Thirteen American servicemembers were killed in terror attacks in Kabul. President Biden vowed to “hunt down” those responsible while maintaining the August 31 withdrawal date.
Summary
Terror attacks killed more than 100 people in Kabul yesterday, including 13 American military personnel, and more attacks are expected before the arbitrary, Taliban-demanded August 31 deadline for withdrawal President Biden agreed to.
- In remarks from the White House responding to the deadliest day for American forces in Afghanistan in years, President Biden pledged “We will rescue the Americans; we will get our Afghan allies out, and our mission will go on”, with 1,000 Americans still in the country.
- The day before the attack, the US Embassy in Kabul alerted those waiting for entry to the airport to leave, citing a threat of attack.
- The Taliban condemned the attack.
- Despite the attacks and threat of more attacks, American military leaders said they “would not alter the ongoing evacuation mission”, which, again, was dictated by the Taliban and agreed to by President Biden to end on August 31. Nor would military officials increase American troop presence.
- The attacks have punctuated two weeks of “political disaster” for President Biden, who is responsible for a “debacle”, and is being considered “the most devastating moment” in Biden’s presidency.
- The Atlantic, less in response to the attacks and more as a coda punctuated by the bombs outside the airport, dissected what will become Washington’s favorite game: the blame game, in which politicians and bureaucrats are turning on each other.
- CNN’s analysis was critical of Biden’s speech, saying it was “punctuated by several contradictions” including his vow to “complete the mission” of evacuating Americans and pulling troops out despite not extending the August 31 deadline.
- New York Times opinion contributor Frank Bruni chastised Democratic politicians for panicking over Afghanistan and their prospects in the upcoming midterms, saying “their political fate is nothing next to the fate of Afghans on the wrong side of the Taliban.”
- Philip Klein wrote in National Review that President Biden’s speech ultimately served as an admission of “inevitability that there will be Americans left behind in Afghanistan.”
- Fox News highlighted social media response to Biden’s remarks, including a visual many consider emblematic of the entire situation: President Biden hunched over with his head on his hands when being asked a question by a reporter while he continued to deflect responsibility for his debacle in Afghanistan.
- The Washington Free Beacon highlighted the immediate reaction among “left-wing journalists” using the attacks at the Kabul airport to claim Republicans are “rejoicing in response to the death and destruction in Kabul.”
Author’s Take
Washington can play the blame game and everyone can point fingers while we’re still trying to rescue Americans. Many American veterans may be having a difficult time with what we’re all watching happen. The Department of Veterans Affairs has resources available for veterans and families of veterans to help cope with the situation.
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© Dallas Gerber, 2021
