Two years after the ill-fated withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden continues to evade responsibility, despite undeniable blame. The responsibility ultimately falls on his shoulders as he set the dates for the pullout, initially choosing September 11, before succumbing to pressure and settling on an August 31 deadline. He also disregarded the advice of his top military advisers, particularly when it came to the premature withdrawal of US forces from the Bagram base, putting the safety of Americans in Kabul at risk. The administration was aware that this decision essentially handed the country back to the Taliban, but they naively assumed that the enemy wouldn’t immediately advance upon the departure of American forces, including crucial civilians at Bagram who supported the Afghan Army’s airpower.
Franklin Foer’s in-depth analysis in The Atlantic, known to be generally supportive of the administration, reveals President Biden’s complete incompetence. Despite his years of experience in foreign policy as a senator and vice president, Biden saw himself as a foreign policy expert, simplifying the complexities of diplomacy as mere family dynamics. He also demonstrated a lack of military acumen by ordering the pullout during campaign season, allowing the Taliban to seize control as the Afghan Army crumbled.
As Foer highlights, the Taliban leadership had no intention of invading Kabul until after the departure of American troops. However, their soldiers effortlessly gained territory without any resistance. Afghan soldiers simply abandoned checkpoints, while Taliban units steadily approached the presidential palace. Due to White House directives, General Frank McKenzie lacked the necessary US troops to maintain control over the city, ultimately leading Washington to rely on the Taliban to assume power. This surprised Taliban Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who needed confirmation that they wouldn’t be attacked if they moved in.
In the chaotic final days, Biden micromanaged the situation, proposing impractical solutions and fixating on individual cases. He even instructed National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to focus on tracking the progress of specific groups, such as the women at the Kabul Serena Hotel. Biden’s involvement in minute details overshadowed the bigger picture and hindered effective decision-making.
Despite the overwhelming evidence of failure, Biden remained oblivious. He dismissed the criticism from the media and even questioned his own actions only after meeting with the families of fallen soldiers. It was finally in this moment that the president began to doubt himself and wondered if he had mishandled the situation. However, he still continues to label the entire withdrawal as a great success, ignoring the dire consequences and failures that occurred.
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