Politics Thread

[Strange Brew]

Whatever. I find it amazing, given your intolerance for BS, that you never called out "the former guy".

You shouldn’t. I’ve called him arrogant, rude, obnoxious and a big meany. However, I found little objectionable in terms of policy. The only problem I had is he didn’t lower taxes across the board enough. On the war, his policy would’ve provided a more orderly and less deadly withdrawal.

[Masterofreality]

Though the article you cite here specifically faults many others, including your man Donald.
"

Donald is not “my man”. Although policy-wise his Administration is far far superior to the debacle we see in the Oval Office today.
This Group is failing on all fronts and created a disgrace to the country, and damaged our National Security by this botched departure.
Biden should be impeached.

[Masterofreality]

From the Wall Street Journal today re The US’s by dark of night abandoning of the Bagram AF Base:

The way U.S. forces qui*etly slipped out of Bagram was also de*mor*al*iz*ing for the Afghan army and prob*a*bly con*tributed to its col*lapse. The As*so*ci*ated Press spoke to sol*diers wan*der*ing the base the next day. “They lost all the good*will of 20 years,” one said, “by leav*ing the way they did, in the night, with*out telling the Afghan sol*diers who were out*side pa*trolling the area.” The word must have spread: If the U.S. is aban*don*ing its prized air base, then it re*ally was bug*ging out al*to*gether.

Af*ter the col*lapse of the Afghan gov*ern-ment, Mr. Biden could have sent in enough U.S. troops to re*take Bagram and pro*vide for a safer evac*u*a*tion. He de*clined that op*tion in fa*vor of get*ting to the ex*its as fast as pos*si*ble, hop*ing to avoid a con*fronta*tion with the Tal*iban that could re*sult in Amer*i*can ca*su*al*ties. On Thurs*day he got ca*su*al*ties any*way.

The wreck of Mr. Biden’s Afghan withdrawal is damaging enough. But he compounds the harm to his credibility, and America’s, when he refuses to acknowledge mistakes and spins defeat as a victory for realism. Mr. Biden should take responsibility for his own bad decisions, instead of trying to hide behind the military brass.

This confirms that Biden’s malfeasance caused the morale of Afghan troops to be destroyed and set up the disaster we see. It also set up the deaths of 13 US Servicemembers.
Hey Paul. If you still “aren’t sure” Biden could do better, just read and research and the answer becomes clear. Amazing how the guy who could react to Trump within seconds now is paralyzed on opining on Biden.
Hypocrisy at it’s finest, but the Democrats seem to have that down pat.

[paulxu]

I have noted Biden is responsible for these decisions. What else would you like me to say?

If you don't think the Afghan forces were demoralized after Trump negotiated with their enemy in March of 2020, and told them we were leaving, I guess I can't help you.

[Masterofreality]

I have noted Biden is responsible for these decisions. What else would you like me to say?

If you don't think the Afghan forces were demoralized after Trump negotiated with their enemy in March of 2020, and told them we were leaving, I guess I can't help you.

You’ve “noted” but you still defend the guy without criticism.
Hey. EVERYBODY wanted to leave Afghanistan, including you. You are the one that said Biden was “doing a credible job” in this fiasco.
There were conditions that were supposed to be met in the Taliban agreement. Biden ignored all of the Taliban violations and closed Bagram on his own.
Stop trying to throw this back on the prior guy(s) . This President has Ben censured by the British Parliament and other allies criticize.
You are losing badly Paul. Just try to surrender better than your existing President.

[Strange Brew]

Wonderful. Seeing reports a US Congressman is missing in Afghanistan.

Also, for Paul, Bobbie and others the individual who tried to extort Gaetz has been indicted.

[bobbiemcgee]

Gaetz's father. Known fraudster on 10 years probation.

[Strange Brew]

Gaetz's father. Known fraudster on 10 years probation.

So, what does that have to do with anything unless family members like sons need to be discussed?

[Masterofreality]

When you have credible journalism you finally get to the real, like today’s article in the Wall Street Journal.
This President lies, deflects and finger points like no other- with real world consequences for our National security.
Defend this Paul.

Mr. Trump’s deal was rot*ten, but as a new Pres*i*dent he could have al*tered it as he has so much else that Mr. Trump did. The Trump deal was based on the Tal*iban ful*fill*ing con*di*tions—such as ne*go*ti*at*ing a deal with the Afghan gov*ern*ment—that they had al*ready bro*ken when Mr. Biden be*came Pres*i*dent. Yet Mr. Biden claims he was both a pris*oner of that deal and coura*geous for ful*fill*ing it.

He also re*peated that his only choices were to*tal with*drawal or “es*ca*la*tion” with thou*sands of troops. His own ad*vis*ers of*fered him al*ter*na*tives in be*tween, as did the Af*ghanistan Study Group. He was so bent on with*drawal, and so quickly, that he re*fused to ad*just the mil*i*tary plan even as the Tal*iban made gains and the CIA warned that the Afghan gov*ern*ment was likely to fall.

Mr. Biden de*scribed the evac*u*a*tion as if it were a tri*umph, and that his Ad*min*is*tra-tion had planned for such a con*tin*gency in case the Afghan mil*i*tary col*lapsed. This is, lit*er*ally, un*be*liev*able. Mul*ti*ple me*dia re*ports have re*vealed that the White House was caught by sur*prise and pre*paring for va*ca*tion en masse when Kabul fell. The mil*i*tary had to scram*ble and stage a heroic ef*fort to evac*u*ate those who were able to get to the air*port. Mr. Biden wants to take credit for putting out the fire he started.

The Pres*i*dent even had the ill grace to blame Amer*i*cans for not leav*ing Af*ghanistan sooner, and Afghans for not fight*ing. But his own gov*ern*ment clearly felt no ur*gency, as the U.S. Em*bassy had to fran*ti*cally de*stroy doc*u*ments in the fi*nal hours. As for the Afghans, he de*means the sac*ri*fice of the 66,000 who died fight*ing the Tal*iban, of*ten next to Amer*i*cans. They col*lapsed when they lost air sup*port as the U.S. con*trac*tors left and af*ter the mil*i*tary aban*doned Bagram Air Base in the dead of night.”

[noteggs]

https://www.reuters.com/world/exclus...on-2021-08-31/

“I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,” Biden said. “And there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture.”

Ghani is worried about his country and Biden about his reputation. Pathetic