By_PRP the_AT0 time_NN1 images_NN2 of_PRF desperate_AJ0 Afghans_NN2 clinging_VVG to_PRP American_AJ0 warplanes_NN2 began_VVD emerging_VVG from_PRP Kabul_NP0 on_PRP Monday_NP0 morning_NN1 ,_PUN President_NP0 Joe_NP0 Biden_NP0 had_VHD conceded_VVN to_PRP aides_NN2 he_PNP had_VHD little_DT0 choice_NN1 but_CJC to_TO0 interrupt_VVI his_DPS stay_NN1 at_PRP Camp_NP0 David_NP0 to_TO0 return_VVI to_PRP the_AT0 White_AJ0 House_NN1 ._SENT He_PNP had_VHD been_VBN facing_VVG calls_NN2 ,_PUN even_AV0 from_PRP his_DPS political_AJ0 allies_NN2 ,_PUN to_TO0 speak_VVI out_AVP on_PRP the_AT0 fall_NN1 of_PRF Afghanistan_NP0 to_PRP the_AT0 Taliban_NN1 ._SENT His_DPS top_AJ0 aides_NN2 had_VHD begun_VVN publicly_AV0 admitting_VVG they_PNP were_VBD caught_VVN off_PRP guard_NN1 by_PRP the_AT0 speed_NN1 with_PRP which_DTQ the_AT0 Afghan_AJ0 military_NN1 would_VM0 collapse_VVI but_CJC wanted_VVD the_AT0 situation_NN1 in_PRP Kabul_NP0 to_TO0 stabilize_VVI before_CJS Biden_NP0 addressed_VVD the_AT0 nation_NN1 ._SENT And_CJC his_DPS own_DT0 words_NN2 from_PRP earlier_AV0 this_DT0 summer_NN1 describing_VVG a_AT0 Taliban_AJ0 takeover_NN1 as_CJS "_PUQ unlikely_AJ0 "_PUQ were_VBD aggravating_VVG the_AT0 sense_NN1 of_PRF a_AT0 commander-in-chief_NN1 caught_VVD badly_AV0 off_PRP guard_NN1 ._SENT During_PRP briefings_NN2 ,_PUN the_AT0 President_NN1 quizzed_VVD his_DPS team_NN1 about_PRP how_AVQ they_PNP could_VM0 have_VHI misjudged_VVN the_AT0 time_NN1 it_PNP would_VM0 take_VVI for_PRP the_AT0 Afghan_AJ0 army_NN1 to_PRP collapse_NN1 ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP people_NN0 familiar_AJ0 with_PRP the_AT0 matter_NN1 ._SENT He_PNP has_VHZ also_AV0 voiced_VVN dismay_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 failure_NN1 of_PRF Ashraf_NP0 Ghani_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 ousted_AJ0 Afghan_AJ0 president_NN1 who_PNQ fled_VVD the_AT0 country_NN1 on_PRP Sunday_NP0 ,_PUN to_TO0 adhere_VVI to_PRP a_AT0 plan_NN1 he_PNP laid_VVD out_AVP in_PRP the_AT0 Oval_AJ0 Office_NN1 in_PRP June_NP0 to_TO0 prevent_VVI the_AT0 Taliban_NN1 from_PRP taking_VVG over_AVP major_AJ0 cities_NN2 ._SENT Throughout_PRP the_AT0 weekend_NN1 ,_PUN Biden_NP0 had_VHD remained_VVN at_PRP the_AT0 presidential_AJ0 retreat_NN1 ,_PUN receiving_VVG briefings_NN2 on_PRP screens_NN2 or_CJC over_PRP the_AT0 phone_NN1 while_CJS sitting_VVG alone_AV0 at_PRP conference_NN1 table_NN1 ._SENT Advisers_NN2 huddled_VVD separately_AV0 to_TO0 discuss_VVI when_AVQ and_CJC how_AVQ he_PNP should_VM0 address_VVI the_AT0 situation_NN1 ._SENT When_CJS he_PNP returned_VVD to_PRP the_AT0 White_AJ0 House_NN1 midday_NN1 Monday_NP0 ,_PUN many_DT0 of_PRF his_DPS aides_NN2 assumed_VVD he_PNP would_VM0 at_PRP least_AV0 spend_VVB the_AT0 night_NN1 ._SENT Yet_AV0 almost_AV0 as_CJS soon_AV0 as_CJS Biden_NP0 touched_VVD down_AVP in_PRP Washington_NP0 ,_PUN word_NN1 went_VVD out_AVP that_CJT his_DPS stay_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 executive_AJ0 mansion_NN1 would_VM0 be_VBI brief_AJ0 ._SENT After_PRP his_DPS 18-minute_AJ0 speech_NN1 ,_PUN Biden_NP0 quickly_AV0 decamped_VVD again_AV0 for_PRP the_AT0 mountains_NN2 ._SENT As_CJS advisers_NN2 worked_VVD feverishly_AV0 on_PRP Monday_NP0 to_TO0 calibrate_VVI the_AT0 President_NN1 's_POS speech_NN1 ,_PUN there_EX0 was_VBD far_AV0 less_AV0 worry_VVI about_PRP the_AT0 predictable_AJ0 criticism_NN1 from_PRP Republicans_NN2 than_CJS about_PRP how_AVQ Biden_NP0 's_POS own_DT0 words_NN2 and_CJC calculations_NN2 over_PRP the_AT0 last_ORD several_DT0 months_NN2 had_VHD been_VBN so_AV0 wrong_AJ0 ._SENT The_AT0 episode_NN1 puts_VVZ into_PRP sharp_AJ0 relief_NN1 two_CRD of_PRF Biden_NP0 's_POS most_AV0 marked_AJ0 political_AJ0 traits_NN2 :_PUN A_AT0 stubborn_AJ0 defensive_AJ0 streak_NN1 and_CJC a_AT0 fierce_AJ0 certainty_NN1 in_PRP his_DPS decision-making_NN1 that_CJT allows_VVZ little_DT0 room_NN1 for_PRP second-guessing_NN1 ._SENT Those_DT0 traits_NN2 led_VVN to_PRP an_AT0 air_NN1 of_PRF defiance_NN1 hanging_VVG over_PRP the_AT0 White_AJ0 House_NN1 on_PRP Monday_NP0 ,_PUN but_CJC remarkable_AJ0 images_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 chaos_NN1 in_PRP Kabul_NP0 --_NN1 which_DTQ the_AT0 President_NN1 called_VVN "_PUQ gut_NN1 wrenching_VVG "_PUQ --_NN1 stood_VVD as_PRP irrefutable_AJ0 evidence_NN1 of_PRF failure_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 task_NN1 of_PRF what_DTQ to_TO0 do_VDI next_ORD will_VM0 be_VBI left_VVN to_PRP Biden_NP0 ._SENT 
