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PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN (UNITED STATES) The lives we lost today were lives given in the service of liberty, the service of security, the security service of others, and the service of America. Like their fellow brothers and sisters in arms who died defending our vision and our values in the struggle against terrorism, the fallen this day are part of a great, noble company of American heroes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BYRON PITTS (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Good evening. Thank you for joining us. We begin tonight with an Al-Qaeda leader and 9/11 mastermind dead, taken out by a CIA drone. It was the first US strike in Afghanistan since American forces pulled out nearly a year ago, and the target this time was living in plain sight, in an affluent area in the capital. Here's ABC chief global affairs correspondent, Martha Raddatz. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

STEPHANIE RAMOS (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Let's bring in ABC's Martha Raddatz who will host "This Week" later. Martha, for weeks we know the Pentagon called the drone strike in Kabul that killed civilians a successful mission, despite the loss of life, but now they're admitting it was a tragic mistake. What's the fallout look like for the administration? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

EVA PILGRIM (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Well, now to the other major story we're following this morning. The US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the breaking news overnight that includes a new warning about a security threat as President Biden warns of a possible new attack on the airport this weekend. ABC's Julia Macfarlane is covering the story for us from London. Good morning, Julia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AMY ROBACH (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) And right now the frantic race to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies is growing ever more dangerous. Ian Pannell joins us from Doha, Qatar, with the very latest in all of that. Good morning to you, Ian. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) We're going to turn now to the latest on the crisis in Afghanistan. President Biden is sticking to his August 31st withdrawal deadline, despite growing bipartisan and international pressure to extend it to get as many Americans and allies out as possible. Ian Pannell has the latest. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DAN HARRIS (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) This morning, the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is defending the administration's handling of the situation in Afghanistan, and he spoke exclusively with our chief global affairs correspondent, Martha Raddatz. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

EVA PILGRIM (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) And the chaos at the Kabul airport is only adding to the pressure on President Biden, whose promise to have the US withdrawal done by the end of the month. Let's get the latest from the White House and ABC's MaryAlice Parks. Good morning to you, MaryAlice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MARTHA RADDATZ (ABC NEWS) The Biden administration has come under heavy criticism for its evacuation planning, as those chaotic scenes outside the Kabul Airport highlight the desperation of thousands attempting to flee the Taliban. And on Friday, the President firmly pledged to bring home all Americans and our Afghan allies. I sat down exclusively with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon to see how that can be done, and began by asking if all will be evacuated by the August 31st deadline. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) We're going to begin with the news this morning, starting with that chaos in Afghanistan after thousands flooded the airport in Kabul, a desperate attempt to flee the Taliban. We want to go back to Ian Pannell in Kabul with the latest. Good morning, Ian. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DAN HARRIS (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) Let's bring in our chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl who will be hosting "This Week" later this morning. Jon, good morning. Take us behind the scenes, if you will, at the White House. Why was the President so insistent upon withdrawing, and what is he thinking now? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MARTHA RADDATZ (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) For more now on US troop withdrawal, let's bring in someone who has spent 15 years reporting on Afghanistan, especially the plight of women there. Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and author of "The Dressmaker of Khair Khana." Good to see you, Gayle. I have heard general after general, as you have, say, just give us a little more time. Politicians say it, as well. And yet, you cannot call this a successful effort given what's going on with the Taliban. So, when you look at it, why isn't Biden right just pulling out those troops? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]