In a recent study, US President Joe Bidens office blamed the disorderly pullout of the army from Afghanistan to his predecessor, Donald Trump. According to a 12-page summary of the report, Mr Biden was “severely limited” by Mr Trumps choices, which included an agreement to finish the conflict with the Taliban in 2020. Yet, the report admits that the authorities should have started evacuating citizens sooner.The details of the reportThe State Department and the Military performed an analysis of the decisions and behaviours leading up to the pullout, and it was given to Congress on Thursday. Republicans in the United States House of Representatives scrutinising the withdrawal have been requesting the report for weeks. Although the reports findings are summarised and kept confidential, they have been made public thanks to the White House National Security Council and President Biden.At Kabul Airport, there were harrowing scenes as large numbers attempted to escape the Taliban when the Afghan government was overthrown. 170 Afghans and 13 US troops were killed in a suicide bombing attack on the airport on August 26.Days later, the US launched a drone assault in Kabul, claiming to have aimed at a suicide bomber, only to subsequently acknowledge that ten people, including seven children, had also been murdered by the missile. The departure also included British troops as well, placing the UK, according to Defense Secretary Ben Wallace at the time, “in a very tough spot.”President Bidens national security spokesperson, John Kirby, slammed the disarray on the Trump governments decision to reduce Afghan deployment. The Trump administration is accused of “neglect – and, in some cases, purposeful deterioration,” according to the report.This statement, according to Mr Kirby, also relates to the withdrawal of US troops under Mr Trumps administration, the release of thousands of Taliban captives, and the weakening of the visa programme that was used to evacuate Afghan allies. The former president had reached a deal with the militants to finish the war a year earlier in Qatar. Mr Kirby stated as he summarised the study, “Transitions matter. “The initial lesson here is that. And not much of one was given to the newly elected government.”Trumps response to the allegationsWithin hours of the reports publication, Mr Trump retaliated on social media, claiming that “Morons in the White House” were engaging in “a new propaganda game – Blame “Trump” for their utterly inept defeat in Afghanistan.” The White House was engaging in a “disinformation game,” Mr Trump retorted. Americas most prolonged conflict came to an end with the devastating pull out in August 2021. 13 US personnel and almost 200 Afghans were killed as US troops rushed to rescue more than 120,000 people in just a few days. Nobody else is at fault Biden is,” he declared.The top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, also criticised the government for “brazenly whitewashing” its performance in Afghanistan. According to the document, the removal of Afghans and Americans who had contributed to the military effort could have begun earlier. On page 7, it states, “We now prioritise speedier rescue operations when confronted with a deteriorating security situation.” Nonetheless, the report blames the Afghan government and military, as well as American military and intelligence community assessments, for these delays.The best military expertise and intelligence community evaluations, according to Mr Kirby, were used to guide Mr Bidens actions, but “some of those assessments turned out to be inaccurate.” He said: “For all this rhetoric of disaster, I really didnt see it.” The Biden government faced harsh criticism both at home and abroad when Kabul fell. Many voiced rages about the US militarys abandonment of Afghanistan and its citizens. According to Mr Kirby, certain lessons had been learnt from the end of the Afghan conflict, particularly regarding the inability to foresee the abrupt fall of the Afghan government. He continued by saying that this had an impact on how the US supported Ukraine prior to Russias incursion.
