Incompetence, mental deterioration or both? I think we saw both on full display when President Biden was interviewed on ABC as well as when he spoke to the nation last Friday. He made statements that were demonstrably untrue. He claimed American citizens could get to the Kabul airport. Not true. He claimed foreign leaders/allies supported his actions. Not true. He claimed his administration had always anticipated this sort of debacle in the pull out from Afghanistan. Not true. He claimed that Al Qaeda has no presence in Afghanistan. Not true. Biden either intentionally lied or he had no idea what was true and what wasn’t which is worse than lying.
This is worse than the days following the fall of Saigon. Taliban troops with United States uniforms, mimic the scene of the Marines on Iwo Jima. On 9-11 the Taliban flag will be flying over the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. The credibility of the United States has taken a serious hit. What faith can those in Taiwan have in our assurances we will not permit the Chinese Communists to take the island? What about the Baltic states that have our assurance we will not permit Russia to overrun their countries? Who would believe any promises of our country now?
Why wasn’t this outcome foreseen? What are the C.I.A. and other United States intelligence agencies doing if they could not anticipate the takeover by the Taliban? Are our governmental agencies so caught up in political correctness and politics that they have lost their way as to their fundamental mission? Why wouldn’t one prepare for the worst and if the worst didn’t occur be pleasantly surprised?
Whether the United States should have stayed in Afghanistan or left is not the issue. Once the decision to leave was made it should have been done in a competent manner. It was not.
We now see the folly of saying “anyone but Trump.” Biden is not competent to be president. For those who supported Biden I am wondering if you are still pleased with your choice?
—John Lengemann,
Imlay City
