Vietnam shadow hangs over Biden decision on Afghanistan
By Brett Samuels - 08/13/21 03:12 PM EDT
President Biden is facing a potential foreign policy and humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan as the Taliban makes rapid gains, capturing major cities and prompting concerns over the safety of U.S. diplomatic personnel and civilians on the ground.
The Taliban took control of Kandahar and Herat on Thursday, the second- and third-largest cities in Afghanistan after Kabul, followed by Lashkar Gar on Friday. The Biden administration is sending about 3,000 troops to the country to help evacuate diplomats from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, as well as Afghans who have applied for special immigrant visas for helping the United States during the war.
Despite the quickly deteriorating situation, Biden is poised to see through the withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of August. The White House believes it’s the best move in a situation with no perfect solution, and officials believe it is a decision that will garner public support even as it attracts intense scrutiny from Republicans and national security hawks.
But deep concerns have been raised by figures in the wider national security establishment, and administration figures on Friday were struggling with comparisons between Kabul and the fall of Saigon.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/567802-vietnam-shadow-hangs-over-biden-decision-on-afghanistan
