August 22, 2021
Joe Biden’s aides had been ‘too afraid’ to quiz him and his National Security Adviser over key decisions made in the run-up to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, in accordance to sources shut to the US administration.
The President is accused of insisting on recalling US troops forward of the anniversary of the 9/11 assaults on New York and Washington DC, and allegedly ignored warnings that it might not depart the army sufficient time to get American nationals and allies out.
A former defence official in common contact with senior White House aides recommended that there was not a lot pushback from involved administration staffers as a result of they had been ‘too afraid’ of difficult Mr Biden and his National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan.
The Sunday Telegraph stories that Biden administration officers urged the President – unsuccessfully – to preserve open Bagram Air Base, which has extra runways than Kabul airport and has been the guts of US operations in Afghanistan through the 20-year intervention.
The official claimed that the Biden administration features ‘like an autocracy’ and stifles inside dissent, including: ‘It’s one factor to crack down on leaks, it is one other factor to enable a mistake like this.
‘This White House may be very disciplined, particularly when it comes to leaks and such. But the draw back of self-discipline is if you happen to’re working issues like an autocracy, and also you dealer no dissent internally, that is not what the aim of a White House workers is.’
It is known that the State Department is now pushing the White House to lengthen the August 31 withdrawal deadline, even when it means putting a brand new cope with the resurgent Taliban, amid fears that tens of 1000’s of civilians might stay trapped in Afghanistan in 9 days.
Going into September with a big contingent of US troops nonetheless in Afghanistan might be politically damaging for Mr Biden, who campaigned final year on a promise to finish America’s ‘ceaselessly wars’ and is probably going to be keeping track of the midterm elections subsequent year.
Critics declare Mr Biden’s slim pursuit of US pursuits has left him more and more remoted overseas, with former British premier Tony Blair calling the choice to withdraw ‘imbecilic’.
Relations between Britain and US are strained, with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warning ‘no nation will probably be ready to get everybody out’ of Afghanistan as Mr Biden’s August 31 date makes the mission much more time-pressured, in what is probably going to be seen as a plea to Washington.
Cabinet insiders have recommended the President was ‘gaga’ and ‘doolally’ for withdrawing so shortly, whereas the Prime Minister has allegedly privately referred to Mr Biden as ‘Sleepy Joe’, the nickname coined by Donald Trump. Boris Johnson additionally allegedly remarked Britain ‘can be higher off with Trump’ – allegations branded ‘categorically unfaithful’ by Downing Street.