Biden defends Afghanistan withdrawal amid criticism, crisis
Ari Fleischer, Mara Liasson and Jason Riley joins 'Special Report' to discuss the president's exit strategy, reaction to the Taliban takeover
Former George W. Bush and Barack Obama Defense Secretary Robert Gates once described President Joe Biden’s foreign policy record succinctly: "I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades." With a record like that, it’s no surprise the Biden administration created a humanitarian crisis with the ill-advised and irresponsible abandonment of Afghanistan.
Biden and his administration are a colossal disaster – both domestically and internationally. We know the president has a history – over four decades – of making unsound decisions when it comes to foreign policy and national security issues. Instead of solving humanitarian crises, he creates them, starting with our southern border and now Afghanistan.
I have never supported remaining in a war lasting for decades or with inconsistent objectives, but we owed it to the Americans and our allies who spilled blood in this conflict in Afghanistan to have a coherent and well-organized drawdown of forces.
For nearly two decades, brave American soldiers, including friends and classmates of mine, sacrificed their lives to protect our homeland from potential terrorist attack. What we see happening today is a travesty. It is a slap in the face to the many in our armed forces who fought to win the global war on terror and make both America and the world a safer place for the Afghans who risked their lives to help our forces overseas.
Our provocation to enter Afghanistan was clear as the twin towers fell on Sept. 11, 2001, killing almost 3,000 Americans. In response to this attack, we went into Afghanistan because the Taliban leadership allowed the safe harbor of Usama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, the masterminds responsible for the horrific terrorist attacks on 9/11. A stable Afghanistan is good for the greater peace and security of the region and for our homeland.
On 9/11, my West Point classmates and I watched as the United States faced her greatest threat since Pearl Harbor. We knew this mission could cost us our lives, but committed without hesitation because we believed in protecting this country.
After years of working to stabilize the region, and in so doing protect the United States from further attacks, President Biden’s leadership has led to the Taliban reclaiming Afghanistan in a week.
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As I write this, the Taliban is going door to door – hunting down U.S. allies, capturing women for sex slaves, beheading translators in the streets and trapping hundreds of U.S. citizens and passport holders behind Taliban checkpoints.
This attack against freedom-loving people is devastating and is a direct result of the Biden administration’s failure. Perhaps worst of all, radical Islamic terrorists have a new haven from which to launch attacks against America and our allies.
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Joe Biden has rejected sound military advice, and the United States and the world are less safe because of it.
The president has an obligation to Americans and our allies to protect our homeland and the citizens of Afghanistan who have served at our side for 20 years – striving to win over the hearts and minds of the Afghan people.
He has failed us at the highest level. Already, an ill-planned withdrawal is leading to human rights violations and an inevitable refugee crisis that will once again impact the world.
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The Biden administration had months to plan and implement a strategy that would bring U.S. personnel, our military and allies home safely. This administration is so out of touch and disjointed that the result has been chaos, with the region collapsing and Americans still on the ground.
Today, we face the horrific uncertainty that every American and our allies may not make it out of Afghanistan safely. If one American is harmed because of the failures of the president and this administration, Congress must hold them accountable.