The first U.S. troops started leaving Afghanistan, yesterday, as President Biden decided not to extend the timeline for U.S. withdrawal past the original August 31st deadline. The Taliban said yesterday that they would no longer allow Afghans to evacuate, which is a major departure from their previous position.
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For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
President Joe Biden is moving ahead with plans to evacuate all U.S. citizens and troops from Afghanistan by Aug. 31, providing the Taliban do not interfere with the evacuation. But Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a combat veteran, says she does not see how it’s possible to meet that deadline.
The notion that Americans and our Afghan partners can be evacuated by the end of the month “is a fantasyland that has been developed by President Biden, by the administration,” Ernst says. “I don't see how we have everyone out by Aug. 31 and honor those commitments we've made to our own citizens and our Afghan partners.”
Ernst served in the military for more than 23 years. In 2003, she was a company commander in Kuwait and Iraq, and led 150 Iowa Army National Guardsmen during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ernst was the first female combat veteran to be elected to the Senate.
The current situation in Afghanistan is an “international embarrassment” that puts both “Americans and our allies in harm's way,” the Iowa senator says.
Ernst joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain what the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan could mean for America, and what the Biden administration needs to do to prevent further disaster.
We also cover these stories:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., calls on the Biden administration to rethink its original Aug. 31 deadline for U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Vice President Kamala Harris rebukes China for its "coercion" and "intimidation" in the South China Sea.
The University of Notre Dame leprechaun mascot comes under fire for supposedly being "offensive.”
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(www.vice.com/en/article/dyv33x/how-to-start-hrt-hormone-replacement-therapy) If you're just learning about hormone replacement therapy for the first time, welcome! We're so glad you're here. You might want to read about the basics before listening to this episode. We'll be here when you get back!
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A national coalition of teachers (“Rethinking Schools”) is pushing back against white backlash to antiracist school curriculum like Critical Race Theory (CRT).
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The Biden administration said Tuesday that the U.S. was on pace to meet an August 31 deadline to fully withdraw from Afghanistan, but that "contingency plans" are being developed in case they do not complete evacuations in time.
Some Afghan evacuees will wind up in America, where one of their main destinations is the Seattle area. NPR's Martin Kaste reports on the resettlement effort ramping up there.
President Biden made the decision not to extend evacuations despite calls to do so from some members of his own party. NPR's Asma Khalid examines what Biden's decisions on Afghanistan reveal about his view of America's role in the world.
Surveys and reports detailing expected institutional adoption
Citigroup to trade on the CME
Global perception of crypto, CBDCs
NFT and DeFi on the rise
Bitcoin news from Michael Saylor, Blockstream and Substack
Recent reports from Deloitte and Nickel Digital help set institutional and general public adoption expectations. Of 23 asset managers surveyed by Nickel Digital, more than half expected to increase crypto asset exposure by 2023, and a quarter to increase dramatically. Citigroup is one such investment company toying with BTC as the firm says it will trade bitcoin futures on the CME.
From the global perspective, a Politico survey of U.K. adults revealed a distrust and misunderstanding of CBDCs, while in India, retail crypto investment is up with young citizens looking for alternative ways to make money after strict COVID-19 lockdowns.
Visa’s CryptoPunk purchase fueled an NFT-buying frenzy, resulting in a daily sales volume record for Punks. DeFi on the whole, however, remains powered by experienced crypto enthusiasts, as the technological barrier to entry remains. Will NFTs bring more of the general population into DeFi?
Bitcoin’s rally above $50,000 this past weekend was bolstered by institutional news: Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy’s latest purchase of BTC, Blockstream’s $210 million Series B funding round and Substack’s implementation of bitcoin as a payment option using the Lightning Network. Who’s next?
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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Tidal Wave” by BRASKO. Image credit: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.
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