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I blame Trump for all this.
shareI know you’re being facetious but Biden’s “the buck stops over there” statements are terrible and the complete opposite of what people expect from an American president.
shareHe learned that from the Great Obama. Who always learned about any crisis or scandal the same way you and I did. From the news.
shareIt’s an exceptional departure from the way presidents used to handle terrible military setbacks. Here’s what Reagan said following the 1983 suicide bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut Lebanon that killed 241 servicemen, “If there is to be blame, it properly rests here in this office and with this president. And I accept responsiblity for the bad as well as the good.”
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With Aghan forces doing most of the fighting on the ground and few U.S. casualties, a U.S. garrison of 3,500 troops had managed to keep the Taliban out of the urban centers in recent years. I don’t see why that couldn’t have continued indefinitely. But U.S. air power was critical, once that was gone and the foreign mechanics servicing the Afghan’s own aircraft left, it was game over.
Biden managed the withdrawal very badly. But he is right to say that he is following Trump’s plan. Trump and Pompeo’s “peace” deal with the Taliban was naive and the decision to withdraw regardless of Afghan readiness ill-conceived.
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Direct quote from Trump at a rally last month:
"I started the process, all the troops are coming back home, they couldn't stop the process. [crowd cheers]
21 years is enough, don't we think? 21.
They couldn't stop the process, they wanted to but it was very tough to stop the process when other things, yeah, thank you, thank you.
It's a shame, 21 years by a government that wouldn't last, the only way they'd last is if we're there.
What are we gonna say, we'll stay for another 21 years then we'll stay for another 50, the whole thing is ridiculous, so we're bringing our troops back home..."
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Trump may have started the process. But it's Biden who finished it, and botched it horrifically.
What choice did Biden have? Trump had already withdrawn 75% of the troops by January this year. In September last year, Trump honoured a deal he made with the Taliban - without the Afghan government's presence, consent or even knowledge - to pressure the Afghan government into releasing 5000 Taliban prisoners. Those 5000 prisoners alone make up about twice of the remaining US contingent when Biden took over. Biden could perhaps have sent US troops back to stave off the disaster, but you guys would certainly have crucified him for that. So he was left with only one tenable option, and that was to get the hell out of Dodge. And meanwhile, Trump is chiding Biden for not getting out fast enough, so if you think Trump would have handled it any better, I think I have a couple of bridges you might be interested in. share
Right Rukus. Trump has been trying to take credit for the Afghan withdrawal and for forcing Biden’s hand for months. Give the man due and proper credit for his role in this fiasco. The pictures of Pompeo smiling with the Taliban all over the press are a telling accompaniment.
shareThese are very reasonable reactions and I credit you for getting to the heart of the matter without all the polemics
shareI stumped my toe and boom right there on the fucking floooooor, a CHEETO.
DAMNIT TRUMP.