Watching Biden’s teleprompter reading of “his” Afghan update last Friday, I couldn’t help but recall Baghdad Bob — the Iraqi PR minister who was ubiquitous proclaiming that Iraqi forces were prevailing over the U.S. military … though the concurrent split screen images were graphically depicting a contrary reality.
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Even the NY Times had to bust Biden for outright lying to paint an alternative rosy universe contradicted by real time happenings on the ground.
The NYT fact-check article emphasized 3 points:
1. Allies’ Response
> Biden: “I have seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world.”
NYT: governments (e.g. Britain, Germany) have not minced words in questioning American leadership and credibility.
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2. Al Qaeda Presence
> Biden: “What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with Al Qaeda gone?
NYT: The Taliban continues to maintain its relationship with Al Qaeda, providing safe haven for the terrorist group in Afghanistan …Al Qaeda has a presence in at least 15 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
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3. Airport Access
Biden: “We have no indication that American citizens who are carrying an American passport haven’t been able to get — in Kabul — through the airport.”
NYT: Reports from Afghanistan contradict this statement and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul sent a security alert warning American citizens, legal residents and their families that the “United States government cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport.”
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To be sure, NYT isn’t a right-wing rag … and these are not “little white lies” … they are central to the crisis at hand.
So, where are the Baghdad Bob comparisons?
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P.S. Since Biden was vacuously reading from his trusty teleprompter, gotta wonder: “Who wrote that speech … and who fact-checked it?”
The Homa Files 
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