Blame Gaming

IF THE AMERICAN WITHDRAWAL from Afghanistan was a chaotic debacle, and arguably it was, then so was the entire twenty year war. If Biden is to be blamed for the withdrawal chaos, then there are three other presidents, Bush, Obama, and Trump, who deserve blame for allowing the situation to develop so as to create the circumstances in which the American military force found itself in Afghanistan in 2021. Blame ultimately goes to we the American people, who elect our own leaders, and are ultimately responsible for their successes and failures. Bush got us in. Obama kept us in, even after killing Bin Laden. Trump promised to get us out, even going so far as to cut a withdrawal deal with the Taliban while excluding the Afghan government from the negotiations, the devil dealing with the devil. Two liars at a bargaining table, telling lies. Trump broke every promise made by previous American presidents, but Biden refused to break promises, and was therefore constrained by Trump's withdrawal agreement. There's more than enough blame to go around. It can be spread to every adult in the United States, for that matter. Beware, Trump supporters. If you come to me blaming Biden exclusively, I will remind you of the facts presented above. It is a fact that throughout history every arrogant military power which has invaded Afghanistan for its own purpsoes hsa been sent packing, in defeat. This goes back to ancient times, and includes the nineteenth century British, the twentieth century Russians, and the twenty first century Americans. The best American policy in 2003 might have been to inform the Taliban that the United States intended to hunt down and capture Bin Laden, no matter where, and that other countries may either help the hunt, or get out of the way. Special forces might have been all that was ever needed in Afghanistan. There might have never been any need to attack, conquer, occupy the country, and remove the governing Taliban. The best approach now for the United States might be to accept the return of the Ttaliban, especially since there is now no alternative, and to try to reach an acceptable arrangement with it. This is what the U.S. did in Viet Nam, after our previous enemy the communists took over Saigon, and renamed it "Ho Chi Minh City". The U.S. made the best of a bad situation, reached an accomodation with the new government, and eventually established a positive economic partnership with it. As badly as Afghanistan needs economic assistance, and as badly as the United States wants the new Afghani government to treat its citizens like twenty first century citizens, including equality for women, or so it says, surely, surely some accomodation can be arranged. That, of course, remains to be seen. We the American people must make sure that we choose leaders capable and willing to do this. Its our responsibility.