Opinion
Kathleen J. Anderson
A new book by Politico’s Alexander Ward reveals that President Joe Biden felt no shame for his pivotal role in the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan at the beginning of his presidency. The withdrawal set the tone for President Biden’s descent in the polls, which saw a massive hit as 20 years of war ended in failure for Americans on live television. President Biden’s legacy will likely be tied to his decision to abruptly pull troops from Afghanistan, leaving behind thousands of allies and hundreds of Americans.
The book, “The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore Foreign Policy after Trump,” illustrates the lack of accountability within the Biden administration and explains how President Biden was a catalyst for the destruction of America’s credibility as an ally on the world stage. For a generation of veterans like myself, the withdrawal from Afghanistan is a moral stain on our country, one that Joe Biden and those in his administration should’ve been held to task for.
A recurring leadership tenet taught while I was in the military was that those in your charge emulate you as the leader. Essentially, leading by example is what sets the tone for how the rest of the organization will run. In the book, Ward writes that after the Afghanistan withdrawal: “…no one offered to resign, in large part because the president didn’t believe anyone had made a mistake.”
On 18th August 2021, President Biden told ABC News that he was committed to American troops staying in Afghanistan until every U.S. citizen who wanted to leave the country could. Not only did this end up not being the case, but those in his administration knew at the time that it was a lie. A senior White House official told Ward at the time: “There’s no one here who thinks we can meet that promise.”
Last month, the U.N. Security Council reported that Al-Qaeda has set up eight new training camps in Afghanistan and five new madrasas, which are schools that specialize in Islamic indoctrination. The report also lays out this chilling reality that Al-Qaeda: “…maintains safe houses to facilitate the movement between Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran…”
According to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction report, the Biden administration left behind: “…nearly $7.2 billion worth of aircraft, guns, vehicles, ammunition, and specialized equipment.” The buck doesn’t stop with President Biden or his appointed advisors. The hard truth is that there is no buck in the United States. The only people who are expected to shoulder the responsibility for the decisions made by the U.S. elected and appointed officials are the citizens themselves.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust. The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.” USAF Retired, Bronze Star recipient, outspoken veteran advocate. Hot mess mom to two monsters and wife to equal parts… More about Kathleen J. Anderson.
