Afghanistan And Biden: Unraveling The Complexities Of A Challenging Legacy

The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has been described as a foreign policy failure for the Biden administration. Critics have pointed to the chaotic nature of the withdrawal, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and over 169 Afghans in a suicide attack at Kabul's airport. The Biden administration has been blamed for inadequately planning the evacuation and not ordering it in time. There is also criticism of the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, with some arguing that the U.S. had a moral obligation to stay and ensure a better outcome for Afghans, particularly regarding the rights of women and girls. However, others defend the decision to withdraw, arguing that the war was not worth the cost and that the Biden administration inherited a problematic deal from the Trump administration.

Biden's execution of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan

The Biden administration's handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan has been criticised by both Republicans and Democrats. While the decision to leave Afghanistan was supported by the American people, the way in which the withdrawal was executed has been described as "egregiously mishandled".

The Biden administration has been accused of failing to adequately plan for the evacuation and not ordering it in time. There have also been accusations of disorganisation at the highest level of government, with a lack of clarity around who was leading the evacuation efforts.

The speed of the military withdrawal has been highlighted as a particular area of concern, with the decision to hand over Bagram Air Base to the Afghan government in July 2021 leaving Hamid Karzai International Airport as the sole evacuation route. This decision has been described as a “fatal flaw” that contributed to the chaos and danger of the final days of the war.

In addition, the Biden administration has been criticised for failing to act with appropriate urgency as the Taliban amassed power and drew closer to Kabul. There are also questions around why the administration did not do more to secure the rights of Afghan women and girls, who now face the loss of their basic rights to education and employment under Taliban rule.

While Biden has defended his decision to end the 20-year war in Afghanistan, he has acknowledged that the evacuation could have been handled better. He has stated that the buck stops with him and that there will be lessons learned from the experience.

Biden's failure to secure an intra-Afghan peace deal

Firstly, Biden's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan without ensuring an intra-Afghan peace deal was a significant factor. The Doha deal, negotiated by the Trump administration, set a timeline for troop withdrawal without explicitly requiring the Taliban to expel al-Qaeda or cease attacks on the Afghan military. Biden adhered to this timeline, despite the absence of a peace agreement and concerns expressed by U.S. allies. This unconditional withdrawal removed the leverage the U.S. had in negotiations and empowered the Taliban.

Secondly, Biden's administration failed to engage in sustained diplomacy to facilitate intra-Afghan peace negotiations. There were delays in undertaking an Afghanistan policy review, and the State Department's diplomatic efforts were described as a "moonshot attempt." The lack of diplomatic engagement meant that issues such as power-sharing, the role of Islam, and women's rights remained unresolved, hindering the prospects for peace.

Additionally, the intra-Afghan peace deal was made more difficult by the exclusion of the Afghan government from initial negotiations. The U.S.-Taliban agreement, signed in February 2020, did not include the Afghan government due to the Taliban's refusal to negotiate with its representatives. This exclusion set a problematic precedent and contributed to the challenges in reaching a comprehensive peace agreement.

Furthermore, Biden's administration failed to adequately address key issues that were essential for achieving intra-Afghan peace. These issues included political power-sharing, the role of Islam, and women's rights, and the future of counterterrorism efforts in the region. The Taliban's intransigence on these matters, coupled with the U.S. focus on troop withdrawal, made a peace deal elusive.

In conclusion, Biden's failure to secure an intra-Afghan peace deal resulted from a rushed withdrawal of troops, insufficient diplomatic efforts, the exclusion of the Afghan government from initial negotiations, and a lack of progress on critical issues. These factors collectively hindered the prospects for a sustainable peace agreement between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

Biden's failure to adequately plan for the evacuation

The Biden administration has been criticized for its handling of the evacuation from Afghanistan, with some arguing that the evacuation process was inadequately planned.

The State Department has been blamed for the delayed initiation of the evacuation. The Pentagon had been pressing the State Department for evacuation plans, concerned that the State Department was not adequately prepared. The State Department's decision to evacuate came on 14 August, after the Taliban had already overrun the country. This delay has been described as the "fatal flaw" that led to the chaos of the evacuation process.

The Biden administration has also been criticized for failing to keep a residual US force of 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, which military leaders had advised was necessary to maintain stability and provide additional options to respond to Taliban attacks. Instead, Biden opted to keep a smaller force of 650 troops, which was not sufficient to secure Bagram Air Base, resulting in a faster US exit than anticipated.

The evacuation process was further complicated by the handover of Bagram Air Base to the Afghan government in July 2021, leaving Hamid Karzai International Airport as the sole evacuation route. This airport later became the site of a terror attack that claimed the lives of 13 US service members and numerous Afghans.

The Biden administration has been accused of failing to adequately plan for the evacuation of US citizens and at-risk Afghans. There were reports that the administration wasted precious time trying to negotiate agreements with third countries to accept potential refugees and vet visa applications, rather than focusing on orchestrating a mass evacuation. The administration has also been criticized for not making critical decisions about which at-risk Afghan nationals would be airlifted before the country fell into turmoil.

In conclusion, while there were undoubtedly multiple factors contributing to the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan, the Biden administration has been criticized for failing to adequately plan for the evacuation, particularly in regards to the timing of the evacuation and the protection of US citizens and Afghan allies.

Biden's failure to act with appropriate urgency

Withdrawal

Biden's decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan has been scrutinised for its timing and execution. While the decision to end US military involvement was supported by the American people, the manner of the withdrawal has been criticised as "egregiously mishandled". Biden's administration argued that the decision was constrained by the Doha deal negotiated by the Trump administration, which set a deadline for withdrawal. However, critics argue that Biden had other options, such as renegotiating the deal or making the withdrawal conditional on an intra-Afghan peace agreement.

The speed of the withdrawal has been a particular focus of criticism. Biden's priority was to protect US troops, but this has been contrasted with the lack of urgency in evacuating American citizens and vulnerable Afghans. Biden and his advisers claimed that they did not anticipate the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and security forces. However, this has been disputed, with some arguing that the weakness of the Afghan security forces was clear and that the Biden administration failed to adequately plan for contingencies.

Evacuation

The State Department's review found that Biden's administration failed to act with appropriate urgency in evacuating US personnel and vulnerable Afghans. Instead of taking decisive action, officials relied on assurances from Afghanistan's then-president, Ashraf Ghani, that the country's forces could hold off the Taliban. This belief that there was time resulted in a lack of preparation for a worst-case scenario.

The evacuation orders came too late, according to former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and US Central Command retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, who blamed the State Department for the chaotic departure. They argued that the Pentagon had been pressing the State Department for evacuation plans for weeks or months, but the State Department did not act quickly enough. This delay left the military with a limited window to execute the evacuation, contributing to the chaos and desperation witnessed at Kabul's airport.

Biden's failure to protect US troops and evacuate citizens

Lack of Planning

The Biden administration has been accused of inadequate planning for the evacuation and not ordering it in time. Biden himself has been blamed for making decisions that "compounded the difficulties" diplomats faced in Afghanistan, such as the speed of the military withdrawal and the decision to hand over Bagram Air Base to the Afghan government in July 2021, leaving Hamid Karzai International Airport as the sole evacuation route.

Disorganization

The State Department's review of the withdrawal found disorganization in the highest level of government, with a lack of clarity around who was leading the evacuation efforts. This was reflected in Biden's public statements, which were seen as "seeming detachment from the facts of the situation".

Failure to Act with Urgency

The State Department review also claimed that American officials failed to act with appropriate urgency as the Taliban amassed power and drew closer to Kabul. Instead, they relied on assurances from Afghanistan's then-president that the country's forces would be able to hold off the Taliban advance.

Inadequate Resources

Some have argued that the Biden administration failed to provide adequate resources for the evacuation, particularly in terms of military personnel. There were calls for Biden to keep a residual force of 2,500 troops in Afghanistan to maintain stability and facilitate the evacuation. However, Biden opted to keep a smaller force of 650 troops, which was not adequate to secure Bagram Air Base, which was quickly taken over by the Taliban.

Failure to Protect US Citizens and Allies

Despite Biden's promise to evacuate all US citizens from Afghanistan, it is estimated that around 200 US citizens were left behind when the last US plane departed from Kabul on August 30. Many of those who were abandoned could not reach the airport due to Taliban blockades. In addition, the evacuation failed to protect thousands of Afghans who had helped US forces, leaving them vulnerable to reprisals and targeted killings by the Taliban.

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