President Joe Biden made the tough decision to end US involvement in the war in Afghanistan. On Monday this week, he asserted in a speech to the nation, “The buck stops there.” But with the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban takeover, the evacuation of Americans and Afghans who assisted Americans has inevitably been fraught with troubles—and faced plenty of criticism for its chaotic, dangerous process. (This includes, of course, Republicans who had no criticism of Trump negotiations last year with the Taliban.)
Inevitably, Biden has taken the brunt of that criticism, causing some media voices to question the harm it could do to his presidency, his legacy, and the expectation of competence and compassion. I have not hesitated in expressing my respect for his courage in ending the war that three other presidents failed to end over the last two decades. But what do you think? How has exiting Afghanistan affected your view of Joe Biden? Has it influenced your view of his courage, competence, compassion, judgement? And do you think this moment will pass or be enduring?
As always, I welcome your input and the opportunity for this community to learn from each other.
One last note: If you are looking for a way to help, check out this list of organizations supporting Afghan women, journalists, medical needs, refugees and more.
I certainly agree with President Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. That war has cost our country far to much in American and coalition lives lost.
My opinion is that the Afghanistan war was winnable until Pres. Bush/ VP Cheney sent us into Iraq under the WMD lie. The focus on the Taliban was then lost and they regrouped into a smarter stronger force willing to out wait us.
I hope that all the veterans of this war know that their sacrifices were not in vain. Terrorism is no longer exported from Afghanistan.
The fact is that the chaotic withdrawal is about an intelligence failure of epic proportions by the intelligence community and the spineless Afghan Army and their civilian and military leadership. They, in no way reflect on the ultimate wisdom of President Biden to finally extract the US from this tragic war.
I admire him for making the decision and taking responsibility for it. If he can now get the Americans and Afghan helpers out he will be a hero. Who could have predicted an 11 day collapse?
It hasn't changed a bit. He has had the guts to end this shiteshow after 20 years. Further, Trump and the Trumpists - who did NOTHING but talk about ending the war for the last 4 years - arguably sandbagged Biden, Putin-style. He negotiated with the Taliban, enabled the release of their founding leader and thousands of their soldiers. The "chaotic optics" are not a surprise. It's Afghanistan! Compare it to the "fall of Saigon"? Fine. But I don't recall Gerald Ford getting blamed for the "optics" of citizens desperately trying to flee, overwhelming helicopters etc. This is media overcompensation to appear "fair and balanced". But instead, they are giving Trump, author of the "shit hole countries" statement, a free pass, as well as members of this admin, like Stephen Miller, who worked to PREVENT Afghan refugees, like those who aided our efforts for 20 years, from coming to the US. Like abortion, they believe it's abhorrent, but born kids - they don't care about them a whole lot.
I fully support President Biden and think he made the best decision possible. If the Taliban had honored their agreement things would have been less chaotic. This is on the Taliban.
Joe Biden is doing an excellent job!!! soooooo thankful that he's bringing home all our troops!!! it's about time....not our war!!! I'm thrilled he's getting the translators and people that helped save lives of our soldiers out of there!!! they are our heroes!!! he can't save the citizens of that country from the treacherous govt and the Taliban!! joe biden is a real president!!!!!
I fully support President Biden’s decision and agree with your analysis. After 20 years it was past time to let Afghanistan rule without us. Remarkable that many of the same “citizen scientists” who have all the Covid answers are the “citizen military strategists” who are now second guessing the President. His positive legacy is fixed if for no other reason than his empathy and sanity.
I am proud of him. We should never have been there! It was Vietnam all over again! I think Biden is a good and courageous man who is capable of making tough decisions!
The range of options were all terrible. He could have done a better job, but the main fault lies with what tRUmp did in February, 2020. tRUmp enabled the Taliban to negotiate surrenders all over the country. If everyone surrenders, it goes quickly. Dubya gets some blame, too, for failing to accept the Taliban surrender in December, 2001. Well, a _lot_ of blame.
Everything Trump touches never ends in a smooth transition. I feel Trump is working against his own Country - just to feel he made Deals & pad his own ego! This is so very Not American. Biden’s plate is full w/ the Trump mess. Someone has to clean it up. Thank goodness it’s Biden 😊👍!
Joe has the nerve that none of the other presidents had. Trump and his minions made things as messy as they could ahead of time…and it is plenty messy, indeed. Joe’s advisors could have done a better job and I blame them, also, for not being more up-to-date. However..staying in that country only benefited the Military Complex and undoubtedly, Russia.
I am prouder than ever of Joe. He is such a polar opposite from TFG. The more we find out about how Trump botched the Afghanistan pullout deal and also how his administration shut down the Afghan visa program the more it becomes plain that Biden had no good choices. But he's doing the right thing, and as he said, 'the buck stops here,' something TFG would never have said.
Steven, my opinion of Joe Biden has not changed with the evacuation of Afganistán. He’s done the best he could with the cards he was dealt. I was a Senior in high school when Saigon fell, those pictures of desperation are burned into my soul. Any attempt at ending a dangerous and futile war was bound to be tragically flawed. It’s heartbreaking to watch, especially frightening to imagine the fate of the Afgani women and girls.
I do appreciate you posting a link to organizacións that will allow us to help. I’ve shared it with my friends.
One of the most courageous qualities of a true leader is making decisions for the good of the whole that are foreseeable yet unavoidably, morally critical. USA exiting Afghanistan has been exactly that certainly since the elimination of Osama Bin Laden if not earlier. It has positively influenced my view of President Biden’s courage, competence, compassion, and judgement. Yes! Although I don’t automatically agree with everything any USA president does, this will prove in the final analysis to be the correct answer to such an intractable conundrum of misdirected cultural tribalism driven by mass ignorance, abetted by extreme, long term corruption, in the hands of selfish, if not evil, incompetence.
The broadest graphic being portrayed by virtually every Taliban combatant is the power of the automatic firearm brandished and fired in the face of defenseless unarmed Afghan citizens. Where’s the slightest thread of moral probity in any of the ongoing armed cowardly intimidation? What did Russia do after their 20 years, and what good had it done for the Afghans? May Providence protect our troops!
I support President Biden. He said we were going to pull out of Afghanistan under his watch, so where is the surprise? We were never going to stay there forever, and 20 years is 20 years too long.
Pres. Biden made a tough decision, which had to be made. The chaos was horrific. The Taliban taking over the Country was so disturbing -- with no resistance by the trained Afghans! But Lindsey Graham is more disturbing .... "Impeach Biden"!!!! Graham just loves Trump! That says it all. And it is disgusting!
Joe Biden is doing an outstanding job! He has demonstrated courage in doing what has been needed for years -- exiting Afghanistan. I don't think we should be so shocked about the problems associated with our exit -- the US has never been an expert in nation building or in preparing other nations to depend themselves. Biden cannot be accountable for the decision another country's army made to refuse to fight for their own freedom. Biden is also not one to put blame on others -- I think it goes without saying that he did not create the exit strategy unilaterally, but he, as the leader, is taking full responsibility for his assessment of the information he had and the execution of the decision. We need to let Biden lead us through the departure. I am convinced that no matter when, no matter how we were to exit, these would be the consequences. But that doesn't make the decision wrong for the US. Let's stand together, behind our President, and finish what he put in motion.
President Biden’s decision is what America has agreed upon. The surrender of Afghanistan to the Taliban by Pompeo, however, allowed fewer exit options and (IMO) was a unilateral agreement boxing the US into a loosing exit. For Americans that believe exiting a war is similar to quitting a game of RISK (packing up the board and neatly moving on), the end game is MUCH more complex.
I would remind those demanding a 100% satisfactory departure, that the US STILL has Vietnam Vets dying today of results of Agent Orange. They, too, are deaths due to a war long forgotten, and their numbers are not included in any accurate death tolls.
I voted for him for a good reason/reasons. I trust him to do the right, ethical, moral and just thing more than the prior along with their gqp/gop. Now all we need to do is try to get each and everyone of these inserection terrorists out of office also. Vote again like your life depends on it because it does as does our country and democracy. Forward together, not one step back.
Following the former President is like walking behind your 🐕 in the backyard. Sooner or later your going to step into some 💩. ...and it never does any good to blame the 🐶....Joe owned the moment and trying to make the most out of the results.
With no assistance from his predecessor (in fact arguably sabotaged) President Biden had a difficult decision to make under someone else's negotiated plan. He could not know that that plan (Pompeo's) was doomed, nor that the Taliban had been sweeping the outlying villages to Garner support for immediate takeover.
I do hope the US learns it is not our place to usurp a culture or government for democracy when that cannot be delivered. Soldiers take out they do not reconstruct governments.
I wholeheartedly support Pres. Biden & feel he has stepped up to meet the moment. Our governmental agencies were decimated by previous administration & nominations being held up by republicans. Under the circumstances, he has done a good job in getting people out and facilitated as best as can be with limited resources.
I had a positive and favorable opinion of President Biden before the withdrawal. It is even more positive now. It was WAY past time to end our military involvement in Afghanistan. We should have learned from the history of the region that our form of government could not be viable there. The nuances of our departure seem lost on many mainstream journalists. Could it have been better, probably but let's save the after action reports and criticisms until we evacuate all Americans who want to leave and as many of our Afghan supporters and their families as possible. I think Nicolle Wallace hit the nail on the head when she said that 95% of the American public would have a favorable view of our withdrawal and that 95% of journalists would not.
I support President Biden. He made the difficult decision to pull us out of a quagmire. TFG’s transition team refused to brief his transition team on intelligence he should have had to help his decision making. 20 years is long enough. Thank you President Biden.
Good for Joe. He has guts grit resolve. He’s the only president for two decades to have the guts to do this. Too bad Trump at least 5000 Taliban and cut deals Biden didn’t even know about. Trump is responsible for the chaos and you can believe Trump would’ve left everyone behind- he couldn’t care less about Afghanis -he doesn’t even care about Americans.
I fully support President Biden and I believe he makes the best yet difficult decisions for the good of all affected. He’s the right president for these tumultuous times.
Asymmetrical warfare with “cold war” armies like the US started throwing into Afghanistan was doomed. American Soldiers with their Burger King franchise needs against fighters who live on nothing…wait wasn’t that VietNam?
President Biden had the courage to end America's involvement in Afghanistan. Many knew it was a mistake to get into a war in the country twenty years ago.
The disastrous withdrawal is due to a complex array of problems and intelligence failures. The Afghan army bears much of the blame, as well.
I am still with Biden. He has extraordinary courage to do what three previous presidents would not do.
I think president Biden made the right decision. We lost this war years ago. What has me upset is that the MSM have put the entire burden of this evacuation on Biden when we are now finding out that trump and Stephen Miller sabotaged the Visa process. The prier administration left a disaster beyond anyone’s imagination. While trump played golf, made millions, counting his money, his “best” people screwed up everything. Biden deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for staying sane through 7 months of clean up duty beyond anyone’s imagination.
I think it was the right decision, and I appreciate that he appears to be keeping his head and following the plan through steadily while the media is baying at the moon. The actual withdrawal could certainly have gone better so far, but also could've gone much worse, and I'm not much inclined to lay blame about it, as long as we do get people out.
I do wish he and his team had been readier to handle the media response. It feels like they were caught flatfooted twice - once by the Afghan government's immediate surrender and then by the media storm at home - and they've done a lot to get back on top of the first situation, but they're still struggling with the second.
Yes and No. I watch the chaos of evacuation/withdrawal in Afghanistan and think somehow, someway, actions could have been taken to insure an orderly process. Then I remember the facts surrounding our invasion based on GW Bush/Cheney lies. GW/Cheney knew the Taliban's reputation of mass murder, torture & cruel imprisonment of those, and their families, who are even thought to support anyone acting against them. They knew the strength of the Taliban and the impossibility of its defeat by this American action. They knew any withdrawal from Afghanistan would result in the very choas that is happening right now. They knew and chose to invade anyway.
Trump's deal to release of captured Taliban leaders insured America's withdrawal would be bloody and chaotic It's no wonder that the lies, threats and reports of murders sweeping the country have created a frenzy of fear that is sending those who believe their whole family will be targeted for punishment by the Taliban to flee by any means.
I wish his administration had made more effort ahead of time to look after people who worked with or for Americans in country. That said, it was a lousy situation and we should have been out of there a long time ago. I admire his willingness to do what was inevitably going to be messy and in some circles unpopular.
I continue to be impressed with him, that's what. He did what no other President had the guts to do for 20 years and the thing America has wanted done, and the media has shamed themselves in their attacks on him. I have turned off the news this week, I am so disgusted. President Biden, however, continues to be the steady guy he is and I'm thankful for him. The media, however, needs to take a look in the mirror.
I think there is a lot more behind the story. There was an agreement not to kill American soldiers if we let 5,000 Talibans out… other wars we did not “win” led to chaotic departures. I think what is happening now is creating film for the midterms….don’t get me started on Lindsey Graham’s impeachment talk!
Between a rock and a hard space and I’m glad Joe got us out of Afghanistan. Someone needed to step up and get the hell out , it’s too bad trumpy couldn’t finish what #45dementia started and or started getting the vulnerable afghans out sooner
President Biden has the right decision, He had been dealt terrible cards with Trump arranging the release of 5000 Taliban fighters including the leader. Biden made the hard call, I’ve read reporting that it should have begun sooner with vulnerable Afghans who worked with our military and our diplomatic people out first while we still had boots on the ground. Then the troops. I agree with that logic. But I’m not in any position to criticize or second guess. I don’t know what he knows and I trust him. We are getting out, that’s the right thing. He will take some heat for this for a while but I’m with him. We just better not loose the Congress in ‘22. And we must get S1, JLVR act, both infrastructure bill passed ASAP. I’m not interested in living in a fascist country.
I was at first fearful the read the comments. There's been so much trash-talking lately about our President. He's doing the best he can with the bad hand he was dealt. He never thinks about politics, optics or ratings when he considers doing something. Just, if it's right. I wish he were thirty years younger and could be president forever!
I heard from an Army vet (and read) that there is abuse of young boys in Afghanistan, that the Taliban is against. That said, I think the withdrawal was totally bungled, we are at risk. I voted for Joe, but I agree with what Rep. Liz Chaney (R) said this morning on MTP.
Oh please. Biden will protect Americans but Afghans bringing their cousins, 2nd cousins, 3rd cousins w/them is untenable & frankly I'm more worried about protecting our own democracy about to fall & Dem party holding all 3 branches, w/a @POTUS & @TheJusticeDept refusing to act & then who we thought was legitimate media sensationalizing AGAIN foreign interests exactly like they did 2015/16 to elect trump! @maddow @MSNBC @CNNPOLITICS.
I certainly agree with President Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. That war has cost our country far to much in American and coalition lives lost.
My opinion is that the Afghanistan war was winnable until Pres. Bush/ VP Cheney sent us into Iraq under the WMD lie. The focus on the Taliban was then lost and they regrouped into a smarter stronger force willing to out wait us.
I hope that all the veterans of this war know that their sacrifices were not in vain. Terrorism is no longer exported from Afghanistan.
The fact is that the chaotic withdrawal is about an intelligence failure of epic proportions by the intelligence community and the spineless Afghan Army and their civilian and military leadership. They, in no way reflect on the ultimate wisdom of President Biden to finally extract the US from this tragic war.
I admire him for making the decision and taking responsibility for it. If he can now get the Americans and Afghan helpers out he will be a hero. Who could have predicted an 11 day collapse?
Trump and Pompeo worked at creating the chaos
President Biden was dealt a lousy hand. We’re ending the endless unwinnable war thanks to him.
It hasn't changed a bit. He has had the guts to end this shiteshow after 20 years. Further, Trump and the Trumpists - who did NOTHING but talk about ending the war for the last 4 years - arguably sandbagged Biden, Putin-style. He negotiated with the Taliban, enabled the release of their founding leader and thousands of their soldiers. The "chaotic optics" are not a surprise. It's Afghanistan! Compare it to the "fall of Saigon"? Fine. But I don't recall Gerald Ford getting blamed for the "optics" of citizens desperately trying to flee, overwhelming helicopters etc. This is media overcompensation to appear "fair and balanced". But instead, they are giving Trump, author of the "shit hole countries" statement, a free pass, as well as members of this admin, like Stephen Miller, who worked to PREVENT Afghan refugees, like those who aided our efforts for 20 years, from coming to the US. Like abortion, they believe it's abhorrent, but born kids - they don't care about them a whole lot.
I fully support President Biden and think he made the best decision possible. If the Taliban had honored their agreement things would have been less chaotic. This is on the Taliban.
Joe Biden is doing an excellent job!!! soooooo thankful that he's bringing home all our troops!!! it's about time....not our war!!! I'm thrilled he's getting the translators and people that helped save lives of our soldiers out of there!!! they are our heroes!!! he can't save the citizens of that country from the treacherous govt and the Taliban!! joe biden is a real president!!!!!
I fully support President Biden’s decision and agree with your analysis. After 20 years it was past time to let Afghanistan rule without us. Remarkable that many of the same “citizen scientists” who have all the Covid answers are the “citizen military strategists” who are now second guessing the President. His positive legacy is fixed if for no other reason than his empathy and sanity.
I am proud of him. We should never have been there! It was Vietnam all over again! I think Biden is a good and courageous man who is capable of making tough decisions!
Biden made the only sane decision available. I hope this leads to a post colonial America.
The range of options were all terrible. He could have done a better job, but the main fault lies with what tRUmp did in February, 2020. tRUmp enabled the Taliban to negotiate surrenders all over the country. If everyone surrenders, it goes quickly. Dubya gets some blame, too, for failing to accept the Taliban surrender in December, 2001. Well, a _lot_ of blame.
Everything Trump touches never ends in a smooth transition. I feel Trump is working against his own Country - just to feel he made Deals & pad his own ego! This is so very Not American. Biden’s plate is full w/ the Trump mess. Someone has to clean it up. Thank goodness it’s Biden 😊👍!
Joe has the nerve that none of the other presidents had. Trump and his minions made things as messy as they could ahead of time…and it is plenty messy, indeed. Joe’s advisors could have done a better job and I blame them, also, for not being more up-to-date. However..staying in that country only benefited the Military Complex and undoubtedly, Russia.
I am prouder than ever of Joe. He is such a polar opposite from TFG. The more we find out about how Trump botched the Afghanistan pullout deal and also how his administration shut down the Afghan visa program the more it becomes plain that Biden had no good choices. But he's doing the right thing, and as he said, 'the buck stops here,' something TFG would never have said.
Steven, my opinion of Joe Biden has not changed with the evacuation of Afganistán. He’s done the best he could with the cards he was dealt. I was a Senior in high school when Saigon fell, those pictures of desperation are burned into my soul. Any attempt at ending a dangerous and futile war was bound to be tragically flawed. It’s heartbreaking to watch, especially frightening to imagine the fate of the Afgani women and girls.
I do appreciate you posting a link to organizacións that will allow us to help. I’ve shared it with my friends.
One of the most courageous qualities of a true leader is making decisions for the good of the whole that are foreseeable yet unavoidably, morally critical. USA exiting Afghanistan has been exactly that certainly since the elimination of Osama Bin Laden if not earlier. It has positively influenced my view of President Biden’s courage, competence, compassion, and judgement. Yes! Although I don’t automatically agree with everything any USA president does, this will prove in the final analysis to be the correct answer to such an intractable conundrum of misdirected cultural tribalism driven by mass ignorance, abetted by extreme, long term corruption, in the hands of selfish, if not evil, incompetence.
The broadest graphic being portrayed by virtually every Taliban combatant is the power of the automatic firearm brandished and fired in the face of defenseless unarmed Afghan citizens. Where’s the slightest thread of moral probity in any of the ongoing armed cowardly intimidation? What did Russia do after their 20 years, and what good had it done for the Afghans? May Providence protect our troops!
I support President Biden. He said we were going to pull out of Afghanistan under his watch, so where is the surprise? We were never going to stay there forever, and 20 years is 20 years too long.
Pres. Biden made a tough decision, which had to be made. The chaos was horrific. The Taliban taking over the Country was so disturbing -- with no resistance by the trained Afghans! But Lindsey Graham is more disturbing .... "Impeach Biden"!!!! Graham just loves Trump! That says it all. And it is disgusting!
Joe Biden is doing an outstanding job! He has demonstrated courage in doing what has been needed for years -- exiting Afghanistan. I don't think we should be so shocked about the problems associated with our exit -- the US has never been an expert in nation building or in preparing other nations to depend themselves. Biden cannot be accountable for the decision another country's army made to refuse to fight for their own freedom. Biden is also not one to put blame on others -- I think it goes without saying that he did not create the exit strategy unilaterally, but he, as the leader, is taking full responsibility for his assessment of the information he had and the execution of the decision. We need to let Biden lead us through the departure. I am convinced that no matter when, no matter how we were to exit, these would be the consequences. But that doesn't make the decision wrong for the US. Let's stand together, behind our President, and finish what he put in motion.
President Biden’s decision is what America has agreed upon. The surrender of Afghanistan to the Taliban by Pompeo, however, allowed fewer exit options and (IMO) was a unilateral agreement boxing the US into a loosing exit. For Americans that believe exiting a war is similar to quitting a game of RISK (packing up the board and neatly moving on), the end game is MUCH more complex.
I would remind those demanding a 100% satisfactory departure, that the US STILL has Vietnam Vets dying today of results of Agent Orange. They, too, are deaths due to a war long forgotten, and their numbers are not included in any accurate death tolls.
It was the right thing to do. Occupation was never the right thing to do
Biden had the courage to stop the war. Trump and Pompeo set up the next guy to fail. Bush got us into all of these wars.
I voted for him for a good reason/reasons. I trust him to do the right, ethical, moral and just thing more than the prior along with their gqp/gop. Now all we need to do is try to get each and everyone of these inserection terrorists out of office also. Vote again like your life depends on it because it does as does our country and democracy. Forward together, not one step back.
Following the former President is like walking behind your 🐕 in the backyard. Sooner or later your going to step into some 💩. ...and it never does any good to blame the 🐶....Joe owned the moment and trying to make the most out of the results.
With no assistance from his predecessor (in fact arguably sabotaged) President Biden had a difficult decision to make under someone else's negotiated plan. He could not know that that plan (Pompeo's) was doomed, nor that the Taliban had been sweeping the outlying villages to Garner support for immediate takeover.
I do hope the US learns it is not our place to usurp a culture or government for democracy when that cannot be delivered. Soldiers take out they do not reconstruct governments.
I wholeheartedly support Pres. Biden & feel he has stepped up to meet the moment. Our governmental agencies were decimated by previous administration & nominations being held up by republicans. Under the circumstances, he has done a good job in getting people out and facilitated as best as can be with limited resources.
I had a positive and favorable opinion of President Biden before the withdrawal. It is even more positive now. It was WAY past time to end our military involvement in Afghanistan. We should have learned from the history of the region that our form of government could not be viable there. The nuances of our departure seem lost on many mainstream journalists. Could it have been better, probably but let's save the after action reports and criticisms until we evacuate all Americans who want to leave and as many of our Afghan supporters and their families as possible. I think Nicolle Wallace hit the nail on the head when she said that 95% of the American public would have a favorable view of our withdrawal and that 95% of journalists would not.
I support President Biden. He made the difficult decision to pull us out of a quagmire. TFG’s transition team refused to brief his transition team on intelligence he should have had to help his decision making. 20 years is long enough. Thank you President Biden.
Good for Joe. He has guts grit resolve. He’s the only president for two decades to have the guts to do this. Too bad Trump at least 5000 Taliban and cut deals Biden didn’t even know about. Trump is responsible for the chaos and you can believe Trump would’ve left everyone behind- he couldn’t care less about Afghanis -he doesn’t even care about Americans.
I fully support President Biden and I believe he makes the best yet difficult decisions for the good of all affected. He’s the right president for these tumultuous times.
Asymmetrical warfare with “cold war” armies like the US started throwing into Afghanistan was doomed. American Soldiers with their Burger King franchise needs against fighters who live on nothing…wait wasn’t that VietNam?
President Biden had the courage to end America's involvement in Afghanistan. Many knew it was a mistake to get into a war in the country twenty years ago.
The disastrous withdrawal is due to a complex array of problems and intelligence failures. The Afghan army bears much of the blame, as well.
I am still with Biden. He has extraordinary courage to do what three previous presidents would not do.
I think president Biden made the right decision. We lost this war years ago. What has me upset is that the MSM have put the entire burden of this evacuation on Biden when we are now finding out that trump and Stephen Miller sabotaged the Visa process. The prier administration left a disaster beyond anyone’s imagination. While trump played golf, made millions, counting his money, his “best” people screwed up everything. Biden deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for staying sane through 7 months of clean up duty beyond anyone’s imagination.
I think it was the right decision, and I appreciate that he appears to be keeping his head and following the plan through steadily while the media is baying at the moon. The actual withdrawal could certainly have gone better so far, but also could've gone much worse, and I'm not much inclined to lay blame about it, as long as we do get people out.
I do wish he and his team had been readier to handle the media response. It feels like they were caught flatfooted twice - once by the Afghan government's immediate surrender and then by the media storm at home - and they've done a lot to get back on top of the first situation, but they're still struggling with the second.
Yes and No. I watch the chaos of evacuation/withdrawal in Afghanistan and think somehow, someway, actions could have been taken to insure an orderly process. Then I remember the facts surrounding our invasion based on GW Bush/Cheney lies. GW/Cheney knew the Taliban's reputation of mass murder, torture & cruel imprisonment of those, and their families, who are even thought to support anyone acting against them. They knew the strength of the Taliban and the impossibility of its defeat by this American action. They knew any withdrawal from Afghanistan would result in the very choas that is happening right now. They knew and chose to invade anyway.
Trump's deal to release of captured Taliban leaders insured America's withdrawal would be bloody and chaotic It's no wonder that the lies, threats and reports of murders sweeping the country have created a frenzy of fear that is sending those who believe their whole family will be targeted for punishment by the Taliban to flee by any means.
I wish his administration had made more effort ahead of time to look after people who worked with or for Americans in country. That said, it was a lousy situation and we should have been out of there a long time ago. I admire his willingness to do what was inevitably going to be messy and in some circles unpopular.
I continue to be impressed with him, that's what. He did what no other President had the guts to do for 20 years and the thing America has wanted done, and the media has shamed themselves in their attacks on him. I have turned off the news this week, I am so disgusted. President Biden, however, continues to be the steady guy he is and I'm thankful for him. The media, however, needs to take a look in the mirror.
I think there is a lot more behind the story. There was an agreement not to kill American soldiers if we let 5,000 Talibans out… other wars we did not “win” led to chaotic departures. I think what is happening now is creating film for the midterms….don’t get me started on Lindsey Graham’s impeachment talk!
I agree with our President and there are bound to be difficulties! That the GOP find so much fault is nauseating
Between a rock and a hard space and I’m glad Joe got us out of Afghanistan. Someone needed to step up and get the hell out , it’s too bad trumpy couldn’t finish what #45dementia started and or started getting the vulnerable afghans out sooner
President Biden has the right decision, He had been dealt terrible cards with Trump arranging the release of 5000 Taliban fighters including the leader. Biden made the hard call, I’ve read reporting that it should have begun sooner with vulnerable Afghans who worked with our military and our diplomatic people out first while we still had boots on the ground. Then the troops. I agree with that logic. But I’m not in any position to criticize or second guess. I don’t know what he knows and I trust him. We are getting out, that’s the right thing. He will take some heat for this for a while but I’m with him. We just better not loose the Congress in ‘22. And we must get S1, JLVR act, both infrastructure bill passed ASAP. I’m not interested in living in a fascist country.
I was at first fearful the read the comments. There's been so much trash-talking lately about our President. He's doing the best he can with the bad hand he was dealt. He never thinks about politics, optics or ratings when he considers doing something. Just, if it's right. I wish he were thirty years younger and could be president forever!
I heard from an Army vet (and read) that there is abuse of young boys in Afghanistan, that the Taliban is against. That said, I think the withdrawal was totally bungled, we are at risk. I voted for Joe, but I agree with what Rep. Liz Chaney (R) said this morning on MTP.
A campaign promise kept! Pompeo and tRump didn’t leave any room for negotiations!
Oh please. Biden will protect Americans but Afghans bringing their cousins, 2nd cousins, 3rd cousins w/them is untenable & frankly I'm more worried about protecting our own democracy about to fall & Dem party holding all 3 branches, w/a @POTUS & @TheJusticeDept refusing to act & then who we thought was legitimate media sensationalizing AGAIN foreign interests exactly like they did 2015/16 to elect trump! @maddow @MSNBC @CNNPOLITICS.