Afghanistan Postscript

• Biden defends Afghanistan pullout, acknowledges Taliban takeover caught the U.S. Democrats by surprise (National Review)

• Bad optics: Biden ignores questions and retreats to Camp David after address (Washington Examiner)

• Adding insult to injury: Taliban leader was freed from Guantanamo Bay in 2014 swap by Obama (NY Post)

• Good luck with that: UN Security Council calls for new government in Afghanistan with “full participation of women” (National Review)

• A trip down memory lane: Dems and media celebrated Biden’s announcement of Afghanistan withdrawal (Free Beacon)

• “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts”: George and Laura Bush issue statement with message to troops and veterans (Fox News)

National Security

• Chinese state media says U.S. will “abandon” Taiwan, too, “once a war breaks out” (CNSNews.com)

• “Chinese Communist Party operates in the state”: Indiana AG probes China’s influence in colleges (Washington Times)

• OPEC+ snubs weak Biden, inevitably rejects plea for more oil (Breitbart)

Around the Nation

• The Jussie Smollett playbook: Former top Tennessee vaccine official paid for muzzle sent before firing (Tennessean)

• New York lawmakers to continue investigation into Governor Cuomo after resignation (Washington Post) | Chris Cuomo addresses brother’s resignation, defends his own conduct (Fox News)

Annals of the “Social Justice” Caliphate

• Megan Rapinoe would “almost bully” teammates into kneeling for national anthem (Breitbart)

• New evidence that high schools treat conservative students poorly (National Review)

Other Notables

• Dark future looms over women living in Afghanistan (Morning Brew)

• Fear of COVID-19 in kids is getting ahead of the data (The Atlantic)

• New Zealand is locking down the entire nation after finding a single COVID case (NPR)

Closing Arguments

• Policy: How the Left uses children as pawns in immigration policy (Daily Signal)

• Policy: NATO is Dead Man Walking after Afghanistan debacle (1945)

• Humor: “Rumors that the Taliban have taken over are unfounded,” says Jen Psaki wearing hijab (Babylon Bee)

• Related humor: Biden demands whoever the president is take full responsibility for this mess (Babylon Bee)

For more of today’s editors’ choice headlines, visit Headline Report.

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