While we have yet to hear from the president directly on Afghanistan, that doesn’t mean that we don’t still know what Joe Biden and the White House are up to.
NBC News digital reporter Jonathan Allen has helpfully summarized the White House’s talking point strategy when it comes to addressing the Afghanistan crisis:
WH talking points on Afghanistan appear to be
1) Biden’s not surprised by the outcome — just the speed.
2) Boy, the Afghan Army is really underperforming.
3) This is Trump’s fault.
So, the positive spin is Biden knew it would be ugly and overestimated the Afghan Army.
— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) August 16, 2021
Welp.
— Article V Convention of States please (@philthatremains) August 16, 2021
Number three on Allen’s list is particularly grating. But it’s also utterly, shamefully predictable.
On August 14, Joe Biden — or, more likely, one of his handlers — issued a statement defending his decisions on the Afghan withdrawal. Notice the wording in the final paragraph:
NEW Joe Biden issues a 600 word statement from Camp David to defend his handling of Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/6gUNa6pGbI
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) August 14, 2021
Donald Trump was not perfect. But nor is he responsible for Joe Biden’s piss-poor judgment and its deadly consequences. It’s truly disgusting, albeit unsurprising, to see Joe Biden try to pawn this monumental failure off on Donald Trump.
Watching Biden officials and their partisans (neocons + liberals) try to claim this withdrawal was Trump's plan is shamelessly deceitful.
Trump did want to leave Afghanistan. But Biden spent the year boasting that it was his choice and plan. Kamala leaked that she was key to it. pic.twitter.com/rngZEvrgGO
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) August 16, 2021
“Shamelessly deceitful” is right.
https://twitter.com/titusxpullo/status/1427261676022292483
The Biden administration owns this. The blood is on their hands.
So great to have the adults back in charge. https://t.co/fxd3IR8oBH
— FlyMeAway84 🛩 🏝 (@Away84Me) August 16, 2021
The ostensible adults are nothing more than petulant children.
Speechless at this rolling incompetence playing out now on Day Two. Just don’t get it. These are (supposedly) the competent ones. https://t.co/16KLUhQm1p
— Janet Mullins Grissom (@JMullinsGrissom) August 16, 2021
TOTAL INCOMPETENCE from the Biden administration! https://t.co/Cqs50ttSzs
— Iowa Young Republicans 🇺🇸 🐘 (@YoungIowaGOP) August 16, 2021
Pathetic https://t.co/FO0bkOhEA5
— Dr. Ludicrous Hilarious 🇺🇸🇱🇨🇮🇱✝️🏴☠️ (@LudicrousHilar1) August 16, 2021
Join the conversation as a VIP Member