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Afghanistan Attack Shows Biden Has No Clue How to Be President—or Protect America

Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2021
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by AMAC Newsline
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AMAC Exclusive By: Daniel Roman

Joe Biden’s profoundly un-reassuring press conference yesterday, in the wake of a horrific terrorist attack that killed 13 servicemembers in Afghanistan, was a case study in failed presidential leadership. It embodied everything that is wrong with Biden’s approach to this botched Afghanistan withdrawal, and made excruciatingly clear why we are witnessing this catastrophe. To put it simply, Joe Biden has no idea how to wield presidential power.

Presidential leadership is a matter not just of action but of inspiration. A president has enormous power, but like the United States military itself, the power to act anywhere does not imply the ability to act everywhere. For this reason, the effectiveness of American power depends heavily on the deterrence provided by uncertainty. Knowing it could be used keeps adversaries abroad on their toes, and forces them to calculate their actions. The most successful presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan—have been men of action, but just as importantly they have been masters of the bluff. Of being able to threaten action to get their way. Thomas Jefferson was able to get Louisiana from Napoleon not by fighting him, but by providing the impression that he would if necessary. Ronald Reagan’s policy toward the Soviet Union involved the most sustained Soviet-American cooperation in history, but it was enabled by a willingness to suggest in public that the alternative was the most extreme confrontation.

Donald Trump understood this aspect of statecraft. Joe Biden does not. It is the single greatest difference among many, and it is the one Biden’s defenders miss when they argue that because Donald Trump wished to withdraw from Afghanistan and was willing to negotiate with the Taliban to enable that withdrawal, Biden’s actions today are no different than what Trump’s would have been. To make this argument is to miss entirely the way Trump and other successful commanders-in-chief have always operated.

Donald Trump himself has noted that had he been president, the Taliban would not have dared to behave in the manner they have, dictating deadlines and access rules to US forces in Kabul. The media has predictably attacked him, questioning how his options would have been different. But his “options” are not the point. Neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden had ideal military options in Afghanistan. Yet they wielded those options very differently. Trump left uncertainty in the minds of the Taliban and others as to whether an attack, such as the one that killed 13 US servicemembers this week, would have resulted not just in retaliation, but in a reversal of US disengagement. Maybe, given his “infamous volatility,” such an act might have led Trump to back the Taliban’s domestic opponents with weapons. Whether he would have done so or not, the thought never would have left their minds. And it would have been in their minds when they arranged security and decided how hard they wanted to try and stop ISIS from carrying out attacks against Americans. (Indeed, the situation would almost certainly never have deteriorated to this point in the first place.)

By contrast, as Joe Biden’s remarks and subsequent press conference yesterday made clear once again, he has removed all uncertainty from the minds of the Taliban about the US response to anything which may happen in Afghanistan. Biden has created plenty of uncertainty in the minds of American commanders, America’s allies, and Americans at home about what he may or may not do next, but the Taliban can be fairly certain at this point that nothing will make him reengage with Afghanistan, or meaningfully harm them in any way. Biden might have promised to strike back at “a time and place of our choosing” but as he has made painfully obvious, that time will not be right now, or before August 31st. If there was any doubt as to that, Biden dispelled it by again stressing, as everyone in his administration has, not just that the US was negotiating with the Taliban for security, but that they were relying on the Taliban for security.

This is a key distinction, and not mitigated by Biden’s insistence that he does not trust the Taliban but instead relies upon their sense of self-interest. There is nothing inherently wrong with talking with the Taliban. The last administration did it. Given the disaster which occurred two weeks ago, there was almost certainly no choice but to talk and coordinate with the Taliban on the logistics and security of the evacuation. That could even have been Plan A. But there is a difference between allowing cooperation with the Taliban to be Plan A, and having no Plan B. And there is a difference between having no Plan B, and announcing to the entire world that there is no Plan B. With Donald Trump, his leverage was always having a Plan B—and you could generally be quite sure that his Plan B was worse for you than it was for him.

The problem with purely trusting matters to the Taliban’s self-interest is that their self-interest is to do whatever they can get away with—and in Biden’s case, he has made clear they can get away with almost anything. The reason the Taliban is “cooperating” is that they want America out, and as gratifying as it might be to humiliate the United States further by disrupting the evacuation or inflicting heavy casualties on the 82nd Airborne in Kabul, doing so would undermine their interests. But the reason it would undermine their interests is the assumption that if they went too far – say by attacking the US forces, the US would do something in response. As it becomes clear that the US under Biden will not, in fact, do anything, then the Taliban’s self-interest in helping recedes, making Biden’s plan extremely risky.

We have already seen this dynamic in the debate over extending the withdrawal deadline beyond August 31st. If the Taliban really were willing to assault Hamid Karzai Airport on September 1st if the United States is still there, they would assuredly have done it already. The same risk of retaliation would exist if they assaulted a US military force on September 1st as existed on August 20th. The reason they were able to refuse an extension and threaten an attack is precisely because they knew if they said no to the extension Biden would accept that answer as an excuse to cut short the evacuation. Hence they had no reason to grant the request.

In the last few days, the Taliban have pushed their luck in this respect. They have systematically refused Afghans the right to leave, arguing that Afghanistan needs trained professionals (presumably women) knowing that the US and Europeans would leave on schedule with or without those Afghans and therefore there was no reason to allow them through. They have demanded direct US logistical support, including identification of Afghans who worked with the West as a price of helping remove US citizens, knowing that Biden will say yes.

Biden does not realize that the ISIS attack is very possibly yet another escalation in this pressure campaign. Did the Taliban launch the attack? Biden says no intelligence indicates they did, and I am willing to say they probably did not. But that is a far cry from saying they did everything possible to stop it. The attack disrupted the withdrawal, and it served as a threat of what would happen if the NATO forces were not gone by August 31st. It furthermore left Biden even more dependent on the Taliban. Provided no one could accuse them of direct complicity or negligence, the attack served their self-interest, the self-interest Biden says is their primary motivation, perfectly.

It is probably investing too much in the moment to try to suggest Biden is the worst president in history. James Buchanan and Franklin Pierce managed to inflict vast damage. But he is probably one of the worst deal makers to ever occupy the office. He is being ripped off and out-bargained out of his wallet, shirt and pants by the Taliban in front of a global audience. And his speeches just keep encouraging our enemies.

Daniel Roman is the pen name of a frequent commentator and lecturer on foreign policy and political affairs, both nationally and internationally. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics.

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Deborah
Deborah
3 years ago

And Amen

johnh
johnh
3 years ago

Thank you for posting & I am with you & praying.

Dale Single
Dale Single
3 years ago

Ever hear of Sodom and Gomorrah ??? Aren’t we there with our overlords? HE took the good with the bad!!!!

AjB
AjB
3 years ago

Well folks 47 years sucking on the government teat and he did zero and whenever he attempted to do something or make a decision it was always wrong! He’s your prototypical politician who’s been in office way too long and the poster child for term limits…

Bill on the Hill
Bill on the Hill
3 years ago

Thank you Daniel Roman even though it is your ” pen name “… Any relation to Juan O’Saven? ( sarcasm intended )…The Deep State fraudsters that appointed JRB through a fraudulent 2020 US presidential election knew exactly what they were getting in JRB & now we have little choice to wonder…Have they got enough out of Joe up to this point to have him removed & replaced by Hairy Toes, which of course was their devious plan all along…?
Now for the obvious question with respect to all the chaos & mayhem over the course of JRB’s entire time propped up as a make believe POTUS beginning on 1/20/21… That is (7) months & (6) days btw of utter & complete incompetency by ANY sitting president in US history, period…
Now for the question that is asked of every American citizen regardless of political persuasion, all of the liberal Marxist driven MSM, including newspapers, i.e. WP, NY Times, NY Post, Boston Globe, Philly Enquirer, LA Times etc.: Do You miss President Donald J. Trump yet? With that, I rest my case…
Bill on the Hill… :~)

Michael l Javick
Michael l Javick
3 years ago

So now Biden will be removed per 25th ? Look who will replace “IT”. A Communist who married her brother !

Avion
Avion
3 years ago

Many bombs killed our soldiers during the last presidency. Did you say the same about that guy too?

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
3 years ago

Solutions: Recind 8-31 depart date
Retake Baghram Air Base
Retake OUR equipment
ID Americans & get OUT
& aid allies too.
Or remain AS IS
OK Biden now what
U caused this day 1
Yes our forces over there for another 9/11 date

james michalicek
james michalicek
3 years ago

Biden is now responsible for the deaths of 13 members of Americas Military. That number could rise.

Rik
Rik
3 years ago

If Jackass Joe is afraid of the Talibon, he’d be even more afraid of a citizen uprising. It’s time for We the People to take OUR country back from this spineless bonehead Communist wannabe! Rise up and be heard!

Paul W
Paul W
3 years ago

That’s because he ISN’T a president. Even if he was legitimately elected (which he WASN’T, of that there is no doubt), he is pulling no strings. His overlords are fully aware that he’s a mental basket case, which is by far the least of his offenses. That list is FAR TOO LONG to type out. He is, however, the willing face of this communist, America-hating regime, thus should BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE…as should the “string pullers”!

Myrna S Wade
Myrna S Wade
3 years ago

This analysis is exactly right and powerful. AND the nightmare of a presidency has just begun.

Elena Tellez
Elena Tellez
3 years ago

BIDEN (as a person) and BIDEN as a ‘president’ is a total failure. He should donate millions to the famiies of the US service members who were killed as a result of his stupid blunders. Heck, it isn’t HIS money… it was extorted from his big donors, and through his criminal crackhead son, Hunter, from China & the Ukraine… all that goes without publicity or punishment. This wouldn’t bring these young Marines (& Navy Medic) back, but would be a good gesture. BIDEN and Cackles KAMALA need to be removed. Pelosi, Schumer, and all the rest of the slimy cast of characters too.

DJames
DJames
3 years ago

Commie Joe is a pathetic failure and has been for 47 years. The sheeple that kept re-electing him are mindless idiots.
This A**hole in Chief will soon be replaced by an even more dangerous filthy Communist.
When are true Americans going to stand up for Democracy ?? Now it is almost too late.

Bob L.
Bob L.
3 years ago

47 years in government office with not a minute of real outside world experience, what would we expect, especially since he failed miserably at accomplishing anything of substance during those 47 years.

His press conference yesterday was the worst yet. His teleprompter was evidently scrolling too slow and his reading out loud was painfully slow as a result. Questions? Scripted as were the prepared answers and as usual he almost sprinted for the door afterwards to avoid any other questions.

David C
David C
3 years ago

SO sad that we now have a feckless president.
This is what happens when a person, a country changes the meaning of words, calling good things bad and bad things good, you lose the true meaning of words, facts get lost in your own interpretation of what you want them to mean, rather than what the facts really are, chaos ensues. Couple that with his scrambled brain which demands that others make important decisions for him, it is inevitable that failure will follow.

Larry Walck
Larry Walck
3 years ago

What progressives like Biden don’t understand is the terrorist groups don’t think like Americans. They only understand strength that can and will be used if they act against us. NOT TALK. They will cut your throat at the slightest sign of weakness. Biden’s weakness is obvious and they sense it and will exploit it any chance they get.

R.J. from Arizona
R.J. from Arizona
3 years ago

Now we see our president for what he really is, weak, befuddled and lost in the world of world affairs. Forty years in govt and he has learned nothing. His speeches to the American people were pathetic and uninspiring. His weakness was broadcast to the world. He will not get revenge on Isis. We will be gone, Afghan forces are gone so how will we get intelligence?
Biden truly believes Americans are stupid.
The words Misfeasance, Malfeasance and Nonfeasance of office ring louder every day. Pray for our Troops still there and that they return home safely.

Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
3 years ago

Bozo Bye-then is only doing what he is told. Probably by Soros or the chinese. You make the call.

Diana M Talmadge
Diana M Talmadge
3 years ago

How stupid! Biden hired our enemies to provide security for our citizen’s evacuation.

Frank
Frank
3 years ago

Yea but the number one thing it proves to me is that Obama is running to show. Come on we all knew Biden was nothing more than a Demented Puppet to the Liberal Agenda. He can’t talk let alone put a sentence together so does anyone really believe he’s doing everything on his own. Everything he’s done (including Afghanistan) is Obama’s agenda when he was in and we all know Obama is a Muslim, bragged about being Muslim and sided with Islam from day one of his 8 year term. Biden and Harris are nothing more than Brainless Puppets and Obama’s the Puppet Master and Afghanistan Officially proves it.

Allan Terry
Allan Terry
3 years ago

Looking beyond the current situation in Afghanistan, a larger concern must be our willingness to support other nations relying upon the US for their future survival (So. Korea, Taiwan, Japan, NATO members). Without the certainty of a forceful US response to potential communist invasions, the fate of those nations becomes increasingly more tenuous.
Inaction emboldens aggressors and weakens alliances. A pattern of inaction encourages aggression.

Rosemary Bristol
Rosemary Bristol
3 years ago

I am having a hard time believing that no one has been able to correct this pattern of really bad treason. aren’t there any “not woke” people left in power. How can we expect to change the outcome if we continue to “play the game” by their rules? I meet people every day who only believe what the media teaches. The whole world needs help.

D. Brown
D. Brown
3 years ago

Joe-tard is just listening through that earpiece that O’blamer had said he wanted to plant in O’biden’s ear.

D. Brown
D. Brown
3 years ago

Pardon me for sounding so Third-World, but I want the whole O’Biden family, Obama himself, Ron Klein, these “woke” Generals, piss-pants Nancy, Shloomer, waddling Nadler, Swalwell,Maxipad Waters, the “Squad”, and all the other American-hating Marxists brought together, tied up en-mass to a big wooden bonfire pile and set on fire- burned at the stake! I guess that makes me a bad person.

edgar fletcher
edgar fletcher
3 years ago

“He is being ripped off and out-bargained out of his wallet, shirt and pants by the Taliban in front of a global audience. And his speeches just keep encouraging our enemies.”

This is where I disagree with you. Biden is in bed with China, his entire family is. His wallet will grow by leaps and bounds because of what is transpiring in Afghanistan. China wants the resources that Afghanistan has. Biden has handed Afghanistan to China on a silver platter. Biden is already counting the money. America is in dire straits.

Eamonn Thomas Smyth
Eamonn Thomas Smyth
3 years ago

I have said in some of my blogs here and on Facebook, that he Biden needs to go now not later. But not just him his advisers his Secretary for Defense and his Secretary of State plus head of the Army. They proven that the could fight themselves out a paper bag, or organize a drinks party in a brewery!.

Steven
Steven
3 years ago

We all know the truth, yet Biden still remains in office. What does that say about us, the American people…apathy or just plain stupid?

Tim Toroian
Tim Toroian
3 years ago

If he wasn’t so dense I’d think it was deliberate. wait a minute, shutting down Keystone, ceasing exploration on guvmmit land, letting Russia build a pipeline, letting in illegals in yearly numbers the population equivalents of 50 or so countries, and a couple of other things maybe it is.

Ann Helms
Ann Helms
3 years ago

My heart aches for the families of the service men killed yesterday. This should have never happened, and unfortunately, all the carnage is not over. Biden and his administration have caused all of this with their lack of good common sense leadership. Giving the Taliban a list of the Americans in Afghanistan was like a death list. Pray and then pray some more.

David P Nelson
David P Nelson
3 years ago

I, totally, agree with this Article. The Biden Administration is harming America exponentially!It has got to stop!

Hal
Hal
3 years ago

It didn’t take his fiasco that he created in Afghanistan to make most citizens aware that Joe Hidin’ Biden doesn’t have a clue (or more likely doesn’t really care) for the harm he has done to weaken and put out great Nation and its citizens at risk. This is what a DemocRat rigged election has brought forth. I guess if there is a plus side to Biden’s already failed Presidency, it might be a lot of DemocRat deluded Americans will wake up to the fact that they have been “had'” by Commie leaning DemocRat political rigging of an election.

Hal
Hal
3 years ago

My heartfelt condolences to all American families who have lost a family member pretty much purely to the incompetent Commie China Joe Hidin’ Biden’s inept performance as POTUS.

Pat Tomasello
Pat Tomasello
3 years ago

I am actually more upset at the weak, do-nothing Republicans who stood by and did nothing to help Trump when the whole world knew the election was being stolen. This is the result of their non-caring, arrogance. How many of them are taking money from China and don’t give a care about our country. Probably more than we would think.

Kathy West
Kathy West
3 years ago

My Deepest Sympathy and Condolences to the families, friends & America for the loss of Our 13 Military Personnel. And special prayers for those Military and Civilians wounded. This could have been avoided. Who ever the ‘puppet masters’ behind the scenes are have destroyed America and all of those LEFT BEHIND because of their ineptness. The countries surrounding Afghanistan who WERE our allies are at risk also. This fubar will have cataclysmic ripple effects throughout the world. One World Order? Who is going to profit. Between Gates, Soros, Schwab, Obama, China & the DemoRats so they think. People start talking to people, start organizing. We need to take the country back. We can not withstand another couple of months. We don’t have to have a Civil War, but protests do wonders, especially if they are WIDE SPREAD across our nation. Prayers help, but physical witnessing is a definite deal breaker. Don’t sit and say woe is me. We need our small businesses back, we need Biden’s executive orders rescinded and we need to work as a TEAM. Shutting this country down over a pandemic sure gave THEM ‘power’. Take the power away. We The People supply their paychecks. We The People supply the tax money. They are NOT in power WE ARE. God Bless America and God HELP US.

Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
3 years ago

The 3 worst things that a presidential candidate can have on “his” list are –
They are a LAWYER
They are a CAREER POLITICIAN
They are ( D ) members of the communist party USA

CFR makes them EVIL as well.
Bye-then and Obammy meet that criteria of late.
Pure evil and communist. Hey, one is the other ?

Mary
Mary
3 years ago

Biden is the one who put the division at risk who took out Bin Laden. Some months (yes) later those men were killed in a helicopter crash. Look up extortion 17. Now he’s given a “list” of names to the talaban if people still there? Not adding up at all.

Enuf Said
Enuf Said
3 years ago

I will go a MILE further–there is NO ONE in that excuse for an administration, that has ANY rational plans for anything for America. All the idiots that voted for the FOOL and ALL the votes he got (that didn’t vote for him) only goes to show the ineptness of some American people. Now is not the time to falter, but is EXACTLY the time to hold politicians feet to the fire. People keep saying–GOD help us. GOD has been helping America for so long, that NOW is the time for Americans to be appreciative of His divine guidance. Quite moaning, groaning, and complaining and let your voice be heard–especially in your CHURCH.

Jeff
Jeff
3 years ago

All the complaining is not going to change our situation. Our GOP has to band together to remove him from office,although that’s an impossibility at this point. The Dems are too strong and have to many Republicans in tow. Where’s Mitch been hiding lately? Anybody seen him?

19&41
19&41
3 years ago

Every time Biden has to account for his presidential fails, he always pleads the 45th.

Eddie
Eddie
3 years ago

If it’s Obama and Soros pulling Biden strings why not hold massive demonstrations at their Mansions? Or better yet, pack a drone with explosives and fly them into their mansions.Just wishful thinking,Please!

Katie
Katie
3 years ago

Our very own State Department is hampering and trying to stop all efforts from being made by Christian organizations and private individuals and other counties trying to save and get these poor people out. Then something VERY EVIL AND SINISTER is going on with our corrupt government, Now these organizations are working in stealth mode because they are aware there is an enemy within and it starts at the very top.

Linda
Linda
3 years ago

God bless the special forces Vets that are going in and getting done what Biden failed to accomplish!

R. corcoran
R. corcoran
3 years ago

GOP needs to get to work . grow some balls ! or get the hell out and rhinos no need to apply. Years ago in California I believe it was that they would have trials to get Socialist Communist out of this country what the hell happened. And of course I can’t blame it all on the GOP the American people need to get to work ALSO you know where to vote and you vote with an ID no ID no vote no mail-in votes everybody knows where to vote. If they want to pass a law on Election Day Uber and Lyft wood probably be happy to give everybody a ride to their election spot and our taxes would pay for it. Come on let’s get to work !!

Willie
Willie
3 years ago

It is hard to do president things when you know you are not the president. Biden did not win are he is not the real president.

Paul
Paul
3 years ago

When you become President of the United States of America.The State Department refers to you as “Commander and Chief”!Which means that your responsible for all Americans.

CPOBill
CPOBill
3 years ago

Hell, he can’t even go pee without someone to show him how!

Doug
Doug
3 years ago

Fredendall/Kasserine Pass revisited

PaulE
PaulE
3 years ago

It was plain as day before the election that Biden had no clue how to be a leader of anything. Much less the POTUS. I mean seriously people. He accomplished nothing of any real substance in nearly half a century in Washington, D.C.. He campaigned from a basement in his home, because his own people couldn’t trust him NOT to make a total fool of himself in any actual public interaction. Even if you ignore his dementia, which is only going to get worse as time passes, he was never known to possess any great decision making skills or keen observations.

Since he has been sworn in as POTUS, he has created one crisis after another and then claimed he inherited all these messes, that didn’t even exist under President Trump, from President Trump. Now he is getting Americans and our allies killed in Afghanistan due to sheer incompetence and a political desire to make a speech on 9/11, that he was finally the President that got us out of Afghanistan. It was to be his big foreign policy win that sets the stage for 2024. That is all he is focused on. He’s been told by his handlers that he can be even more transformative towards socialism than FDR and Biden is moving full speed ahead. At what point, if any, do the American people say enough is enough or do we just wring our hands for the next three and a half year?

I care less about what Biden’s poll numbers are, than all the Americans and our allies that will be abandoned to die in Afghanistan by the Taliban and other terrorist groups there after our forces are ordered to abandon the rescue mission on 8/31.

Tire Dove IT
Tire Dove IT
3 years ago

That’s no news to Conservatives who’ve said it since the Obama mentoring began. Even Obama recognized it after trying to work with that fool. “Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to “f” anything up”.

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