Blinken Utterly Denies Hostage Situation Despite Reports by Congress, Multiple Media Outlets

As has become the norm under the Biden Administration, Americans are being lied to about the state of affairs for our own citizens stranded in Afghanistan. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is flat-out denying the situation which many congressional representatives and news outlets are calling a “hostage” crisis.

Veterans groups have said many Americans are stranded in Afghanistan; certainly a number that far surpasses the “about 100” given by Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a visit to Qatar. CBS News reported Sunday that a congressional source said, “The Taliban is basically holding them hostage to get more out of the Americans.”

The reference is to six planes holding American citizens said to have been stranded at the Mazar-i-Sharif international airport as the Taliban attempts to extract concessions from the United States government before the airplanes are allowed to leave.

The State Department sent a document to Congress over the weekend saying flights have been cleared to depart for Doha, Qatar, and will do so “if and when the Taliban agrees to takeoff.” Texas Republican Congressman Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News Sunday the same thing.

“We have hundreds of American citizens left behind enemy lines in Afghanistan as I speak.” He added of the hostage situation, “we have six airplanes at Mazar Sharif Airport, six airplanes with American citizens on them as I speak, also with these interpreters, and the Taliban is holding them hostage for demands right now. They – we – the state has cleared these flights and the Taliban will not let them leave the airport.”

Despite the clear reporting from multiple outlets, Blinken utterly ignores the dire hostage situation and said Tuesday the Taliban has been reminded they are to let anyone with valid travel papers leave Afghanistan if they choose. According to Reuters, Blinken said, “we are not aware of anyone being held on an aircraft or any hostage like situation at Mazar-i-Sharif. So, we have to work through the different requirements and that’s exactly what we are doing.”