In fairness, the Trump administration had been planning to withdraw most American troops from Afghanistan. It was not altogether crazy. We had been training the Afghan army for two decades and if they cannot defend their country, why should we?
We do not know precisely how the Trump administration would have implemented policy, but we do know how the Biden administration is. As the Taliban marches unimpeded through Afghanistan, repressing women’s rights, recruiting sex slaves, murdering government officials, the Biden administration is pleading with them to negotiate.
You will have noticed that an administration that prides itself on its defense of women’s rights does not really care about what is happening and what is going to happen to the women of Afghanistan. Neither did the Obama administration care about what the ISIS caliphate was doing to women and to gays.
Anyway, by the terms of this New York Post story, the Biden team is pleading with the Taliban to go easy on Afghanistan. At the least, it is not a good look. It looks weak and pathetic, about what you would expect from today’s Democrats, become what I have been calling the Girl Party:
The Biden administration is pleading with the Taliban to call off its offensive to retake Afghanistan, as US troops exit this month and the militant group makes rapid gains.
Diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy for Afghanistan peace talks, is in Doha, Qatar, to meet with the Islamic fundamentalist group’s leaders and urge them to stop fighting after rapidly seizing six of 34 Afghan provincial capitals.
The State Department said in a press release that Khalilzad “will press the Taliban to stop their military offensive and to negotiate a political settlement, which is the only path to stability and development in Afghanistan.”
Khalilzad will hold three days of meetings to “press for a reduction of violence and ceasefire and a commitment not to recognize a government imposed by force.”
But, this is not the first time that the Biden people undertook this form of pretty-please diplomacy. And yet, the Taliban did not quiver and quake when they heard new Vogue cover girl, Jen Psaki, plead for a peace process.
But the Taliban has ignored prior pleas — including from White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who on Friday said “we strongly urge them” to “devote the same energy to the peace process as they are to their military campaign.”
President Biden plans to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan by Aug. 31, with the exception of those guarding the embassy.
As for our president, the Scarecrow, he is singing, If I Only Had a Brain:
Biden has insisted that there won’t be a humiliating capitulation of Kabul that results in an iconic moment of American defeat akin to the 1975 fall of Saigon in South Vietnam, when Americans were hastily airlifted from the roof of the US embassy.
“The Taliban is not the North Vietnamese army. They’re not remotely comparable in terms of capability,” Biden said last month.
The Taliban might not be remotely as capable as the North Vietnamese, but the Afghan military is not remotely at the level of the South Vietnamese. Apparently, the Taliban is not heeding the empty Biden threats:
But the Taliban has made steady progress with victories in a string of mid-sized cities and the early stages of offensives against Afghanistan’s largest northern city, Mazar-i-Sharif, and largest western city, Herat. The southern city Kandahar is under Taliban siege.
As for the public relations side, the American air force is dropping a few bombs, apparently to little avail. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, a man who had the same job under the Obama administration, is showing that he is a highly competent flunky.
The US military is continuing to launch an unclear number of airstrikes in support of the Afghan government, but Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Monday said that the US won’t be shouldering most of the responsibility for fighting the Taliban.
“It’s going to come down to [Afghan] leadership and what leadership was demonstrated, or not,” Kirby said. “It’s their country to defend now. It’s their struggle.”
Biden’s decision to remove US troops has bipartisan support, but also faces bipartisan opposition.
Former President Donald Trump claimed credit for making the pullout possible and Biden’s aides have cited Trump’s course to deflect criticism. Trump said in April, “Getting out of Afghanistan is a wonderful and positive thing to do. I planned to withdraw on May 1st, and we should keep as close to that schedule as possible.”
If Afghanistan falls, you will quickly hear all Democrats and all of the media, in a single voice, declare that it is Donald Trump’s fault. They do not care about what happens to Afghanistan. They only care about shifting the blame.
[See also, this article from the AP-- https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-taliban-e2c0e7b46c03cebb4fdddca309e005e8 ]
[And this link from Zero Hedge: https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/taliban-overruns-8-large-cities-less-week-pentagon-says-not-much-can-be-done ]
Well, it won't be like the evacuation of South VietNam, but it will be ugly enough. It's not the US's duty to save the world, or parts thereof, and I don't expect the Democrats to even consider doing so, either.
ReplyDeleteNOTE: The links at the bottom did not (NOT) work for me. Big time 404s!
ReplyDeleteIs there a revival of Jehad across the globe ? Or is it Islamism ?
ReplyDeleteHouthis used a Missile,to attack a Saudi base,in Yemen on the 30th of August,2021 – just after a misifired rocket in Kabul today !
If the US does NOT recognise Taliban and aid them with food,funds and intel,Taliban will have no option but to let loose Daesh and others,in a few provinces.In essence,if the US and IMF do NOT release the funds of the Afghan state,FROZEN by the WEST,then doom is certain.dindooohindoo
It will NOT take much for the exodus of Muslims in EU and US to Afghanistan to join Daesh and others.
In any case,the Leon Uris Exodus from Kabul,has brought Daesh to EU and the US.
So long as Logar and other provinces with the mines are with Taliban – Taliban will not mind leaving Daesh alone, if they are confined to 1 province,using dry land farming,solar power and drip irrigation,for poppy farming – with the caveat that Daesh does NO attacks,after 1st September 2021.
Post 1st September,Taliban will start the REAL WAR in Panjshir and the TESTING WAR on ISIS.The Panjshir war will BURY THE INDIAN WEASELS AND RATS – of they do not aid Masood’s son and Saleh.I bet that the Indian weasels will NOT fund or arm the Panjshir.
Neither will the US,as there will be 1000s of US hostages in Kabul – post 31st August,2021.If the US does not release Afghan funds and unblock Afghan banks – then Taliban MAY NOT, also secure the Americans left behind in Kabul.
The Testing war with Daesh, is to test the western response in terms of rewards to the Taliban,Even when NATO was IN AFGHANISTAN,Taliban had spectacular successes w.r.t. Daesh.Now with no enemies left,Taliban can POTENTIALLY drive out Daesh – BUT ONLY if Taliban gets some benefits !
People write off Daesh too easily.The US had int on 9/11,Kabul airport but COULD NOT STOP IT.In 24 hours of the Kabul attack,the US drones killed the 2 planners – w/o Taliban int and w/o tipping off the Taliban.Such genius, coincidence and providence – just like the fables of the Bible.THE 2 PLANNERS WERE TRAVELLING IN A 3 WHEELED CONTRAPTION IN NANGHAR.- AND THE STORY GETS MORE WONDERFUL ! The Daesh attack ALLOWED THE USAF to drone a target in a soverign nation with a new govtt ! A US message that once they exit, they will do MORE.Of Course,I am NOT saying that the Kabul bombing was a false flag,to message Taliban,that they were vulnerable EVEN IN KABUL,and EVEN WHEN THE US WAS AT ITS MOST VULNERABLE.The Crux is that the US is playing POKER,till the 31st August,2021.
Americans have spent 20 years in Afghanistan.They will have assets and HUMINT,in every 1 square mile of Afghanistan – which they will use to prime effect,once they exit and CERTAINLY,after all US citizens are out of Kabul. – In essence,Anti-Taliban forces,will use Daesh and Fund Daesh – like in Syria and Iraq- where besides Mossad – even the Indians supplied arms,medicines and doctors for ISIS ! There are many nations and kings ,by the Taliban.Even the Americans are capable of using Daesh or false flagging them – especially as their int,on Daesh attacks,is so exquisite.
BEST OPTION is THAT US RELEASES AFGHAN FUNDS,AND TALIBAN TRIANGULATES AND QUARANTINES DAESH,IN 1 PROVINCE – AND THEN WAITS TO SEE THE RESPONSE OF the US AND EU.
ELSE,Taliban will need to bring in PLA,on the pretext of securing the mining concessions,and ore concentrate transportation.There will be a perpetual risk to Taliban,of financial freezes and sanctions. Hence,the time has come for Afghanistan,to adopt the Yuan and take Chinese aid.If every poor Afghan has free food,quality water,free education,free power and some economic employment – Taliban will win the elections – and that is the 1st step to get back the Billions of USD frozen,by the US/EU and Aid institutions.PLA is already in one Northern Province bordering PRC (Badkashan).
Then the next step is PLA ADS,to stop US drone strikes.
PROVIDENCE HAS BROUGHT TALIBAN,PRC,TURKEY AND PAKISTAN TOGETHER FOR 1 PURPOSE – GHAZWA E HIND !