U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that the military does not have the capacity to collect “large numbers” of Americans who may be struggling to escape Afghanistan. Austin’s remarks were in response to questions about the Taliban allegedly blocking Afghan allies from reaching Kabul’s international airport, as well as concerns over the possibility of thousands of Americans being stranded in Afghanistan if the military sticks to its Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline. The State Department says that the Taliban is facilitating safe passage of everyone cleared to leave the country, and some have argued that reports of people being blocked by the Taliban at checkpoints are unconfirmed. Austin told reporters that the United States will continue to rely on diplomacy with the Taliban, rather than using force. The roughly 4,500 troops on the ground are required to defend the airport, he said, stressing the importance of preventing another deadly …