Skip to main content

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says the images from Kabul are 'heartbreaking' - but Biden had to 'think about the human costs' of keeping the US in the conflict

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan opened the Tuesday press briefing by addressing Monday's chaos at Kabul's airport that produced images including what looked to be people falling to their deaths from departing aircraft.

'The images from the past couple of days at the airport have been heartbreaking,' Sullivan said. 'But President Biden had to think about the human costs of the alternative path as well, which was to stay in the middle of the civil conflict in Afghanistan.' 

Sullivan was asked by DailyMail.com specifically about the imagery of stowaways falling from a plane, which has been compared to New Yorkers leaping to their deaths from the burning Twin Towers on 9/11, which kicked off the Afghanistan War. 

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called the images from Kabul's airport 'heartbreaking' during Tuesday's White House press briefing

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called the images from Kabul's airport 'heartbreaking' during Tuesday's White House press briefing 

People reportedly fell from a U.S. Navy airplane that was leaving Kabul MondayA person falls from a departing aircraft from Kabul

DailyMail.com specifically asked Sullivan about visuals that seemingly showed stowaways falling from a U.S. Air Force plane that took off from Kabul 

Afghans run alongside a departing U.S. Air Force C-17 jet at the Kabul airport on Monday. Three were reportedly killed on the tarmac trying to escape, but the Pentagon has yet to confirm those civilian deaths

Afghans run alongside a departing U.S. Air Force C-17 jet at the Kabul airport on Monday. Three were reportedly killed on the tarmac trying to escape, but the Pentagon has yet to confirm those civilian deaths 

President Joe Biden's national security adviser didn't directly say whether the president had seen the images. 

'These images are heartbreaking,' Sullivan said again. 'And as I've said repeatedly today, the human toll of the end of this conflict in this way, is real and it's raw and it's hard for any of us.' 

'You guys are journalists, I work in government. But we're also people,' Sullivan continued. 

He was asked to speak and answer questions - and did so for 46 minutes - at the top of White House press secretary Jen Psaki's Tuesday briefing. 

'And this is tough stuff, there's no doubt about it. But these are hard choices too,' Sullivan said. 

Horrific footage shows a stowaway strapped to a plane as it departs from KabulReporting from the ground said this was one of the bodies of the stowaways who fell from a plane as it took off from Kabul

Horrific footage shows a stowaway strapped to a plane as it departs from Kabul , and also a body on the ground that reportedly belonged to one of the people who fell from a plane

'And at the end of the day the president had to make a hard choice about whether - to avoid some of those human costs - the United States continues to send thousands of troops to fight, and some of them die and take casualties, that was the decision he was not prepared to take.' 

On Monday, outlets on the ground reported that eight people died at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport as thousands of Afghans attempted to flee Taliban rule. 

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed that two armed Afghans were killed on the ground because they represented a threat. 

Another three Afghans were reportedly killed on the tarmac as a crowd rushed the runway as a C-17 aircraft tried to leave. An additional three were said to have been killed falling from the plane after take-off.  

'What I can tell you is that I think you are going to hear more from the Air Force today about that,' Kirby said, with the Pentagon not yet confirming the civilian deaths. 

DailyMail.com's request for comment to the Air Force has yet to be returned.  

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o