Apart from Trumpeting elephants, the current drum beat against President Biden on Afghanistan will precipitously diminish over the coming weeks and months. Almost certainly there will be hearings on why many more Afghans who served the American government were not pre-certified for evacuation. In the Foreign Service I painfully learned …
Apart from Trumpeting elephants, the current drum beat against President Biden on Afghanistan will precipitously diminish over the coming weeks and months. Almost certainly there will be hearings on why many more Afghans who served the American government were not pre-certified for evacuation. In the Foreign Service I painfully learned the difference between the State Department’s authority to issue visas and the immutable right of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reject or accept those who arrive in the United States.
The USCIS historically has been the naysayer on many attempts to broaden immigration, including responding to emergency situations. The USCIA is constrained by legislation and by a general internal attitude to interpret harsh existing laws and regulations. I would not be surprised if Stephen Miller, Trump’s hatchet man on immigration, played a major role in introducing operational constraints within USCIS. [I have read nothing about the USCIS in recent articles on the failure to swiftly identify and process the multitude of Afghans who had worked for the American government and were endangered by a Taliban takeover.]
After Trump’s one-sided February, 2020 scuttle-and-run agreement with the Taliban [promisse to remove our troops in return for a Taliban promise not to attack them, release of 1000s of imprisoned Taliban fighters and more], THE APPROVAL OF AFGHAN EVACUEES ACTUALLY DECLINED IN 2021. It increased moderately in the first months of President Biden’s administration.
Clearly the pandemic played a significant role in the processing of potential Afghan evacuees. Visa processing was sharply curtailed or even suspended at American consulates. I presume that a large portion of the USCIS staff did not go to the office.
Whatever the reasons, we did a tremendous disservice to those Afghans who had served us and were in personal danger. With urgency and common sense, I believe that far more could have been accomplished before a frenetic evacuation. This could have included legal depositions from American personnel attesting to the service and character of their current and past Afghan employees.
Some will focus on the failure of intelligence prior to the ‘precipitous collapse’ of the Afghan military and police. While Monday morning quarterbacks can have a field day, I believe that the investigation results will be muddy.
Currently President Biden is being targeted on various fronts: 1) he was unprepared for this ‘precipitous collapse’ and its aftermath; 2) he shouldn’t have placed American military into such a dangerous situation in which we were dependent on Taliban security; and 3) our military should have remained in Afghanistan after his August 31st deadline. In my view, 1) can be the topic of an endless circular debates, while 2) and 3) are contradictory.
When the smoke clears, what I find obvious is that President Biden decisively ended our 20 years of war without end and he facilitated, in barely two weeks, the evacuation of over 120,000 human beings under the most vexing and dangerous circumstances. It was a tragedy that over a dozen American military and 170 Afghans were killed and many more wounded by an ISIS-K bomb. From the outset, such an assault was considered highly probable. The U. S. And the Taliban, from mutual self interest, worked together to prevent terrorists attacks. Sadly, they were unable to abort them all.
I applaud Biden for being presidential. On President Truman’s desk was a sign THE BUCK STOPS HERE. In my view, Biden was Trumanesque.
"Trump’s one-sided February, 2020 scuttle-and-run agreement with the Taliban [promisse to remove our troops in return for a Taliban promise not to attack them, release of 1000s of imprisoned Taliban fighters"
Yes, that was a Surrender agreement written by Putin for Trump to sign.
Auto parts stores in the D.C. area are reporting a tremendous rush to purchase rear-view mirrors. They are flying off the shelves as soon as fresh supplies comes in.
Thank you for your experienced and knowledgeable assessment, Keith. Do you also think that our 20 years in Afghanistan is due to the Military Industrial Complex that Eisenhower warned us of? Isn't it now much beyond Eisenhower's nightmare? Who is putting our military at risk -- those Republican Donors/Contractors, that Industrial Superrich Military Industrial Complex? Why do we have such a gigantic military in this time of Technology?
Fern Our military is quicker to go into a situation than to withdraw. The only swift withdrawal that I can recall is Somalis in 1993 (Blackhawk Down). General Powell, who was conservative about military interventions, referred to the Pottery Barn sign: IF YOU BREAK IT, YOU OWN IT. As for Congress, the military endeavors to get subcontractors from virtually every state.
Keith, In your somewhat diplomatic reply, I take it that the enormous size of the military is due our political/financial equation, under which foreign policy, intelligence, military and congressional decisions are frequently made to transfer enormous sums of money from the defense budget into private hands and not based on the security needs of the country. It appears then that America has a deeply corrupt defense enterprise, for the most part, unconnected to the real security needs of the country. Not to be passed over, this puts the lives of our soldiers at great and unnecessary risk.. Have I fairly interpreted your spare but pointed response?
I was a diplomat who operated alone with a M-16 and .45 in rebel-infested Congolese provinces and slugged the White House African honcho. I believe that the military buys expensive toys that are more for flash than our military needs. The aircraft carrier supplanted the battleship, BUT I find no justification for $13 billion for a carrier before planes, crew, and support armada. We don’t dare take these close to any major force, since rockets can sink the suckers. Our fighter planes are ‘state-of-the-art, extremely expensive, and don’t have the range to hit many enemy targets. The development of any of these weapons takes far longer than initially predicted with a cost that is way above the phony first estimates. “Nuff for now from this ‘diplomat.’
Thank you, Keith. I appreciate the information that you shared with us.. I knew you were a diplomat that is why I chose that description instead of 'minimal', which seemed to apply as well.
"I believe that far more could have been accomplished before a frenetic evacuation."
No one could foresee that the Afghani Army would immediately crumble and disappear or that the legit Afghani President would grab a suitcase of money and abandon his people. Biden was dealt a terrible hand and he and our valiant service members did a Herculean job!
"he shouldn’t have placed American military into such a dangerous situation in which we were dependent on Taliban security"
Taliban swooped in to fill the vacuum left by the deserters. We weren't depending on them for security; they were one more roadblock to getting everyone out.
Absolutely agree with you that Biden was Trumanesque! The fact he couldn't get everyone out will haunt him, and us, the rest of our days. As I said, we all have to play the hand we were dealt.
When the former guy made the agreement it was calculated: A. The terrible end would be in his second term so he would not care about his personal re election, or B. It would be the other party terrible end and he could whip up anger and blame them.
I referenced earlier Malcolm Nance who was on Michael Cohen's podcast. One of the very interesting things he said was that Tramp wanted to remove ALL military right before the inauguration. His plan was to remove the military and watch the chaos unfold just as President Biden was taking office. His advisors stopped him, thus the 2,500 forces that remained. Can you imagine the situation that Biden would have inherited with no troops there to assist????
Re your comment: "I would not be surprised if Stephen Miller, Trump’s hatchet man on immigration, played a major role in introducing operational constraints within USCIS."
I did hear something on this subject recently. I cannot remember the source - maybe Nance? But the reporter described deliberate actions that Miller took to interfere with the processes needed to evacuate those individuals.
Ellen Thanks. I simply assumed that this is something that Slimy Stephen would do, since his anti-immigrant vendetta is Himmleresque.. I was surprised to see that he was married a few months ago. Stephen/positive emotions is an oxymoron.
Apart from Trumpeting elephants, the current drum beat against President Biden on Afghanistan will precipitously diminish over the coming weeks and months. Almost certainly there will be hearings on why many more Afghans who served the American government were not pre-certified for evacuation. In the Foreign Service I painfully learned the difference between the State Department’s authority to issue visas and the immutable right of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reject or accept those who arrive in the United States.
The USCIS historically has been the naysayer on many attempts to broaden immigration, including responding to emergency situations. The USCIA is constrained by legislation and by a general internal attitude to interpret harsh existing laws and regulations. I would not be surprised if Stephen Miller, Trump’s hatchet man on immigration, played a major role in introducing operational constraints within USCIS. [I have read nothing about the USCIS in recent articles on the failure to swiftly identify and process the multitude of Afghans who had worked for the American government and were endangered by a Taliban takeover.]
After Trump’s one-sided February, 2020 scuttle-and-run agreement with the Taliban [promisse to remove our troops in return for a Taliban promise not to attack them, release of 1000s of imprisoned Taliban fighters and more], THE APPROVAL OF AFGHAN EVACUEES ACTUALLY DECLINED IN 2021. It increased moderately in the first months of President Biden’s administration.
Clearly the pandemic played a significant role in the processing of potential Afghan evacuees. Visa processing was sharply curtailed or even suspended at American consulates. I presume that a large portion of the USCIS staff did not go to the office.
Whatever the reasons, we did a tremendous disservice to those Afghans who had served us and were in personal danger. With urgency and common sense, I believe that far more could have been accomplished before a frenetic evacuation. This could have included legal depositions from American personnel attesting to the service and character of their current and past Afghan employees.
Some will focus on the failure of intelligence prior to the ‘precipitous collapse’ of the Afghan military and police. While Monday morning quarterbacks can have a field day, I believe that the investigation results will be muddy.
Currently President Biden is being targeted on various fronts: 1) he was unprepared for this ‘precipitous collapse’ and its aftermath; 2) he shouldn’t have placed American military into such a dangerous situation in which we were dependent on Taliban security; and 3) our military should have remained in Afghanistan after his August 31st deadline. In my view, 1) can be the topic of an endless circular debates, while 2) and 3) are contradictory.
When the smoke clears, what I find obvious is that President Biden decisively ended our 20 years of war without end and he facilitated, in barely two weeks, the evacuation of over 120,000 human beings under the most vexing and dangerous circumstances. It was a tragedy that over a dozen American military and 170 Afghans were killed and many more wounded by an ISIS-K bomb. From the outset, such an assault was considered highly probable. The U. S. And the Taliban, from mutual self interest, worked together to prevent terrorists attacks. Sadly, they were unable to abort them all.
I applaud Biden for being presidential. On President Truman’s desk was a sign THE BUCK STOPS HERE. In my view, Biden was Trumanesque.
"Trump’s one-sided February, 2020 scuttle-and-run agreement with the Taliban [promisse to remove our troops in return for a Taliban promise not to attack them, release of 1000s of imprisoned Taliban fighters"
Yes, that was a Surrender agreement written by Putin for Trump to sign.
And so, Trump did.
Of course, but somewhere another deposit in another off shore account
5000 released Taliban fighters, I believe.
Auto parts stores in the D.C. area are reporting a tremendous rush to purchase rear-view mirrors. They are flying off the shelves as soon as fresh supplies comes in.
Good one Jack!
Do you have scouts there, Jack, so you can provide us with timely updates?
Thank you for your experienced and knowledgeable assessment, Keith. Do you also think that our 20 years in Afghanistan is due to the Military Industrial Complex that Eisenhower warned us of? Isn't it now much beyond Eisenhower's nightmare? Who is putting our military at risk -- those Republican Donors/Contractors, that Industrial Superrich Military Industrial Complex? Why do we have such a gigantic military in this time of Technology?
Fern Our military is quicker to go into a situation than to withdraw. The only swift withdrawal that I can recall is Somalis in 1993 (Blackhawk Down). General Powell, who was conservative about military interventions, referred to the Pottery Barn sign: IF YOU BREAK IT, YOU OWN IT. As for Congress, the military endeavors to get subcontractors from virtually every state.
Keith, In your somewhat diplomatic reply, I take it that the enormous size of the military is due our political/financial equation, under which foreign policy, intelligence, military and congressional decisions are frequently made to transfer enormous sums of money from the defense budget into private hands and not based on the security needs of the country. It appears then that America has a deeply corrupt defense enterprise, for the most part, unconnected to the real security needs of the country. Not to be passed over, this puts the lives of our soldiers at great and unnecessary risk.. Have I fairly interpreted your spare but pointed response?
I was a diplomat who operated alone with a M-16 and .45 in rebel-infested Congolese provinces and slugged the White House African honcho. I believe that the military buys expensive toys that are more for flash than our military needs. The aircraft carrier supplanted the battleship, BUT I find no justification for $13 billion for a carrier before planes, crew, and support armada. We don’t dare take these close to any major force, since rockets can sink the suckers. Our fighter planes are ‘state-of-the-art, extremely expensive, and don’t have the range to hit many enemy targets. The development of any of these weapons takes far longer than initially predicted with a cost that is way above the phony first estimates. “Nuff for now from this ‘diplomat.’
Thank you, Keith. I appreciate the information that you shared with us.. I knew you were a diplomat that is why I chose that description instead of 'minimal', which seemed to apply as well.
"I believe that far more could have been accomplished before a frenetic evacuation."
No one could foresee that the Afghani Army would immediately crumble and disappear or that the legit Afghani President would grab a suitcase of money and abandon his people. Biden was dealt a terrible hand and he and our valiant service members did a Herculean job!
"he shouldn’t have placed American military into such a dangerous situation in which we were dependent on Taliban security"
Taliban swooped in to fill the vacuum left by the deserters. We weren't depending on them for security; they were one more roadblock to getting everyone out.
Absolutely agree with you that Biden was Trumanesque! The fact he couldn't get everyone out will haunt him, and us, the rest of our days. As I said, we all have to play the hand we were dealt.
When the former guy made the agreement it was calculated: A. The terrible end would be in his second term so he would not care about his personal re election, or B. It would be the other party terrible end and he could whip up anger and blame them.
Standard system for “care only about self” guy
I referenced earlier Malcolm Nance who was on Michael Cohen's podcast. One of the very interesting things he said was that Tramp wanted to remove ALL military right before the inauguration. His plan was to remove the military and watch the chaos unfold just as President Biden was taking office. His advisors stopped him, thus the 2,500 forces that remained. Can you imagine the situation that Biden would have inherited with no troops there to assist????
Re your comment: "I would not be surprised if Stephen Miller, Trump’s hatchet man on immigration, played a major role in introducing operational constraints within USCIS."
I did hear something on this subject recently. I cannot remember the source - maybe Nance? But the reporter described deliberate actions that Miller took to interfere with the processes needed to evacuate those individuals.
Ellen Thanks. I simply assumed that this is something that Slimy Stephen would do, since his anti-immigrant vendetta is Himmleresque.. I was surprised to see that he was married a few months ago. Stephen/positive emotions is an oxymoron.
I believe it has been reported that Miller's hand in it was very active.
Good morning Keith. Excellent grounding information.
Very helpful to have someone with inside knowledge of how these things work. Thank you.
Every. Word. You. Said. 👏 sending messages to admin leaders praising and thanking them.
Nicely written, Keith