opinion
A new book by Politico writer Alexander Ward reveals that President Joe Biden was not ashamed of his pivotal role in the failed withdrawal from Afghanistan early in his presidency. The withdrawal set the tone for President Biden's decline in the polls, which took a huge 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 withdraw troops from Afghanistan, leaving thousands of allies and hundreds of Americans behind. Ironically, the book's title alludes to the Biden administration's need to “rebuild” foreign policy after President Trump.
Internationalists: The fight to restore foreign policy after Trump It demonstrates the massive lack of accountability within the Biden administration and, if anything, explains how President Biden has been a catalyst for destroying America's credibility as an ally on the world stage. For a generation of veterans like me, the withdrawal from Afghanistan is a moral stain on our country, a stain for which Joe Biden and those in his administration should be held accountable.
It starts from the top
A recurring leadership principle I learned while in the military is that those under your responsibility imitate you as a leader. Essentially, leading by example determines the way the rest of the organization will operate.
Suppose someone is a leader with strong ethics and a commitment to personal and organizational accountability. In this case, those throughout the chain of command will do the same.
Alexander Ward writes in his book that after the withdrawal from Afghanistan:
“…No one offered to resign, largely because the president did not believe anyone had done anything wrong.”
As I watched the withdrawal from Afghanistan before heading to work in tears, I wondered when the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of State, or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would resign. After all, how could those who served as leaders, at least, stand by and watch the horror of our failed withdrawal without feeling the need to resign?
The answer was simple because their leader did not and still does not believe in an environment of accountability. He explains in Ward's book:
“Biden told his senior aides, including (National Security Advisor Jake) Sullivan, that he stood by them and that they did their best during a difficult situation.”
Because as the book goes on to say:
“Ending a war will always be messy.”
The chaos continues to expand over two years after the withdrawal.
Empty promises
On August 18, 2021, President Biden told ABC News that he was committed to keeping US troops in Afghanistan so that every American citizen who wanted to could leave the country. Not only was this not ultimately 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 is no one here who believes we can deliver on that promise.”
Did any of the White House officials who questioned President Biden's promise advise the Commander-in-Chief to do so? Or did they allow President Biden to make whatever allegations he wanted without taking into account the tactical reality on the ground?
Both scenarios are equally bad: either the president ignored his administration's warnings, deliberately lied to the American people, or is just an empty vessel for those already running the country. In all, more than 800 Americans remained behind.
To make matters worse, President Biden announced two weeks ago that Tracy Jacobson would be his nominee for the position of US Ambassador to Iraq. Ms. Jacobson ran the failed Afghan ally visa program.
Under Ms. Jacobson, tens of thousands of allied Afghans who were promised asylum in the United States were abandoned, left to be pursued by the Taliban after the United States withdrew. The nomination of Tracy Jacobson is continuing evidence of President Biden's lack of accountability regarding Afghanistan and his administration's disastrous foreign policy strategy.
Ramifications
The worst moment of the withdrawal from Afghanistan came when 13 American service members were killed in Kabul by a suicide bomber. After their deaths, President Biden said:
“I am the President of the United States of America, and the responsibility rests with me. I am deeply saddened by the realities we now face, but I do not regret my decision.”
Last month, the United Nations Security Council announced that Al Qaeda had established eight new training camps in Afghanistan and five new schools, which specialize in Islamic indoctrination. The report also outlines the horrific fact that Al Qaeda:
“…maintains safe houses to facilitate movement between Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran…”
Just as the Earth turns and the wheels of history move, what came before is at play again, as those whom veterans like me fought are now facilitating our enemies in Iran who have intensified attacks on American assets resulting in the deaths of American service members. . According to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction report, the Biden administration has left behind:
“…nearly $7.2 billion worth of aircraft, guns, vehicles, ammunition, and specialized equipment.”
During the twenty-year war in Afghanistan, more than 2,400 service members lost their lives, and more than 20,000 of us were injured. The responsibility does not rest with President Biden or his appointed advisors.
The hard truth is that there is no money in the United States. The only people who are expected to take responsibility for the decisions made by elected and appointed officials in the United States are the citizens themselves.
It's time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Policy Insider ranks third on Feedspot's “Top 100 Political Blogs and Websites” list.
