President Biden made the right strategic decision on Afghanistan: here’s why. Written by Bruce Wolpe, US political contributor for Ticker NEWS.
Despite criticism, US President Biden made the right decision to end the war in Afghanistan and bring American troops home.
WOLPE ON BIDEN’S GRIP ON THE CHAOS IN AFGHANISTAN
Moreover, he ended it for the right reasons. After 20 years, thousands of soldiers have been killed or wounded. The US has incurred over a trillion dollars in costs.
The objective of removing Afghanistan as a terrorist threat to the homeland and US allies had been long achieved, and the nation-building efforts could go no further.
Yet when the moment of truth for the Afghan government and armies arrived, with the Taliban sweeping the county, the Afghan president fled and their forces dispersed.
WOLPE ON WHAT IS NEXT FOR BIDEN
But the tactical execution of the decision has fallen terribly short, as the world has witnessed over the past several days.
What we saw in Afghanistan just two weeks ago was a real-world intelligence failure playing out in real time.
If US intelligence hadn’t assured Biden, he wouldn’t have told the American people in July that the agonising crisis of Saigon in 1975 wouldn’t be repeated in Afghanistan.
This failure in intelligence is why Biden, US allies across the world and those who served the cause in Afghanistan are facing this crisis today
The only solution – Biden’s imperative – is to bring this humanitarian ordeal to a successful conclusion.
And a successful conclusion can only be achieved by firmly getting a grip on security on the ground in Kabul for those who need to be evacuated to minimise any further loss of life.
The worst-case, catastrophic scenario would be if the Taliban or other terror groups killed or took hostages from those seeking freedom in the West. Such a terrorist threat is real
In his remarks to the country this morning, Biden restated his firm conviction about the war in Afghanistan.
“I think history will record this was the logical, rational, right decision to make.”
This morning, Biden outlined a series of measures underway to safely evacuate those needing to leave the country. After this, they will be processed in a third country.
WOLPE ON BIDEN’S AUGUST 31 EXIT FROM AFGHANISTAN
Despite this, Biden acknowledged there was still a long way to go.
In raw political terms, Biden has taken a hit from this crisis
While not a surprise in the wake of days of headlines of the chaos in Kabul, Biden’s approval has slid to at or under 50% in most polls.
While his decision to exit Afghanistan is popular (60%+), Biden’s handling of the crisis is far lower.
This crisis has severely tested his foreign policy team and America’s relationship with its allies, especially in Europe
But there is no good time for a crisis. This one is unfolding as Congress begins to return from its summer break to take decisive votes on Biden’s enormous domestic political agenda.
Biden’s fate rests on completing the exit from Afghanistan successfully, and winning votes in Congress on his agenda.
As could be seen today, this president is not short of confidence in adversity. He will need every ounce of it he has.
Bruce Wolpe is a Ticker News US political contributor. He’s a Senior Fellow at the US Studies Centre and has worked with Democrats in Congress during President Barack Obama's first term, and on the staff of Prime Minister Julia Gillard. He has also served as the former PM's chief of staff.
Trump confirms U.S. strikes on Iran as Israel targets top Iranian leaders
Trump confirms U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites amid rising tensions; Israel intensifies operations, Iran vows to continue enrichment, and Houthi militants threaten U.S. shipping.
Trump confirms U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites amid rising tensions; Israel intensifies operations, Iran vows to continue enrichment, and Houthi militants threaten U.S. shipping.
President Trump has confirmed that U.S. forces successfully struck three nuclear facilities in Iran – Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan – with all aircraft safely exiting Iranian airspace. The mission, involving B-2 stealth bombers, comes amid rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military operations, killing three top Iranian military leaders and striking a major nuclear facility in Isfahan. The Israeli chief of staff warned the operation may lead to a prolonged and complex war.
Iran responded by vowing to continue uranium enrichment and said talks with the U.S. are off the table unless Israel halts its attacks. In a parallel move, Houthi militants threatened U.S. and commercial ships in the Red Sea if American strikes continue in support of Israel.
Adding to the volatility, an Iranian drone hit northern Israel, with the IDF confirming the incident—though no casualties were reported. The U.S. State Department is now organising flights to evacuate Americans from Israel.
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Trump announces successful U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, while Israel intensifies its military campaign against Iranian leadership.
In Short:
President Trump announced U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, confirming all aircraft left Iranian airspace after the operation. Meanwhile, Israel ramped up its military actions against Iran, leading to warnings from Iranian officials and Houthi militants regarding potential escalations.
President Trump announced on Saturday that the United States had successfully completed strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
This military action was preceded by the deployment of stealth B-2 bombers from Missouri, capable of carrying the GBU-57 bunker buster, a powerful weapon considered effective against the Fordow uranium-enrichment facility.
Trump had earlier indicated to senior aides that he approved attack plans for Iran, awaiting Tehran’s decision on its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military intensified its operations against Iranian military leaders and nuclear sites, announcing the elimination of three senior Iranian figures and strikes on the Isfahan facility. Israel’s military chief warned of a potentially prolonged conflict, describing it as the nation’s most complex military undertaking.
In response, Iranian officials stated their refusal to halt uranium enrichment and indicated that negotiations with the U.S. would only occur if Israel ceased its attacks.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department announced the initiation of flights to facilitate the return of American citizens from Israel.
Houthi militants also issued a warning to target U.S. and commercial vessels in the Red Sea should American attacks in support of Israel commence.
Amidst this, an Iranian drone attack recently damaged a building in northern Israel, marking an acknowledged drone strike by the Israeli military during the ongoing conflict. No casualties were reported from the incident.