
<p>It looks like the United States – under President Biden – is showing leadership in Afghanistan. He is leading the white-flag retreat along with our various allies in the longest unofficial war in American history. He is continuing America’s unbroken string of losing wars since World War II.</p>



<p>Biden can shed some of the blame for what will happen next by noting that President Trump was almost as anxious to bring the troops home in essentially a unilateral surrender to the Taliban.</p>



<p>Perhaps you think my calling our withdrawal a “unilateral surrender to the Taliban” is a bit hyperbolic. ; Really? ;</p>



<p>Virtually every military leader and international observer is predicting a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. ; Already hundreds of units once controlled by the Government in Kabul have surrendered their territory and weapons to the Taliban – and most without a single shot being fired.</p>



<p>Though not adequately reported in American media, the attacks on women and even the beheading of Taliban opponents is on the uptick. Under our protection, women were granted rights – as simple as being allowed to attend schools. However, the Taliban is brutally taking away those rights. </p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-much-like-isis-that-established-a-califate-over-much-of-iraq-and-the-middle-east-the-taliban-rules-by-terror">Much like ISIS that established a califate over much of Iraq and the Middle East, the Taliban rules by terror. </h5>



<p>There is no justice for those the Taliban considers infidels. One need only reflect on the terror they imposed on the people of Afghanistan when they governed over the country.</p>



<p>Such left-wing analysts as the <em>Washington Post’s</em> David Ignatius and Richard Haass, of the Council on Foreign Relations, are talking about a very tragic summer in Afghanistan. ; MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough predicts the slaughter of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people. ; He compares it to the 500,000 who died when President Obama walked away from those fighting the regime of Bashar al Asaad in Syria – and those who suffered under the rule of ISIS in Iraq, until the Trump administration made their defeat a high priority. ; But that victory was a battle, not the end of the war on Islamic terrorism in the Middle East.</p>



<p>As was the case in Vietnam and Syria, the United States left behind thousands of local allies, who were – and in Syria, are – being brutally slaughtered in what can only be described as campaigns of genocide.</p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-the-taliban-takes-over-afghanistan-will-join-iran-as-a-nation-controlled-by-islamic-terrorists-they-will-launch-terrorism-against-their-neighbors-and-throughout-the-world">When the Taliban takes over, Afghanistan will join Iran as a nation controlled by Islamic terrorists. They will launch terrorism against their neighbors – and throughout the world.</h5>



<p>Keep in mind that Biden’s accelerated withdrawal from Afghanistan was against the advice of his top military advisors. While the President is Commander-in-Chief of the military, he is still a civilian with limited to no military experience. Good Presidents take the advice of their generals and not pretend to be one.</p>



<p>Although they followed suit, it has been widely reported that our allies were shocked by Biden’s decision to pull out. ; Since America was, as usual, the major force – personnel and funding – our allies had no choice but to follow our leadership(?).</p>



<p>Appearing on “Morning Joe,” <em>Washington Post</em> D.C. Bureau Chief Elisabeth Bumiller put it succinctly. ; “What was the ; point?” ; She cited all those who fought, were wounded and died (including my grandson). ; For what?</p>



<p>We can argue the wisdom of entering the conflict in Afghanistan under the administration of President Bush – or the surge under President Obama, that prolonged the conflict. ; But it is not easily explained why the nation with unquestionably the most powerful military in the world could not defeat a militia without tanks … without an air force … and without sophisticated missiles. ; We lost a war to aggressors who basically fought with machine guns on the back of ; pick-up trucks –and engaged in targeted terrorist bombings.</p>



<p>Retreating in defeat was not the only option. ; We could have united the world in escalating the war against the Taliban. ; We could have made victory a doable objective. ; I know the idea of escalating conflict is not popular these days. ; But is humiliating defeat … again … the best option?</p>



<p>America is now a nation that no one truly admires – and no one fears. ; We have surrendered world leadership to become a paper tiger nation. ; We are cowed by our major rivals – China and Russia – humiliated by third-world counties. So, there ‘tis.</p>

Afghanistan: Another Shame on America
