(tense music)
- [Jenna] Tonight.
- The Taliban have informedthat they are prepared
to provide the safe passageof civilians to the airport.
- [Jenna] The US scramblingto evacuate Americans
out of Afghanistan as theTaliban tightens control.
The political fallout facingthe Biden administration.
Plus.
(man speaking in foreign language)
- [Jenna] The plight ofChristians in Afghanistan.
The underground church speaks.
And.
(pope speaking in foreign language)
- [Jenna] A plea from the pope
as the global pandemic wages on.
All this and more tonighton "Faith Nation."
(rhythmic music)
All eyes on the commander in chief.
Good evening. I'm Jenna Browder.
As the chaos continuesto unfold in Afghanistan,
President Biden and hisadministration are scrambling
to evacuate thousandsof Americans and others.
And the criticism is growing louder
from both Republicans and Democrats.
CBN National SecurityCorrespondent Caitlin Burke
has tonight's top story.
- Congressional Democratsgave President Biden
their full backing when he announced plans
for an unconditionalwithdrawal from Afghanistan.
After watching it all play out, however,
some are changing their stance,
his party turning against him.
In a statement, Chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee,Senator Bob Mendez said, quote,
"I'm disappointed thatthe Biden administration
clearly did not accuratelyassess the implications
of a rapid US withdrawal."
Representative Jim Langevin,
a member of the HouseArmed Services Committee,
says what's happening inAfghanistan is a catastrophe
that could have been avoided.
In an op-ed for ForeignPolicy.com,he wrote, quote,
"The consequences of ourdecision to abandon Afghanistan
are now on full displayfor the world to see.
It didn't have to be this way."
Meanwhile, swift and blistering rebukes
from the Republicans.
Former Vice President Mike Pence
called Biden's retreatfrom Afghanistan, quote,
"a foreign policy humiliation
unlike anything our country has endured
since the Iran hostage crisis."
on Hugh Hewitt's podcast, combatveteran Senator Tom Cotton
called Biden detached from reality.
- [Tom] The world can now seethat Joe Biden is impotent
and incompetent, and weshould not be surprised
that you see Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping
and other adversaries of America use,
already using this to their advantage.
- [Caitlin] Senate MinorityLeader Mitch McConnell
calls the Afghanistanevacuation a botched exit.
- All of this is the aftermath
of the decision, first, to withdraw,
and then to in a precipitousand incompetent way.
- [Caitlin] A new Reuters pollshows Biden's approval rating
sinking to the lowest point ever,
coinciding with the fall of Kabul.
- You know, I think politically,
you are seeing the president dealing with,
you know, one of his first major crisises
besides the coronavirus pandemic.
But I think what this, thebiggest takeaway from this poll
is that it is a snapshot in time.
And this moment, thisweek really, this day,
the Biden administrationis not in a great place.
- The House ForeignAffairs Committee announced
it will hold a hearing on the handling
of the Afghan withdrawal early next week,
calling on some of thehighest level officials
in the Biden administration to testify.
Caitlin Burke, CBN News.
- All right, thank you, Caitlin.
Well, today, we finally heardfrom the defense secretary
and joint chiefs in a Pentagon briefing.
General Mark Milley, who's been criticized
for issues surrounding the withdrawal,
says his focus rightnow is saving the lives
of all Americans.
- There'll be manypost-mortems on this topic,
but right now is not that time.
Right now, there are troops at risk.
And we are the United States military,
and we fully intend tosuccessfully evacuate
all American citizens who wantto get out of Afghanistan.
- And here with us now,Bradley Bowman, senior director
of the Foundation forDefense of Democracies'
Center on Military and Political Power.
Bradley, welcome.
So we just heard General Milley there.
He also said that nothing that he saw,
no intelligence that he sawindicated Afghanistan would fall
as quickly as it did, in 11 short days.
What do you think when you hear that?
- Thanks for the questionand opportunity to join you.
The intelligence was clearly,
and this was reported in theopen unclassified domain,
was that if the US conducteda precipitous withdrawal,
that we would see Talibangains and potentially the fall
of the Afghan government within months.
So it may be true that hedidn't see intelligence
to say it would fall in 11 days,
but he, and moreimportantly, President Biden,
who made the decision,did see intelligence
to say that this could be the result.
But most of us, many of us were surprised
by how quickly it happened.
- Yeah.
You know, there could be seriouspolitical implications here
for the Biden administration.
But beyond the politicalfallout here in Washington,
the reality for the peopleliving in Afghanistan.
The Taliban saying they'regoing to be more humane,
more forward-looking, butall indications, Bradley,
really say that's notgoing to be the case.
We're hearing horrific stories.
What is life going to be likefor people in Afghanistan
now with the Taliban in charge?
- That's exactly right.
You know, I mean, here's the bottom line
I'd want your viewers to walk away with.
The Taliban/Al-Qaeda terrorist syndicate,
and I think that's theright way to say it,
that murdered 3,000 ofour citizens on 9/11
once again enjoys as avirtually uncontested safe haven
in Afghanistan as it didon September 10, 2001.
But now the ranks have been reinforced
by thousands of released prisoners,
and their arsenals areteeming with new weapons,
many of them American in origin,and they're now able to say
that they defeated theUnited States of America.
This is going to superchargeterrorist recruitment
and radicalization around the world.
This is truly a horrible catastrophe.
But I do agree with General Milley.
We have to focus right now ingetting Americans to safety
and our vulnerable alliedAfghan partners to safety,
and many of them cannoteven get to the airport
because our military,
it needs to make it easierfor them to get to the airport
because they can't get pastthe Taliban checkpoints.
- In your view,
how should this havebeen handled differently?
- I called, like many, repeatedly
for the administration not to do this.
General H.R. McMaster andI, three or four weeks ago
wrote an op-ed in the"Wall Street Journal"
warning of disaster if Biden proceeded.
He ignored that. He proceeded.
He did a timeline-based,conditions-ignoring withdrawal,
just like he advocated forIraq in 2011, and here we are.
If we had kept a small force there
providing close air support, intelligence,
surveillance, reconnaissance,
logistical support, and modest training,
we would have been ableto continue to ensure
that we did not have it inAl-Qaeda safe haven Afghanistan,
we would have secured the gains
that Afghan women and girls have made,
we would have protected thereligious and others minorities,
and we would've avoidedwhere we are today.
What changed from August 5th
when the Taliban controlled no provinces
to now that the government has fallen?
What changed?
President Biden'sdecision, and he owns this.
- Bradley, is there any way our government
can make this right?
- You know, at this point,
it's gonna be much more difficult.
I want to be optimistic.
It's my nature to be optimistic.
I would say, number one,we gotta learn the lessons.
We gotta reject the fantasies,
the fantasies like thatthe Taliban and Al-Qaeda
aren't attached at the hip.
The Taliban conducted this offensive
with the help of Al-Qaeda in the north.
So I was not exaggerating a moment ago
when I said we now havean Al-Qaeda safe haven.
They worked together to achievethis battlefield result.
And by the way, theynow have an air force.
Now it's not F-35s or advanced fighters,
but they now have anAl-Qaeda/Taliban air force
with our Blackhawk helicoptersand other fixed wing aircraft
that could be used to slaughter minorities
or kill those who might want to push back.
I would just flag for your viewers
that there are some Afghansthat are still fighting
in the Panjshir Valley whoare standing up to this,
and so it's not over, butI don't have any illusions
about whether the Biden administration's
gonna want to support them.
- Yeah.
The vice president too,
or maybe former vicepresident is more right,
is now calling on thosepeople to fight back
against the Taliban.
Bradley Bowman with FDD,it's great to have you on.
Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
- Well, for Christians in Afghanistan,
these are increasinglyscary and uncertain times.
And we're now hearing fromthe underground church there,
one man describing theutter devastation they feel.
(man speaking in foreign language)
- And despite the very real threats,
Afghan Christians say they are undeterred
and will continue sharing the gospel.
CBN Senior InternationalCorrespondent George Thomas
spoke exclusively with some of those
who work and serve there.
- [George] Within hoursof capturing Herat,
the terror group's fighterswere out patrolling streets,
trying to convince residents
of Afghanistan's third largest city
that life would soon return normal.
- [Interpreter] Businesswill continue as normal
and people are happy with us,
and with our services,they will be happier.
- [George] Hamid has seriousdoubts about those claims.
- [Interpreter] Rightnow, we fear elimination.
The Taliban are going to eliminate
the Christian population of Afghanistan.
- [George] Hamid, not his real name,
is among thousands ofAfghans who've come to faith
in Jesus Christ over the past two decades.
We've concealed his identity for safety.
- [Interpreter] Thereweren't a lot of Christians
20 years ago during the Taliban time.
But today, we are talking about 5,000
to 8,000 local Christians,
and they live all over Afghanistan.
- In an exclusive interviewfrom an undisclosed location,
Hamid told CBN News he's veryconcerned about the future
of Afghanistan's tiny Christian community.
- [Interpreter] We knowa Christian believer
who we've been working with in the north.
He's a leader and we'velost contact with him
because his city hasfallen to the Taliban.
There are three other citiesthat we have lost contact
with our Christian believers.
- [George] According to Open Doors,
Afghanistan is the secondmost dangerous place
to be a Christian in theworld, just behind North Korea.
The majority of the Christianshere converted from Islam.
- [Interpreter] Some of the believers
are known in their communities.
People know that they'veconverted from Islam
to Christianity and theyare considered apostates,
and the penalty for that is death.
The Taliban are famous forcarrying out that punishment.
- [George] Talibanfighters are reportedly now
going door to door, forcing families
to give up their daughters,some as young as 12,
to be sex slaves for their men.
- [Interpreter] I have foursisters that are single.
They are at home and theyare worried about this.
- [George] David, a foreign national,
has worked in Afghanistanfor the past three decades.
We've taken similar precautionsto protect his identity.
He saw the Taliban's brutality up close
while living in Kabulduring its last reign.
Now comes fear of a return to the days
of regular executions, flogging,
stoning to death, and hand chopping.
- [Interpreter] They havea strict interpretation
of Islamic law, not only from the Koran,
but also from what they call Hadiths,
which are traditions, sayings,
and practical applications of Islamic law.
They take these literally.
- [George] Despite these threats,
David says there's a hungeramong Afghans like never before
to know God in an intimate way.
- [Interpreter] People arereally seeking in their heart
for peace, seeking for atrue relationship with God,
for meaning in life,and for an understanding
of who is this God.
- [George] Hamid is askingpeople around the world
to pray for his countryduring these uncertain times.
- [Interpreter] The Christian community
in Afghanistan is strong.
They are trusting Jesus.
They are walking withJesus despite the potential
of being eliminated by the Taliban.
- [George] George Thomas, CBN News.
- All right, thank you, George.
And in other news tonight,the fight against COVID-19.
Vaccinations are showinga declining effectiveness
against the virus.
Tonight, the White Houseis issuing booster shots
for all Americans to help slow the spread
and increase COVID antibodies.
CBN's Brody Carter has theday's pandemic headlines.
- Well, if you've receivedthe Moderna or Pfizer vaccine,
your protection against thevirus has declined roughly 30%
due to the strength of the Delta variant.
And as more data needs to becollected on the J&J shot,
the White House says abooster shot is now necessary
eight months after your second dose.
- We are seeing concerning evidence
of waning vaccine effectiveness over time
and against the Delta variant.
- [Brody] Fully vaccinated people
can roll up their sleevesagain starting September 20th.
First, frontline healthcareworkers and the elderly,
followed by all adults.
The CDC says data shows adecrease in effectiveness
against the virus while holding strong
against hospitalizations.
The booster program stillpending FDA approval.
The president's whole ofgovernment vaccination effort
is ready to get every Americanwho needs one a booster shot.
- [Brody] The number of infections
and breakthrough infections are rising,
with 46 of 50 statesreporting double-digit growth
in hospitalizations.
Seven million Americansreceived their first shot
over the last two weeks,with a 75% increase
among 12 to 15 year olds.
(pope speaking in foreign language)
- [Brody] Pope Francissupporting vaccinations,
calling immunizations and act of love.
In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott
is the most recentprominent breakthrough case.
- I have no fever, no aches and pains,
no other types of symptoms.
- [Brody] His executive order to stop mask
and vaccine mandates still stands.
As booster shots flaunt a tenfold increase
in COVID antibodies, only time will tell
if they will help us winthe fight against COVID-19.
- So as we move indoors, we will see
how good these vaccines areand whether the protection
against Delta holds up over time.
- [Brody] Brody Carter, CBN News.
(logo whooshes)]
- Coming up, the possibility
of some major blue states turning red
in the 2022 midterm elections.
(uptempo music)
(driving music)
(protesters shouting)
(foot stomping)
- But having sex beforeyou're married is a bad idea.
- [Man] Don't tell me there'sno such thing as gun violence.
- That just depends on yourdefinition of when life begins.
- [Announcer] Watch Dan andDale tackle trending topics
that test your faith onthe next "Faithwire,"
Monday night at 8:30 onthe CBN News Channel.
- [Announcer] "The Global Lane"takes you around the world,
providing facts over fiction.
- What might rising tradeand geopolitical tensions
mean for you on the home front?
- [Announcer] With over45 years of experience,
award-winning journalist Gary Lane
brings you the truth from a global angle.
- What about the issue of immigration?
- [Announcer] World news analysis
you won't see anywhere else.
- And it's all right hereon "The Global Lane."
- [Announcer] Thursday night at 8:30
on the CBN News Channel.
(upbeat music)
♪ And where there's joy, there's action ♪
♪ It's like a great attraction ♪
♪ That starts a chain reaction ♪
♪ Moving on, more satisfaction ♪
♪ I know the way is joy ♪
♪ Makes me move ♪
♪ I got the joy ♪
♪ I dance around because I know it ♪
♪ Joy ♪
♪ I move around because I got it ♪
♪ Joy ♪
♪ Joy's in the heart ♪
♪ Joy ♪
♪ I dance around because I know it ♪
♪ Joy ♪
♪ I move around because I got it ♪
♪ Joy ♪
♪ Joy's in the heart ♪
♪ Joy ♪
♪ Joy's in the heart ♪
♪ Joy ♪
- Welcome back.
New 2020 census data means redistricting
in states across the country.
And the stage is set with aspotlight on state legislatures.
CBN Capitol Hill CorrespondentAbigail Robertson
has more on how this couldaffect the 2022 midterms.
- Seven Congressional Houseseats are shifting in 2022,
with three GOP strongholds gaining seats
while blue states like NewYork and California lose them.
- We're seeing vast changesin the United States.
- [Abigail] Texas will add two seats,
while Florida, North Carolina,Colorado, Montana, and Oregon
will each gain one.
- Particularly in statesthat have one party control,
you're gonna see some effortsto try to redraw lines
to try to benefit that party.
That tends to favor Republicansmore than Democrats,
but it's gonna happen everywhere.
- [Abigail] ABC News' Rick Klein
told CBN News' "Faith Nation"
that how this plays politically
will depend on the particularrules in each state.
- There's gonna be aseries of massive battles
all on a very tight timeframe
in advance of the primaries next year.
- [Abigail] While we expect alot of talk of gerrymandering
around the country, the legalbattles can't go on forever.
- The sooner that the statescan draw their districts,
finalize their maps, thesooner the legal process
can begin to play out, and allof that needs to take place
well in advance of 2022.
- [Abigail] Zack Smith ofThe Heritage Foundation
tells CBN News votereligibility was not included
in census results.
- The districts will be allocated,
as I understand it, basedon actual population,
not simply based on citizenship.
- [Abigail] Another big factorfor next year's midterms:
Will voters support themassive spending plans
pushed by Democrats?
- Democrats are essentiallybetting on themselves
and their ability to sell this.
Otherwise, they are staringdown the possibility,
if not the likelihood, of losing the House
and perhaps the Senate as well,
so it's as high risk a momentas you can imagine politically
for the Democrats to be pushing something
of this magnitude on their own.
- Klein adds that if Democrats are able
to pass their spending plan, it will lead
to additional taxes on Americans,
and that's a tough thingto sell politically.
Reporting from Virginia,Abigail Robertson, CBN News.
(logo whooshes)
- [Jenna] Up next, theirgoal is to eliminate
any trace of Christianity.
Who it is may not surprise you.
The extreme lengthsthey're going to, next.
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- [Announcer] Want tobe a part of a community
that inspires your spiritualgrowth while winning prizes?
The all new myCBN app.
Connect with a community forprayer and encouragement,
track and set spiritual goals,
enjoy conversation starterswith friends and family,
and collect points to win prizes.
The all new myCBN app,a great place to belong.
Download the app at CBN.com/mobile.
Grow, connect, have fun.
The all new myCBN app.
- [Announcer] "On the Homefront."
- Thanks for joining us forCBN's "On the Homefront,"
where we highlight with the men and women
of America's military doto defend our country.
CBN honors the men andwomen in our military
with an initiative calledHelping the Home Front.
It partners with churchesacross the country
to meet the needs oftheir military families
from repairing homes towiping out medical bills
for wounded veterans.
- [Announcer] Wednesday at3:00 on the CBN News Channel.
(patriotic music)
(inspirational music)
- [Announcer] Too often, wecarry baggage from our past.
You know what it's like.
It affects everything andeveryone in our lives.
It's always there weighing us down
and keeping us fromachieving true happiness.
But do you know God never meant
for us to be trapped in the past?
You can be free of your baggage.
Learn how God's forgivenessleads to changed lives
and new beginnings.
Call the 700 Club.
- It's no secret the North Korean regime
has no tolerance for religion.
A new report out todayby the US Commission
on International Religious Freedom
details the horrificpunishments Christians face
if caught practicing their faith.
Jennifer Wishon has the troubling details.
- The report details howthe Workers Party of Korea,
led by Kim Jong Un, targetsand tortures Christians,
then goes to great lengthsto conceal its crimes.
The report spells out terrorcommitted by the regime
designed to remove alltraces of Christianity,
and reveals the campaign to exterminate
all Christian adherents and institutions
has been brutally effective.
North Korea's secret police,the Ministry of State Security,
are incentivized with promotions
when they apprehend Christiansand other believers.
- Those charged withChristianity often face,
some are executions orare forced to live out
the rest of their lives insidepolitical prisoner camps.
- [Jennifer] Inje Hwanginterviews North Korean defectors
who have experienced or havefirsthand knowledge of abuse.
- One victim who was arrestedfor the possession of a Bible
was detained in the solitary confinement,
starved, and beaten with a metal rod
used for cleaning rifles.
- [Jennifer] Christiansare the most persecuted
because of the faith's associationwith the US and Europe.
Undercover government spiessearch for any evidence
of worship, making itimpossible for Korean Christians
to congregate without being reported.
- All of the Christiansthat we interviewed
before this report told us
that they have not practicedtheir religion together
with any other people.
- [Jennifer] Even childrenare taught from a young age
to be suspicious of Christianity.
- Schools.
Young children are taughtthat Christian missionaries
are spies of the countrieswho seek opportunities
to invade North Korea andthey're shown graphic images
of missionaries suckingthe blood of children
to show how malicious they are,
and they are taken tostate-run exhibition halls
where really just adherents are presented
as murderers, spies, andwhere Bibles are displayed
as trophies taken fromenemies of the state.
- [Jennifer] The big question,
what can be done to deter these atrocities
in a country so closed off from the world?
Some experts say targetedsanctions are effective
because Kim Jong Un careswhat the world thinks
of his regime, a factdemonstrated by show churches
set up by the governmentto feign tolerance
to the outside world andefforts to cover up persecution.
- That's a reason that theygo to incredible lengths
to conceal the political prison camps.
There's a reason theyhave built show churches
and show temples and haveaccessed potential congregations
with foreign visitors in Pyongyang.
There's a reason theyrespond so aggressively
to Human Rights Council resolutions
that condemn their humanrights records more broadly.
And there's a reason why they push back
so hard against targetedhuman rights sanctions.
- [Jennifer] Meanwhile,North Korean Christians
and others continue to suffer and inspire.
- You know, it says somethingabout the power of faith,
that in the face of that kind of,
just egregious, ongoing,systematic persecution
of people for their religious beliefs,
people still choose to believe.
- Commissioner Davie saysthe world should know
the US Commission onInternational Religious Freedom
is painstakingly documenting these abuses
and the persecuted are not forgotten.
Jennifer Wishon, CBN News.
(logo whooshes)
- [Jenna] Still ahead,more precious than gold.
The meaning behind thisdiscovery in the Holy Land
and why it's so significant.
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- Are you suffering from feeling tired
or worn out during the day?
Can you not turn off your brain at night?
You are not alone.
Hi, I'm Dr. MichaelBreus, the Sleep Doctor,
and I've partnered with theChristian Broadcasting Network
and we're gonna bring yousome unbelievable information
that you can use tonight toget a better night's rest.
- [Announcer] Wake up to your best life.
Call 1-800-700-7000 or go to CBN.com
to get your free copy of"Protect Your Sleep" today.
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exercise,
essential oils,
weight loss,
and more.
It's "Healthy Living" with Lorie Johnson.
- Talk about what's in this.
- [Announcer] Join CBNHealth Reporter Lorie Johnson
to get the latest fromtoday's top health experts.
- This is fantastic.
- [Announcer] Find outwhat you need to know
to live a healthier life.
Watch "Healthy Living"Tuesday night at 8:30
on the CBN News Channel.
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- Woo-hoo!
Hi Superbook fans.
Here's something else you'll love.
Whoa-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!
It's the new Superbook Bible App.
(grunts)
It's packed with games, activities,
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There's trivia, a fun daily devotional,
and answers to your Bible questions.
Plus, an easy to understand Bible
the whole family will enjoy.
You can even create yourown Superbook character.
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- A Millsbrook Falls man com-- Sorry, sorry, pardon me,
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- Earn SuperPoints to win daily prizes too
and so much more.
(sighs)
Time to get back to my adventures.
See you soon.
It's the new Superbook Bible App.
Free downloads on iTunes,Google Play, and Amazon.
- Finally tonight, Israeli archaeologists
have uncovered treasuresfrom the Byzantine era.
The dig near Tel Aviv produced artifacts
from 1,500 years ago andpoint to the influence
of Christianity.
A rare gold coin depictsan emperor on one side
and an image of Golgotha on the other,
the place where Jesus was crucified.
The relics show what lifewas like in the Byzantine era
and that Christianity'sinfluence was alive and well.
And that will do it for"Faith Nation" this evening.
See you tomorrow.
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