...By Jack Sylva for TDPel Media.
On Thursday, the White House released a report detailing the post-mortem of the Afghanistan withdrawal, which heavily blamed the Trump administration for the chaos that followed.
The report highlighted how President Biden’s choices for how to execute the withdrawal were severely constrained by the conditions created by his predecessor.
The document also gave other reasons for pulling out, stating that America’s goal was never to nation-build, and the U.S. presence had unclear objectives with no end in sight.
Trump’s role in the withdrawal
The report further notes that when Donald Trump took office in 2017, there were 10,000 troops in Afghanistan. President Trump ordered direct talks with the Taliban without consulting with allies, partners or the Afghan government at the negotiating table.
In September 2019, President Trump emboldened the Taliban by publicly considering inviting them to Camp David on the anniversary of 9/11.
No plans for withdrawal
The document stated that the Biden White House was carrying out a Trump White House order to withdraw troops by summer 2021. Still, the Trump team left them with no plans for how to conduct the withdrawal of the last 2,500 troops who remained.
Commentary
The report released by the White House highlights the disastrous consequences of the Afghanistan withdrawal and how the Trump administration’s decisions significantly contributed to the chaos that followed.
It reveals that Trump’s direct talks with the Taliban emboldened them, and his lack of consultation with allies and partners, led to unclear objectives and no end in sight for the U.S. presence in Afghanistan.
The report also shows how the Biden administration was severely constrained by the Trump administration’s actions and left with no plans for the withdrawal of the last 2,500 troops.
It is essential to acknowledge that the decisions made by past administrations have long-lasting consequences and can significantly impact future administrations’ decisions.
