A year of Biden's foreign policy failures
by Washington Examiner
| December 30, 2021 12:01 AM
President Joe Biden's inaugural address pledged to "repair our alliances and engage with the world once again." The United States, Biden proclaimed, would "be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress, and security."
This has not happened. Instead, Biden's foreign policy has oscillated between chaos and weakness.
The Afghanistan debacle looms largest here. In March, Biden said that when it came to withdrawing U.S. military forces, "We’re going to do so in a safe and orderly way." He explained, "We’re in consultation ... with our allies and partners in how to proceed."
That did not happen. Instead, Biden insisted, against military advice and basic logic, on withdrawing all U.S. forces from Afghanistan. This meant the departure of 2,500 troops and associated contractors who were providing Afghan security forces with irreplaceable logistics, maintenance, intelligence, and air support. With the U.S. in full flight, the Afghan military quickly collapsed. The Afghan political class retreated in fear and disorder. The Taliban stormed toward Kabul. The terrible scenes from Kabul's international airport were the result of Biden's poor planning.
Top U.S. allies were ignored when they begged Biden to extend the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline. The truth is that thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan allies were abandoned by a president who ultimately cared nothing for "a safe and orderly" evacuation.
The video of desperate Afghans flying off the wheels of fleeing U.S. Air Force transports will always be a symbol of Biden's foreign policy legacy, as will the deaths of 13 courageous Americans standing a final watch to protect the ignominious and chaotic rout that Biden forced.
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