary of Defense): When did State Department increase processing of people who wanted to emigrate the United States to their homeland? Was there anyone in the White House who was holding up the processing by sending the signal by saying ‘don’t wrap this up or ramp it up’?

MITCHELL: The report also citing testimony from an army officer who went door to door at the U.S. Embassy on August 15, the day Kabul fell, urging staff to get ready to leave, but says some were, quote, “intoxicated and cowering in rooms.”

It is clear that the military says the State Department did not respond quickly enough to the urgent need for the evacuation of the Embassy.

REP. TOM MALINOWSKI (D-NJ): We left Afghanistan in a hurry without any plan. It’s everyone’s fault.

MITCHELL: Tonight, many Americans remain stranded in Afghanistan along with thousands more Afghan allies. This includes many protestors who are at high risk, but the U.S. has not allowed them to board the flight that takes people out.

[Cuts back to live]

Ambassador Wilson could not be reached for comment. The State Department however stated that cherry-picked statements don’t accurately reflect the many months of work already in progress or what U.S. diplomatic staff did to help Afghan citizens evacuate. Lester?

HOLT : Ok, Andrea.