September 15, 2021
The surrender and obeisance of the world’s greatest superpower to the Taliban have left the US diminished and may take years to revive America’s standing in the world. The abrupt chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan resulted in the knowing abandonment of US citizens and American allies. Contrary to Biden’s claim that our North Atlantic Trade Organization partners consented to the removal of US troops, evidence proves otherwise.
Biden was demonstrably lying when he stated that “every one of them [US allies] knew and agreed with the decision I made” to withdraw from Afghanistan. Numerous European leaders pleaded with Biden to keep American troops in Kabul past the August 31st deadline set by the Taliban. As a result of Biden’s unilateral decision to abide by the Taliban’s timeline, America is humiliated, and many of our staunchest allies feel betrayed.
Lord George Robertson, NATO Secretary-General on September 12, 2001- when NATO invoked Article V declaring that an attack on one is an attack on all, recently expressed his disgust with the unilateral actions taken under Biden:
“There was a moment of unique solidarity. I felt proud of the organization I had the privilege of leading at the time. My sentiment this week is the opposite. I don’t feel proud. I feel ashamed…the principle of we all go in [to Afghanistan] together and we all come out together seems to have been completely lost.”
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair put it best when he called Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan “imbecilic”.
Yes- closing US-controlled Bagram airbase, allowing the release of thousands of prisoners- many who are known terrorists; leaving behind tens of billions in dollars of high tech weaponry; turning down the Taliban’s offer to allow the US to control Kabul; relying on a primitive commercial airport with one runway for the only way out of Afghanistan; depending on terrorists with ties to al Qaeda to provide security around the airport; and withdrawing the military before the evacuation of every American – was imbecilic.
The ineptitude is indefensible. Undeniably if the US had competent leadership, the 13 slaughtered US service members would be alive today. Without question President Trump would never have abandoned Americans behind enemy lines dependent on the mercy of jihadists.
In addition to more than a hundred US citizens, the Biden administration decided to leave behind thousands of US green card holders along with tens of thousands of Afghans allies who aided our country. Incredibly, by some accounts, only 7% of the 124,000 evacuated afghans worked with the US military during the 20-year-mission in Afghanistan. Further, as reported by The Washington Post 44 of the Afghan evacuees have been flagged “as potential national security risks.”
Every American is less safe today because of the bungling of the president of the United States and his administration. Even Charman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, has had to admit that it could be only 12 months before there is a “resurgence of terrorism.” Despite Biden’s claims that al Qaeda is “gone” from Afghanistan, there are currently more al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan than before 9/11.
By most accounts, there is no line between the Taliban and al Qaeda. Let’s not forget that the Taliban harbored al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden before and after al Qaeda terrorists attacked the US on 9/11. And after US SEALs killed bin Laden, the Taliban praised him, calling him a hero of the Afghan jihad.
Evidencing this alignment has not changed, one of the Taliban’s top military chiefs, who was named interior minister in the Taliban’s new government, Sirajuddin Haqqani worked closely with Osama Bin Laden’s top lieutenant and al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan.
be near impossible for the US to gain actionable intelligence from the region.
Proving that no one should take Biden’s assertion that “over the horizon” capabilities will provide adequate intelligence, the New York Times recently reported that the Biden administration’s claim that they took out an ISIS-K fighter carrying explosivesConsidered a dangerous jihadist by the FBI, Haqqani is on their most wanted list with a $10 million bounty. He headed the Haqqani network, which was designated a terrorist organization by the Obama administration in 2012. The US government believes he had involvement with numerous bombings in Afghanistan responsible for the deaths of almost 100 American soldiers.
A further indication that the “new” Taliban will be no different from the original Taliban is the revelation that four of the five Gitmo terrorists swapped for army deserter Bowe Bergdahl by the Obama administration are now a part of the Taliban’s new government. During that time, Senator John McCain described the “Taliban Five” as “the hardest of the hard-core. These are the highest high-risk people.”
There is no question that al Qaeda, the Haqqani network, and other terrorist factions will be free to grow and conspire against the US. Biden’s claim that his administration can prevent terror threats with “over the horizon” surveillance is ridiculous. With no military bases in Afghanistan or surrounding countries, no platform for the Central Intelligence Agency, no Afghan agents, it willis a lie. Reality- it appears that an innocent worker for a US aid group and his family, including seven children, were massacred, not terrorists.
The identities of the more than 124,000 evacuated Afghans are also unclear. According to Rep. Mark Greene, 30-40% of the Afghan refugees “have zero documentation”. Dozens of Republican lawmakers recently wrote a letter to President Biden expressing concern over the inadequacy of what they referred to as the “rushed and incomplete” vetting process.
It usually takes a year or two to obtain adequate information on a refugee coming from a country like Afghanistan. Yet, according to the State Department, more than 60,000 Afghan evacuees have been brought to a US military base. So far, more than half have left the military base and resettled within the US. How is it possible that US authorities appropriately vetted tens of thousands of evacuees so quickly?
On the 20th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on America’s homeland, the Taliban raised their flag over the Afghan presidential palace. Afghanistan is now a breeding ground for the Taliban, al Qaeda, Haqqani Network, and ISIS-K.
Biden’s disastrous leadership has made every American, as well as the world, less safe.
According to the Wall Street Journal:
“The talk in Jihadist chatrooms since the fall of Kabul is that Americans are retreating in defeat and can now be pursued at home.”
The worst foreign policy debacle in a generation; the deaths of 13 young service members; the humiliation of the US; the betrayal of our allies; and the emboldening of our enemies- Only in Biden’s failing mind is this a success.
