memeorandum: ‘This is starting to look really ominous in the South,’ expert says, as US is among nations with highest rate of new Covid-19 cases (Aya Elamroussi/CNN)

6:40 PM ET, August 14, 2021

Top Items:

Scoop: Biden braces for brutal loss — The Biden administration is preparing for the fall of Kabul and a retreat from any U.S. diplomatic presence in Afghanistan — a stunning reversal of expectations. — It's looking increasingly likely to high-ranking aides to President Biden that the U.S …

Discussion: Washington Post, Mother Jones, Instapundit, NPR, Just Security, justoneminute.typepad.com, New York Post, Townhall and Liberty Unyielding

The White House:

Statement by President Joe Biden on Afghanistan — Over the past several days, I have been in close contact with my national security team to give them direction on how to protect our interests and values as we end our military mission in Afghanistan. — First, based on the recommendations …

Discussion: Insider, Forbes, The Daily Caller, Lenta.ru, POLITICUSUSA and National File

New York Times:

Afghanistan's commercial hub, Mazar-i-Sharif, falls to the insurgents. — KABUL, Afghanistan — The last major city in northern Afghanistan fell to the Taliban on Saturday night, marking the complete loss of the country's north to the Taliban as the insurgents appear on the verge of a full military takeover.

Discussion: Townhall and Insider

Greg Jaffe / Washington Post:

From hubris to humiliation: America's warrior class contends with the abject failure of its Afghanistan project — Twenty years ago, when the twin towers and the Pentagon were still smoldering, there was a sense among America's warrior and diplomatic class that history was starting anew …

Discussion: Kevin Drum, New York Times and The United Nations

Associated Press:

Taliban capture major northern city, approach Afghan capital — KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban have captured a large, heavily defended city in northern Afghanistan in a major setback for the government, and the insurgents are approaching the capital less than three weeks before the U.S. hopes to complete its troop withdrawal.

Discussion: Radio Free Europe/Radio …, The Hill, Al Jazeera, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Associated Press and National Review

New York Times:

Taliban Sweep in Afghanistan Follows Years of U.S. Miscalculations — An Afghan military that did not believe in itself and a U.S. effort that Mr. Biden, and most Americans, no longer believed in brought an ignoble end to America's longest war. — WASHINGTON — President Biden's top advisers concede …

Discussion: USA Today, Washington Examiner, RedState, Jihad Watch, Boston Herald, New York Post, BizPac Review, WTOP and DCReport.org

Yaroslav Trofimov / Wall Street Journal:

How the Afghan Army, Built by the U.S. Over Two Decades, Was Overrun — Afghanistan's military was molded to match American operations and collapsed without U.S. air support and intelligence — KABUL—The Afghan government outpost in Imam Sahib, a district of northern Kunduz province …

Discussion: France 24

Washington Post: As Taliban widens its grip, Afghans reckon with life under militant rule

Jon Lee Anderson / New Yorker:
The Return of the Taliban — Their comeback has taken twenty years, but it is a classic example …

Discussion: New York Times, Liberty Unyielding, Outside the Beltway and The Daily Beast

Reuters:
Taliban close in on Afghan capital, northern city falls without resistance

Discussion: New York Post, Task & Purpose, The Guardian, Slate, Associated Press, Lawyers, Guns & Money and MSN

Washington Post:
Taliban advances closer to Kabul as U.S. seeks to avoid battles with its troops staging evacuations

Discussion: The Hill, CBS News, New York Times, Associated Press, Forbes, New York Post, SpyTalk, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Agence France-Presse and Pajhwok Afghan News

Kamran Bokhari / Wall Street Journal:
The Taliban's Afghan Advance Spells Trouble for Pakistan and China

Discussion: New York Post

Deirdre Shesgreen / Yahoo News:
Reports: US Embassy in Kabul directs staff to destroy sensitive documents as many diplomats prepare for evacuation

Discussion: Insider Paper, CNN, USA Today, Twitchy, Task & Purpose, HotAir and Power Line

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Behold Barack Antoinette — WASHINGTON — Jay Gatsby gave big, lavish, new-money parties at his sprawling mansion on the water because he wanted to seem cool. He wanted Daisy to notice him. — Barack Obama gave a big, lavish, new-money party at his sprawling mansion on the water because he wanted to seem cool.

Discussion: Twitchy and justoneminute.typepad.com

Matt Taibbi / TK News:
The Vanishing Legacy of Barack Obama

Discussion: Ace of Spades HQ

Miami Herald:

Major 7.2 earthquake hits Haiti, at least 225 people dead — A major earthquake struck southwestern Haiti early Saturday, collapsing buildings and historical cathedrals in a nation still struggling to recover from a devastating quake that left more than 300,000 dead over a decade ago …

Discussion: New York Times, UPI, Forbes, Reuters, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and The Daily Beast

Luke Kenton / The US Sun:
HAITI HORROR Haiti earthquake - Huge magnitude 7 quake strikes in Caribbean as THOUSANDS feared dead after buildings collapse

Discussion: CBS News, Breitbart, Cyprus Mail and HotAir

ABC News:
Haiti earthquake latest: At least 227 people dead, more than 1,500 injured

Discussion: BBC, Associated Press, Mother Jones and NPR

AnneClaire Stapleton / CNN:
At least 29 dead after 7.2-magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti

Discussion: CBS San Francisco, Joe.My.God., Al Jazeera, UPI and Common Dreams

Maria Abi-Habib / New York Times:
Powerful Earthquake Strikes Haiti

Discussion: Financial Times

Washington Post:
At least 29 dead in Haiti in wake of 7.2-magnitude earthquake

Discussion: New York Times, The Hill and Washington Examiner

Jose Pagliery / The Daily Beast:

Police Arrest Teen Accused of Helping GOP Strategist's Underage Sex Trafficking — Shortly after arresting GOP strategist Anton Lazzaro for underage sex trafficking, police say they've caught up with his 19-year-old associate, who now faces the same charges.

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA, Alpha News, The Hill, Joe.My.God. and Raw Story

Tom Boggioni / Raw Story:

Teen accused of assisting GOP strategist with sex trafficking arrested in Florida: report — According to a report from the Daily Beast, a 19-year-old woman who has been accused of assisting a GOP strategist with sex trafficking of underage f girls was taken into custody in Florida.

Shane Goldmacher / New York Times:

How Andrew Cuomo's Exit Tarnished a Legacy and Dimmed a Dynasty — For 40 years, the Cuomo name has been synonymous with Democratic power in New York. Now it could mean something else. — Andrew M. Cuomo always cared about his place in history. — And so, early in his governorship …

Discussion: HotAir, BizPac Review, The Hill, CBS New York, Fox News, Townhall, TheBlaze, New York Post, Washington Examiner, Mediaite, The Wrap and Politico

Aya Elamroussi / CNN:

‘This is starting to look really ominous in the South,’ expert says, as US is among nations with highest rate of new Covid-19 cases — (CNN)The US remains among nations with the highest rate of new Covid-19 cases, driven mostly by a surge in the South, where many states are lagging in getting people vaccinated against the coronavirus.

WNCT-TV:

NC Rep. Keith Kidwell, wife in hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19 — WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCT) — NC Rep. Keith Kidwell, who serves District 79 and Beaufort County, announced on Friday that he is in the hospital after his wife was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Ana Ceballos / Miami Herald:

Biden tells Broward superintendent he backs school mask mandate — President Joe Biden on Friday night called Broward County Schools interim superintendent Vickie Cartwright to say he supports the district's staying the course on mask mandates in defiance of Gov. Ron DeSantis' order …

Discussion: The Hill, Daily Kos and TheBlaze

Shawna Chen / Axios:
Biden administration offers aid to Florida schools defying DeSantis order

Discussion: Politico, Mock Paper Scissors and RedState

Andrew Atterbury / Politico:
Biden administration offers financial help to Florida school leaders defying DeSantis

Discussion: Breitbart, The Center Square, Townhall, BizPac Review, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Washington Examiner, Mother Jones, HotAir, Sun-Sentinel, KGUN-TV, CBS Miami, Florida Politics, Insider and Forbes

Washington Post:

‘Outsider’ Buttigieg plays a skillful inside game, positioning himself for the future — Over Mexican food one recent evening, Pete Buttigieg told war stories from his presidential run to a small group of senators — including one who would have been an implausible dinner companion 18 months ago.