Joe’s Gift to the Taliban: Leaving Americans Behind
While Michael Goodwin’s comparison of President Biden’s groveling before the Taliban to Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler is apt, Biden’s actions in sentencing Americans and Afghan allies to certain death for his own political purposes more closely resembles the infamous actions of an earlier political figure, Pontius Pilate (“Appeaser in chief ’s shame,” Aug. 25).
All that is missing from Biden’s public statements on his self-imposed Aug. 31 deadline for American withdrawal is the basin of water and the hand-washing ceremony. We may see it yet. Kathleen Murphy
Brooklyn
Based on his comments on Tuesday, Biden clearly fears that the US military supplies and armament that was left behind in Afghanistan will be used to overrun our troops at Kabul airport.
Biden’s capitulation to the Taliban will strand US citizens and allies, and allow the Taliban to celebrate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with beheadings of those left behind. William Fidurski
Clark, NJ
Gutless Biden plumbed new depths of shame with his callous abandonment of thousands of people by refusing to extend the Afghanistan evacuation.
He cites the risk of an attack, but that is an empty bluff — the Taliban, still cautious about international acceptance, wouldn’t risk a massacre.
And even if there should be an attack, why are thousands of American and British troops at Kabul airport if not to deal with that? They are professionals. That’s their job.
Why bother deploying at all if everything relies on the indulgence and hospitality of America’s gracious hosts, the Taliban? Should the Taliban handle the visa confirmations, too? Why not let them fly the planes as well? Biden’s given them everything else.
Robert Frazer Lancashire, UK
As a Korean and Vietnam veteran, I am appalled, ashamed and frustrated with the Biden administration’s lack of guts to stand up to a group of thugs.
In less than eight months, this administration has brought nothing but shame on our great nation. It’s time for him and his VP to go.
John Fargason
Palm City, Fla.
Goodwin blames Biden with alacrity for the Afghanistan pullout.
President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney started the mess that is today’s Afghanistan. Surely, Goodwin did not expect the pullout to be pretty?
Although all signs augured a Taliban victory, most folks working and living in Afghanistan, in the hope that the Taliban
could be fended off, probably didn’t want to leave until the point of no return. This is human nature, not Biden’s fault.
Biden is doing the best he can in Afghanistan. It would be unwise and unsafe for the evacuees for our military to start a mini-war with the Taliban, the latter now sitting on mountains of American weapons and counting among its ranks criminals and extremists just let loose from Kabul’s prison.
Biden is being patient and restrained, as he should be, because the circumstances of the pullout do not call for American braggadocio.
Usha Nellore
Bel Air, Md.
With the Afghanistan withdrawal disaster, the world now sees Biden’s incompetence. Billions of dollars worth of weaponry and equipment is now in the hands of our enemy.
Biden withdrew military forces, leaving American citizens and Afghan supporters unprotected. He was then forced to bring back thousands of troops to assist them.
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair called this withdrawal “imbecilic.” There should be resignations on the grounds of negligence and dereliction of duty.
The image of Afghan civilians falling from the airplane and the Taliban raising their flag to resemble our flag-raising at Iwo Jima will be permanently linked to Biden.
Wokeness and weakness isn’t a winning strategy. Democrats own this. Craig Boyer
Bayport