The withdrawal from Afghanistan has become a Republican talking point, but they want to ignore Trump's involvement. It was Trump who negotiated a date certain for the withdrawal of ALL American forces. He did this while barring the Afghan government, which we supposedly supported, from participating in negotiations. He significantly withdrew a large number of our forces in return for nothing more than a cease-fire up until his negotiated withdrawal date. He originally wanted all forces gone before he left office, but his advisors convinced him it would be better to delay until start of somebody's next presidential term.
What did Trump do for the Afghans who would be left behind? Nothing. Well, nothing positive. He left in place for his successor immigration rules which snarled the ability to bring these friendly Afghans to America. Most are still stranded on military bases in third nations awaiting completion of the immigration maze.
Biden inherited a negotiated surrender, which totally alienated and demoralized the Afghan government. He inherited a legal tangle for bringing Afghans to America. He inherited a remaining American military/diplomatic establishment in Afghanistan which was blissfully unaware that the Taliban had spent the whole time since Trump's surrender in negotiating the surrender without a fight of Afghan military and police units all across the country.
Democrats should not shy from a congressional review of the surrender and withdrawal from Afghanistan. They must force a focus upon Trump's role. If the House committee blocks that, then a Senate committee should conduct a parallel investigation.
This is an old Republican trick. Listen to the PBS documentary series on Vietnam and hear the evidence of Nixon scheduling the end of the war for his political advantage. That killed a lot of American soldiers.
GWB did the same in Iraq. He negotiated a date certain for American withdrawal timed for after he left office.
In the case of all 3 Republican presidents, the decision to end the war was absolutely correct. The chicken â â â â political way they tried to blame their successor for abandoning the country was perverse, but all too easily sold to their partisans. Democrats are far too timid in making their case. If the Republicans want hearings on Afghanistan, than the role of Trump must be front and center.