SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT:

HUMILIATION – FROM DAILY MAIL:   The Taliban held mock funerals for American, British, French and NATO forces today as thousands turned out on the streets of major cities to celebrate the end of the west's 20-year war.   Coffins draped with the US, UK and French flags as well as NATO's insignia were paraded through the streets of Khost by crowds flying the Taliban's emblem - just two weeks after anti-Taliban protests in the same city.  In Kandahar - a traditional stronghold of the Islamists - thousands also turned out waving white Taliban flags to celebrate what the group is referring to as its 'independence day', hours after the final American troops boarded an evacuation flight out of the country.  It comes after celebratory scenes in Kabul overnight, where fireworks exploded and gunfire rattled through the air moments after the final US jet departed.  Where is the American leader who will overcome this, just as Ronald Reagan led America to overcome the despair that followed Vietnam?  Where is the leader who will once again say that it is morning in America?

BIDEN'S POLLING WOES – FROM BREITBART:   A poll released Tuesday shows President Joe Biden continues to suffer low approval ratings after his disastrous exit from Afghanistan.  Morning Consult reports that 48 percent of voters approve of Biden’s job performance while 49 percent disapprove.  That marks a seven-point drop in Biden’s net approval rating in two weeks since Kabul fell into the hands of the Taliban earlier this month.  The latest poll was conducted Aug. 27-29 among 15,623 registered U.S. voters.  Biden’s net approval rating has fallen six points among independents, the poll shows, a drop in line with other polling released over the past 48-hours as the president comes under attack from all sides.  Other polls actually have the president lower.  Rasmussen has him with a 44% approval.  He's as low as 41% in another poll.  Next week marks the start, right after Labor Day, of the political season.  Anticipate some very tough political combat.

August 31, 2021