Comments

You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name

Your e-mail (optional)

Website (optional)

	My Original Nic Pic-a-Nic Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Foto

Submit your comments on this article

Afghanistan

Gen. McMaster puts blame for Afghanistan disaster squarely on Biden - ‘self-defeat’

2021-08-30

[HOT AIR] The Sunday morning political shows were not kind to Joe Biden and his disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Any and all criticism leveled at his decisions is warranted, especially since the death of 13 military members, ages 20 — 31 at the Kabul airport. There is no hiding from that tragedy at Camp David or in the basement of one of his Delaware homes.

One critic who keeps showing up is retired General H.R. McMaster who served as National Security Advisor in the Trump administration from 2017 to 2018. His time in the administration was bumpy and after he left, there was talk that he called Trump a "dope" which was denied by others present at the dinner at which the remark was allegedly made. McMaster ended his frequent appearances on FNC that he enjoyed as a member of the Trump administration and went over to CNN and MSNBC. They were happy to welcome someone who they thought would criticize Trump. Now, however, it is impossible to notice he is back on FNC. He is a vocal critic of Biden’s handling of the withdrawal of Afghanistan which must be a shock to his new friends in the Biden-friendly media. This morning he was interviewed by Chuck Todd on Meet the Press. His opinions have not changed from one network to another.

McMaster says the war in Afghanistan ended in "self-defeat". He said everyone involved in the war management during the last 20 years bears some responsibility but it didn’t have to end this way. He calls it "a one-year war fought twenty times over." The decision for withdrawal has been a costly one. McMaster said that Biden "doubled down" on Trump’s original plan and "failed to reverse" it. The fact is, too, that Trump’s agreement with the Taliban — an agreement that wasn’t a formal agreement — was already null and void due to Taliban conduct before Biden set his withdrawal operation into play.

"And of course, what’s sad about it is this war ended in self-defeat, Chuck. I mean we had a sustainable effort in place several years ago, that if we had sustained it, we could have prevented what’s happening now," McMaster told host Chuck Todd. "But instead, what we did, Chuck, is actually we surrendered to a jihadist organization and assumed that there would be no consequences for that. And we’re seeing the consequences today." McMaster calls it a surrender to a jihadi organization. He’s not wrong.

Posted by:Besoeker

#11 KillingOBL and as many of his associates was the mission.
Really? Okay, it was the official reason. The only reason that made sense to me was: Deterrence. Starting in the 1960's a lot of bad actors decided that supporting terrorists gave them a deniable "Poor Man's Weapon of Mass Destruction". They couldn't afford a nuclear program but they could afford something that allowed them to threaten (in a fake Mafioso accent) "If youz does dat then somethin' bad will happen. Capisce?"

A 'Punitive Raid' on Afghanistan and toppling the Taliban would seem an appropriate response to that tactic -- and a warning to other people contemplating it. Unfortunately we got bogged down in that 'Nation Building' horsepuckey.

Posted by: magpie 2021-08-30 15:45

#10 Contrast General C.Y.A McMaster with a memo prepared by General Dwight Eisenhower in case the D-Day invasion failed:
"Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone."

Posted by: SteveS 2021-08-30 15:42

#9 Starting to fall into the Ignominious As Planned.

Posted by: swksvolFF 2021-08-30 15:35

#8 If only Bush had had the courage to stand by his 'Mission Accomplished' statement back in 2003. Declare victory and leave.

Posted by: Glenmore 2021-08-30 15:24

#7 "The First Casualty of War is Truth"

This now familiar adage has been credited to Aeschylus, Hiram Johnson, Arthur Ponsonby, Kipling, and others.

Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-30 09:37

#6 The Pentagon was lying for years about how it was going in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan Papers prove it. McMaster, as one of the ringleaders, certainly knew it.

Posted by: Blinky Pholuling8616 2021-08-30 09:31

#5 Yes, if he moves in next door, someone else can handle the welcome wagon duties.

Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-30 09:13

#4 McBastard stabbed Trump in the back and now he's stabbing Joe in the ankles. Makes you wonder if he's got any loyalty to anyone but his own face in the mirror.

Ma$turbation: $ex with someone you truly love...

Posted by: M. Murcek 2021-08-30 09:06

#3 so like bodieden put all those fire bases in the bottom lands surrounded by high ground and made fucked up coded maps put on cnn that remedials could follow not to mention the fake chat room crap and on and on and count your fucking bullets FUCK THEM ALL!

Posted by: Sluse Grealet9429 2021-08-30 08:22

#2 Killing OBL and as many of his associates was the mission. After he was dead, it was time to head home. The Marshal Plan for the place was the self inflicted grievous wound pandering to the vanity of a segment of the ruling class. The gangrene is now spreading.

Posted by: Procopius2k 2021-08-30 06:43

#1 Success has many fathers ...

Posted by: g(r)omgoru PB 2021-08-30 05:22

00:00