Biden as the fall guy for the disastrous failures of the Military/Industrial/Complex

[jalan48]

Watching the corporate news channels and reading the editorials in our local newspaper I have been struck by the singular focus only on our withdrawal effort from Afghanistan. What I'm not seeing is an accompanying analysis of why we intervened and stayed in the country for 20 years through three different administrations. I believe the set-up is intentional. By focusing on the suffering at the very end we can avoid talking about what happened in the beginning and the following 20 years. Biden becomes the media's fall guy for the war's failure while those responsible for the entire mess escape the spotlight.

[kimbutgar]

1. I had to turn off all news on Sunday because it was 24/7 blame President Biden

For TFG’s disaster out agreement to turn over Afghanistan to the Taliban without any pre conditions.

So much for the art of the deal bs.

[Hoyt]

2. Honestly, pointing fingers at george war bush, etc., at this point seems a waste of time.

We know who is responsible for getting us into Afghanistan, Iraq, and everywhere else since Vietnam.

But, this is now.

[jalan48]

4. Which makes the next intervention so much easier.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”–George Santayana

[Hoyt]

5. If we haven't learned that occupying another country is a mistake, we never will.

No one has forgotten the error of occupying Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.

But, right this minute, that is not the issue. Sorry.

[jalan48]

6. No need to be sorry. We just disagree. If the media spent all their time disgussing the failure of

our 20 effort and not just the final days I do think it would make a difference in educating people about our failed policies. I don't think most American's understand what happened and in fact are being primed for the next war to avenge our loss in this one.

[global1]

8. And You Can Bet The Next War Is Coming.....

as the MIC needs to turn on its money spigot again.

[jalan48]

9. Yep, and we peons stay stuck in the dark arguing about who's at fault.

[pandr32]

3. You may be right

I wonder how many of "the media" actually investigate anything. Most, it seems, just spew whatever nonsense is getting popular coverage at the time--whether it's nonsense or not. They seem to be more concerned with getting their share of the pie.

[empedocles]

7. trump's deals with the taliban may have been the dynamite that blasted the fragile anti- taliban

cohesion that enabled women's advancement and stability.

[reality1]

10. I haven't posted here in about 10 years! Please read

It wouldn't let me start a new thread so I'll post on this one. I came back to DU to post after all this time(though
I read regularly) to vent and maybe break through to politicians reading this.

What is happening here is exactly why Democrat's lose the narrative, public opinion and subsequent elections.

Biden's not doing a good job regarding Afghanistan, he's doing a GREAT job. Yet he's got no one of significance to go on tv and forcefully, without equivocation defending him. If the exact same thing happened under Trump FOX would be giving him 100% support and politicians would be making the rounds offering unequivocal support. They're already twisting themselves in knots defending Trumps actions while slamming Biden. Loud, wrong and united as ever.

Instead we have Mark Warner talking about investigative commissions Dems left right and center wringing their hands, expressing disappointment or hiding. The so called liberal media saying the sky is falling. Richard Engel has been an embarrassment, check twitter responses to his latest posts, people are all over him.

The gist of my post is, it should be easy for Dems to defend Biden here because he got it almost 100% right.

1. He was dealt a bad hand by Trump who was actually treasonous in his dealing with the Taliban.
They talk about Biden removing forces too quick? easy response...Trump had us leaving earlier which would have lead to more chaos.
Biden extended the date as far as he could to make the withdrawal more orderly. If he waited any longer he would've faced a renewal of an assault on U.S troops by assault by the the Taliban as per Doha agreement. This would have been done while we had a dangerously low amount of troops there as drawn down under Trump. Trump put our troops at a dangerously low level to benefit the Talibans hand and box Joe in. Joe either had to bring 10k plus back in and reengage in a full scale war again or get out. He got out as orderly as can be expected. Good. Easily defended while shining a light on how bad TRUMP fucked the U.S. on this

2. Biden announced weeks ago that he had confidence the Afghan government could hold. What was he supposed to say at the time? that he had no confidence and they could collapse at any moment? That would would've lead to immediate dissolution of Afghan forces and everyone would've rightfully blamed Biden for undermining the moral of the Afghan Army.

3. Chaos at airport. Yeah, for 1 or 2 Days! Biden and team and the military quickly pivoted, the military has control now and people are being ushered onto military transport planes in an orderly fashion. Ironically the Taliban are keeping the U.S. from being overrun again by panicked civilians. NOT a Saigon moment no matter how bad the press wants to shape it that way.

4. Footage of people swarming plane latching onto it and dropping to their death. O.K. let me get this right. People are so frightened by the Taliban that they basically chose that method of death? How about standing fighting, taking some Taliban out and dying with dignity. I guarantee you most American have no sympathy for some of the idiocy shown by Afghan MALES of fighting age at that airport. The same ones leaving Wives, Mother's, Sisters and Daughters behind to get on a plane out. Those cowards showed exactly why we needed to get out and fast.

Bottom line, there are other potential criticisms but all could be defended. Wars are messy and so are the endings, this was surprisingly bloodless and there was actually very little carnage. Do the Taliban suck? Yep but the people apparently didn't care enough to put up a fight.

Folks if we can't get our Dem representatives to stand up for what's right when its right we'll have our own Taliban in control here in 4 years. This reminds me of when Obamacare was passed and all hell broke loose in the republican town halls and on tv, death panels etc. All the people that should've had his back were nowhere to be seen.

Was the exit perfect? No but under circumstances, it's been dealt with extremely well. I'm more proud of Biden than ever. Democrats on the hill? Weaker than ever.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/568297-biden-finds-few-capitol-hill-allies-amid-afghanistan-backlash

The focus now should be on our troops remaining safe. We'll also get a hell lot of Afghan civilians out(too many for FOX already).

I will be contacting Mark Kelly as Sinema is worthless and my local house rep and demand that they vociferously support Biden. I hope you all do the same.
Why? because he got it right. NOW is the time for a unified front. Stop squirming and stand up for what is right. NOW is the time to shape public opinion with the Truth.

[jalan48]

11. I agree that Biden should be supported for making this difficult decision. After 20 years of passing

the buck he made it happen.

[inwiththenew]

12. There were 3 Presidents and 9 Congresses during the 20 years we were there

There is plenty of blame to go around. President Biden is the one left holding the bag but it wouldn't have mattered if we exited 10 years ago after we killed Bin Laden or 10 years from now. The end result was going to be the same.

[UTUSN]

13. K&R

[Hortensis]

14. "Fall guy"? No. Presidents are primary targets for hostile attacks,

however. Sure, media with RW agendas are using this opportunity to try to hurt Biden/Democrats. Comes with the job and with upcoming elections.