"[T]here are no signs that the #Taliban is planning any major crackdown on #Al_Qaeda, nor on any other group with foreign fighters with whom it has collaborated inside Afghanistan" - @asfandyarmir mwi.usma.edu/untying-the-go…
And with that, the United Nations has done everything it can.
Not a great vote of confidence in what this Biden speech will say.
Here we go: #Biden begins speaking about the "rapidly evolving events" in #Afghanistan, says he wants to begin with how we got here.
Biden says: "our mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to be nation-building", the "only vital interest is preventing a terrorist attack" on the US. Since terrorism has spread beyond Afghanistan ... that makes Afghanistan less important, somehow.
Biden claims the US can deal with "direct threats" from #Afghanistan via "over the horizon" capabilities. Goes on to claim he withdrew because of the deal #Trump made, and the only alternative was "sending thousands more" back "into combat".
"I stand squarely behind my decision": there was "never a good time to withdraw", claims "we were clear eyed about the risks" and "planned for every contingency", though concedes this unfolded more quickly than expected, and then he blames the Afghans and says it proves him right
Biden: "We gave them (the Afghans) every chance to determine their own future. We could not provide them the will to fight for that future."
Disgusting blame-shifting.
#Biden says the Afghan leaders were "unable to come together" even "when the chips were down" - omits entirely what the US "peace process" did to strengthen the jihadists - and puts all the blame on a failure to come to a "deal" with the Taliban on the Afghan government.
#Biden once again claims that #Russia and #China wanted the #US to stay in #Afghanistan and are in some way perturbed by this catastrophe.
#Biden: "We will continue to support the Afghan people, we will lead with our diplomacy" and "push for regional diplomacy" (giving space to Pakistan, Iran, Russia, and China). US will "speak out" on the abuses, says "rallying the world" is how human rights are protected.
#Biden: says the Embassy has been relocated to the airport in Kabul and will be assisting Americans, allied civilians, and SIV-applicable Afghans. Biden blames the Afghans for the US not starting the evacuations earlier - the population and government.
#Biden promises a "devastating" response if the #Taliban disrupt the #US evacuation operation. Says the collapse is "proof" that he was right.
#Biden uses the phrase "graveyard of Empires", refers to "another country's civil war", "I do not regret my decision", remain "laser focused" on terrorism, and the "buck stops with me", after a speech blaming Trump and the Afghans.
#Biden says staying in #Afghanistan "is not what the American people want", and as their leader he must follow them.
#Biden concludes by saying he bravely bearing all this "criticism" in order to take the right decision for America. And then leaves without taking a question.
In sum: #Biden blamed Trump but more than anything the #Afghans, and adopted the talking point that "they didn't fight for themselves" (after he removed their capacity to do so against #Pakistan's jihadists) and said the disaster he has orchestrated proves he was right.
The #Biden administration has for a while veered between "we're nice" and "fuck the Afghans, America First" in its messaging; the President has at least now taken a firm line. And it might well work: the nationalist tone of this speech probably appeals to a lot of Trump voters.
If the TV networks were still doing the fact-checking thing about Presidential speeches, the core lie in #Biden's speech that would be the centre of attention is the idea it was the #Afghan government that was at fault for there not being a "peace deal" with the #Taliban.
The Taliban refused to recognise the Afghan government and the US went over Kabul's head, "only the first in a disastrous series of steps within the framework of this so-called peace process" that mortally weakened the state. telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/1…
What a horrible, needless situation this all is.
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