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SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Political Crossfire
Biden’s Afghan Retreat Has Done Irreparable Damage to Our Alliances By Marc A. Thiessen
J
ust days after taking office, President Joe Biden made a solemn declaration: “America is back. Diplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy,” and “we will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.” More than seven months into his administration, the results are in: No U.S. president has done more damage to our alliances, or America’s standing in the world, in so short a time, as Biden has with his Afghanistan debacle. At a virtual meeting of Group of Seven leaders last week, the Associated Press reports, Biden “clashed” with America’s closest allies, who pleaded with him to extend the artificial deadline he set for the U.S. withdrawal, noting that, according
to the AP, “no country would be able to evacuate all their citizens and at-risk Afghan allies by the Aug. 31 deadline.” But Biden refused to budge. German Chancellor A ngela Merkel told reporters that “without the United States of America … we – the others – cannot continue the evacuation mission.” Canada says it was forced to leave about 1,250 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their family members in Afghanistan. Britain left behind up to 1,100 Afghans who worked for its military and embassy, while Germany left behind at least 6,000 of its Afghan partners and France left behind at least 1,000. Biden not only betrayed our citizens and Afghan allies but also forced NATO allies to
betray theirs as well. When European leaders are desperately trying to stiffen the U.S. president’s spine, America is in trouble. That was when they could get Biden’s attention. During a crisis, many Americans imagine their commander-in-chief sitting at the Resolute Desk, working the phones, coordinating with world leaders. So it came as a shock when national security adviser Jake Sullivan admitted on August 17 that the president had not spoken with a single world leader since the fall of Kabul. Asked why, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was too busy focusing on “operational efforts,” but “if there is a benefit in the president picking up the phone and call-
ing a world leader, he will certainly do that.” If there is a benefit? Joe Biden – the great champion of multilateralism and critic of Republican unilateralism – wasn’t sure if there was a benefit to picking up the phone and calling a world leader? How about calling one back? British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried for 36 hours to reach Biden, according to news reports. It was only after the media reported that the president had spoken to no foreign leaders that Biden finally returned Johnson’s calls. The New York Times reported that Britain was given little say in the withdrawal, “even though it suffered the second-most casualties among Western nations in the Afghanistan war,”
