Staff Reports
A new report from House Republicans has sort of pulled back the curtain on the debacle that was President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. It’s pretty much a classic case of “I told you so,” suggesting that Biden was so obsessed with getting out of Afghanistan that he chucked common sense—and the advice of his national security team—out the window. In the aftermath of the disaster that claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members, it’s hard not to shake one’s head and wonder what the commander-in-chief was thinking.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee dropped this damning document roughly three years after the chaotic retreat, underscoring that Biden’s decision to withdraw was far from well-considered. It seems the president’s determination to leave no matter what led to a rushed operation. This foolish haste not only disregarded expert counsel but also resulted in unnecessary casualties, according to the report. It makes one question whether Biden’s infamous “the buck stops here” mantra even applies when he’s got a plan to exit stage left.
The report drives home the point that Biden seemed more focused on the idea of leaving than on the reality on the ground. There was clear evidence he dismissed the deteriorating security situation, including the advance of the Taliban. Instead, it appears he was driven by a long-held belief that the U.S. had no business being in Afghanistan. Ignoring the very real risks to Americans and Afghan allies not only undermines the sacrifices made over two decades but also demonstrates a lack of leadership when it mattered most.
As if the slow-motion disaster couldn’t get any worse, the document laid blame squarely on the Biden administration for sitting on its hands while Kabul fell. The criticism of the failure to initiate a noncombatant evacuation operation is sharp, asserting that the administration was more worried about the optics of such an operation than the lives that were hanging in the balance. With important decisions delayed until the last possible minute—thanks in part to Secretary of State Antony Blinken taking a vacation—one can almost hear the crickets chirping in the Biden camp as chaos unfolded.
Report: Biden Admin ‘More Concerned with Optics’ than Safety During Afghanistan Disaster
The report claimed that Biden forced a “rushed effort undertaken regardless of counsel from allies and advisers that led to unnecessary deaths,” per the Hill.https://t.co/UKXMHjntD4 pic.twitter.com/uE5hjvowTr
— Kenny G (@Texas4Trump_24) September 9, 2024
House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, is not letting this matter slide quietly into the night. He has moved to subpoena Blinken for a hearing, clearly indicating that accountability is not just a buzzword for some folks. Meanwhile, the White House’s response is every bit as predictable as an afternoon soap opera, calling the report a collection of “cherry-picked facts”—a classic move straight out of the spin playbook. It’s almost comical to watch as the administration attempts to pin the mess on the previous president while avoiding self-reflection.
And then there’s the conspicuously minimized role of Vice President Kamala Harris in this whole saga. As the world watched the chaotic scenes unfold in Afghanistan, it’s strange that her name barely crops up in discussions about accountability. One has to wonder if it’s a deliberate strategy to shield her from the fallout of a monumentally unpopular decision. If this predicament serves as a lesson, it’s that the stakes of hasty decisions in foreign policy can be disastrous—an observation that remains true no matter which party holds the reins.
