ABC on Monday avoided the words “Joe Biden” while recounting one year of Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Reporter Ian Pannell lamented how “sad,” “isolated” and “hungry” the country has become in the wake of the takeover, but never mentioned the President who presided over the collapse. NBC and CBS Didn’t do much better, saying Biden’s name just once each.
On ABC’s Good Morning America, Ian Pannell was clearly sad about the spiraling situation in Afghanistan. Reporting from the country, he explained, “One year after America’s withdrawal lapsed into chaos, one year since the Taliban’s victory, Afghanistan is isolated, sadder and hungrier than ever.”
Yet, no mention in the two minute and 32 second segment of the Biden administration's disastrous withdrawal. Pannell ended by trying to offer some “hope.” He suggested:
This is a very different country from 20 years ago. Even the Taliban has smart phones. The country is connected to the outside world and they can see what’s going on. Yes, there are broken promises, but, Robin, not broken spirits.
Broken promises from whom? Pannell didn’t say.
Over on NBC’s Today, Savannah Guthrie at least managed to name the President in office during the debacle: “We turn now to a new U.S. intelligence report on Al Qaeda's presence in power in Afghanistan. It comes nearly one year after President Biden declared the end of America's longest war.”
Reporter Kelly Cobiella recounted the terrible shape the country was in: “One year after the Taliban takeover, that country is in crisis with tens of millions unable to afford food. And women, once again, fighting for the right to work and education.”
On CBS Mornings, Biden’s name came up, barely. Here’s Imtiaz Tyab:
One year into the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, and the nation also remains in the grips of what the U.N. considers the world's worst humanitarian crisis after the Biden administration froze billions in assets from the central bank and foreign donors pulled vast amounts of funding that once made up three quarters of the nation's annual budget.
He added, “For the Afghans we've been speaking to, today is a day of sadness, anger, and fear.” But the reporter noted the Taliban’s happiness:
But for the Taliban, today is a day of joy as hundreds fill the central Kabul square just yards from where the U.S. embassy once stood, waving flags and chanting "God is great." Rejoicing that it's back in control of a country it once ruled from 1996 up until the 2001 allied invasion that followed the 9/11 attack.
Last week, on August 18, ABC rediscovered the Afghanistan disaster, but allowed only three seconds to Biden.
The pro-Biden spin on ABC and CBS was sponsored by Progressive insurance, on NBC by Hyundai. Click on the links to let them know what you think.
Below is a transcript of ABC and partial transcripts from CBS and NBC. Click “expand” to read more.
Good Morning America
8/15/2022
7:14GIO BENITEZ: We’re going to turn now to Afghanistan. Today marks one year of Taliban rule as forces on the ground celebrate. Chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannell is live in Kabul. Ian, good morning.
IAN PANNELL: Yeah. Good morning, Gio. That’s right. One year later. We were here a year ago reporting on the collapse of the government, the panic as U.S. troops withdrew and the Taliban sweeping into the city. Well, one year later, the militants are celebrating. You can see them there atop American-made humvees. But for so many Afghans, there’s nothing to celebrate. This morning, America’s old enemy celebrating what they call independence day here on the streets of Kabul. It's exactly one year since the militants took control of the capital and the country. These are the fighters America spent 20 years trying to defeat. Today they're celebrating America’s withdrawal and their assumption of power here.
The scene on the ground a stark contrast from a year ago as American forces withdrew, ending America’s longest war. Today, it’s Taliban soldiers patrolling the streets, many of them with U.S.-made weapons. But most Afghans aren’t on the streets celebrating. They are mourning the loss of jobs, money or any place in society. This weekend, a small group of brave Afghan women taking to the streets calling for bread and freedom. But this is the Taliban's response, gunfire into the air and some female protesters beaten. I sat down with a Taliban spokesman who denies women and girls are oppressed.
ABDUL QAHAR BALKHI: Women are being given their rights. Each society interprets rights of human beings, men, women, children, the planet and animals, differently.
PANNELL: But this is the image to remember today, not the Taliban celebrating, but babies dying from hunger. More than 90 percent of Afghans no longer have enough to eat. The youngest and weakest struggling to survive in the new Afghanistan. One year after America’s withdrawal lapsed into chaos, one year since the Taliban’s victory, Afghanistan is isolated, sadder and hungrier than ever. Well, today there is actually hope despite that bleak picture. Women defying Taliban on the street, girls going to secret schools. This is a very different country from 20 years ago. Even the Taliban has smart phones. The country is connected to the outside world and they can see what’s going on. Yes, there are broken promises, but, Robin, not broken spirits.
CBS Mornings
8/15/2022IMTIAZ TYAB: The Taliban is really celebrating the one-year anniversary of its takeover of Afghanistan and, indeed, the end of two decades of fighting. But for the Afghans we've been speaking to, today is a day of sadness, anger, and fear. The tumultuous end to America's
longest war immortalized in these chaotic scenes....
TYAB: But for the Taliban, today is a day of joy as hundreds fill the central Kabul square just yards from where the U.S. Embassy once stood, waving flags and chanting "God is great." Rejoicing that it's back in control of a country it once ruled from 1996 up until the 2001 allied invasion that followed the 9/11 attack.
...
TYAB: One year into the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, and the nation also remains in the grips of what the U.N. considers the world's worst humanitarian crisis after the Biden administration froze billions in assets from the central bank and foreign donors pulled vast amounts of funding that once made up three quarters of the nation's annual budget.
Today
8/15/2022SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We turn now to a new U.S. intelligence report on Al Qaeda's presence in power in Afghanistan. It comes nearly one year after President Biden declared the end of America's longest war.
