Civic Register
| 8.22.21
America’s NATO Allies Criticize Afghanistan Withdrawal - 'Biggest Debacle NATO Has Suffered’
Do you think that the execution of the Afghanistan withdrawal has hurt the NATO alliance?
What’s the story?
- Political leaders in three major countries that are U.S. allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have criticized the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in recent days, despite the Biden administration’s continued defense of its decision.
- The NATO alliance was formed in 1949, and over 1,000 NATO troops have been killed in action in Afghanistan alongside more than 2,448 Americans since 2001, when the alliance's Article V mutual defense clause was invoked for the first time after the September 11th terror attacks. It had about 7,000 troops in Afghanistan this spring when the U.S. announced it would pull out its 2,500 troops in the country. Numerous NATO members have been participating in the evacuation of Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover.
- In remarks on Friday, President Joe Biden insisted that NATO allies have praised the withdrawal from Afghanistan:
“I have seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world. I have spoken with our NATO allies… The fact of the matter is I have not seen that. Matter of fact, the exact opposite I’ve got ― the exact opposite I’ve got ― the exact opposite thing is we’re acting with dispatch, we’re acting ― committing to what we said we would do…
And, by the way, before I made this decision, I was at the G7, as well as — met with our NATO partners, and I told them all. Every one of them knew and agreed with the decision I made to an end — end — jointly end our involvement in Afghanistan.”
- Biden spoke with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday night, after Johnson began unsuccessfully attempting to speak with Biden on Monday morning according to the Telegraph.
- In the United Kingdom’s Parliament, Tory MP Tom Tugendhat ― a British Army veteran of Afghanistan who chairs the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in the House of Commons ― criticized President Biden for questioning the courage of the Afghans he fought with alongside American troops:
“To see their commander-in-chief call into question the courage of men I fought with ― to claim that they ran. It is shameful. Those who have never fought for the colors they fly should be careful about criticizing those who have. Because what we have done, in these last few days, is we’ve demonstrated that it’s not armies that win wars. Armies can get tactical victories and operational victories that can hold a line. They can just about make room for peace, make room for people like us, parliamentarians, to talk, to compromise, to listen. It’s nations that make war. Nations endure. Nations mobilise and muster. Nations determine, and have patience. Here we have demonstrated, sadly, that we, the West — the United Kingdom — does not have patience.”
- Biden spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, after AFP reported that Merkel told leaders of her CDU-CSU coalition that the decision to end NATO’s deployment was “ultimately made by the Americans” for “domestic political reasons” and that, “The troop withdrawal sparked a domino effect” resulting in the Taliban’s takeover.
- Armin Laschet, the leader of Merkel’s party who is a likely contender to succeed the retiring chancellor, said the following about the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban:
“It is the biggest debacle that NATO has suffered since its founding, and we’re standing before an epochal change.”
- Biden spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday. According to the French Embassy’s readout of the call, Macron “emphasized our collective moral responsibility toward the Afghan men and women who need our protection and who share our values. We cannot abandon them.” The Guardian noted that the White House’s readout of the call omitted any reference to NATO having a “moral responsibility” to evacuate Afghan allies.
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked about the criticism from NATO allies by Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday and replied:
“This is an incredibly emotional time for many of us, and including allies and partners who have been shoulder-to-shoulder with us in Afghanistan for 20 years at high cost to themselves as well as to us. They stood with us after 9/11, invoked Article 5 at NATO for the first time – an attack on one is an attack on all – and we’ve been there together. But I’ve got to tell you this, Chris: From the get-go, I’ve spent more time with our NATO partners in Brussels, virtually from before the President made his decision, to when he made his decision, to every time since. We’ve been working very, very closely together. We’ve gotten the G7 together, NATO together, the UN Security Council together. We had 113 countries, thanks to our diplomacy, put out a clear understanding of the Taliban’s requirements to let people leave the country.”
— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: US-NATO: DoD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dominique A. Pineiro - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff via Flickr / Creative Commons)
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Check out the new docuseries, “Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror” on Netflix. It is an expansive and detailed historical study about HOW & WHY we got to 9/11, with an almost complete history of WHEN & WHY Afghanistan became a focal point for the American government and the American people. This 5 episode series explains so much and in such detail, afterwards you’ll know EXACTLY WHY we left Afghanistan, and WHY we should have left much sooner than August of 2021! It’s ALL there. And it’s ALL the TRUTH! The main idea I got out of it is this: Never go to war without a clear exit strategy that leaves the invaded country better than you found it. NOT doing so will be catastrophic!
yes when we did it without close coordination with NATO units in country. They will be much more reluctant to put their troops in harm's way the next time we need support.
NATO now knows that Biden is an idiot and they can not trust the US.
I am outraged and flabbergasted at the comments being made by Lindsey Graham and his Repugnant cronies, especially as pertains to any deaths of Afghanistans. It never ceases to amaze me how they say nothing about how they allowed over 600,000 Americans to be murdered by their refusal to defend our country from the Dump’s obsession that such knowledge, by the people, would lose him an election. They ALL need to be jailed for murder. They are STILL killing people with their allowance of, and participation in, all the incredibly-nonsensical arguments against vaccines. That’s you, too, ZUCKERFUCKER! WHO WILL STEP UP AND STOP THIS KILLING TREND? FOR GOD’S SAKE, WHO? HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE WILL DIE BEFORE THEY STOP THIS?MURDERERS, THE ENTIRE LOT OF THEM. WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU CALL IT?
Let NATO take over for the next 20 years.
The NATO countries are our allies and I believe that we have done our share in the time allowed by the Taliban President. Now they need to step up. It is time for us to come home!
Here's the thing. Biden needs to stop trying to justify the shit decisions made by the military and show some respect for the Afghan people. 20 years ago some of us said this was a really stupid decision, which of course made us evil, unAmericans who don't support the troops, blah blah blah into infinity. Oops, turns out the military doesn't have any intention of doing a fucking thing correctly, so I think we're entitled to bitch about their sorry asses. Please stop with the "experts" who know nothing. You do realize they are still rehashing Vietnam in the classrooms of West Point, right? That is how stupid they are. And for you "vets" who are offended, grow some! This is a country that has no running water and sanitation facilities in many areas and you want to blame them for not standing up to the Taliban, who your idiot asses armed. STOP BLAMING THE VICTIMS!!!!! If you all had kept your asses at home we would NOT be in this situation. And every single time I say that I'm a bad guy who doesn't support you? Bull crap. I'm trying to protect you, you nitwits! Stop believing war is the answer to everything.
We are a smart country. We can overcome fascism.
What is Nato doing to help? Were they concerned about Trumps Taliban agreement?????
Most definitely the optics are BAD. Some of our allies will come to doubt our credibility while the likes of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea will view this as an opportunity. America, the world's most powerful military, has been punched in the nose again. But as long as our leadership is woke to transgenderism, white rage and CRT then that's what really matters. NOT.
And who cares about NATO. Its function is to send Americans into battle; this country pay for it; and then criticize and shout down with America. You all fit in perfect!!
I hear the criticism, and this has not been a perfect withdrawal, but what would NATO have done better? Were they leading on this effort? As I recall, the US is the top power and spender in NATO, so they'll just have to be patient or step up to help us evacuate people.
They are happy to level armchair criticism at the USA, but do nothing. Let me know when NATO investment reaches half what the USA has paid in lives of servicemen, money, or time. They nodded along when Trump made this deal. READ THE DOSA AGREEMENT.
Which way would the USA be more screwed? If we didn’t uphold agreements made by previous administrations, or if we did? Was the Trump-Taliban Dosa agreement good? No absolutely not. Are we still obligated to uphold it? Yes. Yes we are. The agreement was made in the name of the USA. We cannot go down the path of abandoning our international agreements every new administration. We do that enough at home and we already know how badly that goes with people that fully understand it.
We carry the weight, and then they get mad when to lose it. It was time.
If most of the people want or don't care if the Taliban rule then we have wasted our time trying to change that country.
Burrkitty, you are on a roll! ❤️😊❤️😊
Just ask them how they felt about Trump and I think that will keep things in context for one. For two they can either help or shut up.
I have read where different NATO countries have expressed their displeasure of the way Biden handled the exit. Biden claims this was discussed with them at a meeting recently (just about an hour), however they seemed to be caught off guard as well. I also have friends throughout the world that also agree this administration is flying solo on their own agenda without listening to what advisors and constituents have to say. Many of the NATO countries are actually putting their citizens and military at risk to save OUR people and their Afghani allies that were left behind enemy lines, while our military stays in the confines of the airport. Plus knowing the Taliban has taken possession of our military equipment doesn’t let me rest easy. Nothing like being shot, tracked down or maimed by our own equipment is like a slap in the face.
Correct any and all mistakes