Afghanistan Still Haunts Biden And Kamala
On Tuesday, Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., sharply criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, asserting that they are unequivocally responsible for the tragic consequences and failures associated with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Zinke’s remarks came in the wake of House Republicans releasing a report that squarely blames the Biden administration for the disorganized and chaotic exit from Afghanistan in 2021.
The report has sparked a contentious debate, with Democrats pointing the finger at former President Donald Trump, arguing that his administration’s Doha Accords with the Taliban set the stage for the problematic withdrawal. These Accords were meant to facilitate peace but were criticized for being poorly negotiated and not fully enforceable.
In response to the Republican report, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told The New York Times that “ending wars is more difficult than starting them,” a point President Biden has reportedly acknowledged. Kirby defended the administration’s handling of the withdrawal, emphasizing the challenging circumstances faced.
However, Zinke, appearing on “Wake Up America,” dismissed Kirby’s defense as an attempt to divert attention from the administration’s failings. He criticized Kirby for what he perceived as a skewed portrayal of the situation, arguing that the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw on a self-imposed timeline—regardless of the Doha Accords’ status—led to the disastrous outcome. Zinke contended that the administration’s blame-shifting toward Trump is unfounded, pointing out that the Taliban had already violated the terms of the Accords by the time of the withdrawal.
Further, Zinke claimed that the fallout from the withdrawal has had far-reaching effects, impacting global stability and contributing to crises beyond Afghanistan, including in Ukraine. According to Zinke, the responsibility for these international repercussions lies firmly with Biden and Harris, who, in his view, cannot escape accountability for their administration’s actions and their global consequences.
