next. yes, because there are so many important questions here that maybe the president s prepared remarks did not get to, especially as it relates to the interpreters, the drivers, the strategy, what happens next. let s bring in cnn s chief national affairs correspondent, jeff zeleny, pentagon correspondent barbara starr and live from afghanistan, anna coren. let me start with you there in afghanistan, anna. the reality when the president says that it is not a guarantee that this country will fall to the taliban, what do we know about the territory they now have and the surge that we re seeing and how the president s assertion reconciles with the facts there where you are? reporter: look, there is no denying that the taliban are making incredible gains around the country. they re in control of more than 160 districts. that tran lates to more than 50% of the territory.