Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a statement commemorating the one-year anniversary of Joe Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, and as one might expect, it was a disgrace.
It’s hard to believe that the Biden administration would continue to pour salt on the wounds from the disastrous withdrawal, which left thirteen American servicemembers dead and many more Americans abandoned in the country that is now under the control of the Taliban. But, sadly, that’s where we are.
“Just a few weeks ago, the United States delivered justice to Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden’s deputy at the time of the 9/11 attacks,” Austin declared. “And in recent months, our military has successfully carried out operations against key ISIS leaders. We also know that preventing terrorist violence requires much more than military might. We’re committed to supporting a whole-of-government effort to address the root causes of violent extremism. No one should doubt America’s resolve to keep our people safe.”
Joe Biden and his administration hailed the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan as a victory, which it was. But it also showed that Afghanistan had become a safe haven for terrorists again because of Biden’s bungled retreat — as many predicted it would.
A year ago, an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. service members and many of our Afghan allies precisely because Biden cared more about getting our people out of Afghanistan in time for a 9/11 photo op than about keeping our people safe. This tone-deaf declaration that “No one should doubt America’s resolve to keep our people safe” is a pathetic attempt to rewrite history by pushing the narrative that the withdrawal from Afghanistan was a success. While Austin mentioned that “2,461 brave heroes never made it home,” he did not specifically mention those who died during the chaotic and rushed evacuation at Kabul airport.
“Last year, in the war’s final days, the United States, along with our partners and allies, conducted the largest air evacuation of civilians in American history, lifting more than 124,000 people to safety. I’m proud that our military communities – and Americans from all walks of life – have welcomed our Afghan allies as they begin new lives in our country.”
Austin makes it sound as though the evacuation was also a success, that it went smoothly and according to plan, instead of being the chaotic cluster***k that it was — a true slap in the face for those who paid the ultimate price in Joe Biden’s quest for a photo op.
Related: New GOP Report Shows the Extent of Biden’s Lies About Americans Left Behind in Afghanistan
The Biden administration wants us to forget that they inherited a conditions-based withdrawal plan from the Trump administration but, as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo noted, they promptly tore it up and agreed to leave without conditions, trusting the Taliban not to take advantage of the situation. “This turned into a chaotic rush for the exit, to nobody’s surprise except for President Biden,” Pompeo explained. “His administration stayed the course, compounding its errors with more baffling mistakes and weakness.”
“Now, after a year, the Taliban’s brutal rule is yielding predictable results,” Pompeo observed. “The country is facing a debt and hunger crisis. They have rolled back educational opportunities for girls and forced women to wear veils. All manners of basic human rights are being curtailed.”
Yet, to the Biden administration, this is a success.