U.S. President Joe Biden had a phone conversation on July 23rd with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani. During that call, Ghani warned of a large-scale invasion of the country being conducted by the Taliban and warned the President about the impending takeover of the country.
Biden asked Ghani to lie about the reality of the situation, then went on national tv a few days later to tell Americans the situation in Afghanistan was under control and all Americans would be safely evacuated before U.S. troops pulled out.
What happened next was one of the biggest military blunders and retreats in U.S. history as the Taliban quickly took over the country and the Americans were forced to abandon ship. It was a scene that will be etched into the memories of Americans for generations. Americans burning equipment at the U.S. Embassy, people falling from planes, Taliban forces parading in U.S. military gear and equipment, and the death of 13 U.S. service members.
Joe knew it was coming but did nothing. In fact, he lied to the American people, reassuring them that he had everything under control.
It turns out he didn’t.
Instead, Biden asked the leader of a country that was about to fall to a terrorist-backed army to sit tight and tell the world you’re doing good.
“You know, I am a moment late. But I mean it sincerely. Hey look, I want to make it clear that I am not a military man any more than you are, but I have been meeting with our Pentagon folks, and our national security people, as you have with ours and yours, and as you know and I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things aren’t going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,” Biden said. “
Even after being told the Taliban were on the offensive, delusional Biden went on to talk about life after the Taliban. It seemed he was the only person in the room who knew there wasn’t going to be ‘life after the Taliban’ in a few days. A few days after speaking with Biden, Ghani abandoned the ship and fled his country, realizing there was no real plan for the Americans to assist him in any way, other than some presidential lip service.
Still, Biden insisted the most pressing move the two leaders could make was to deceive the world.
“But I really think, I don’t know whether you’re aware, just how much the perception around the world is that this is looking like a losing proposition, which it is not, not that it necessarily is that, but so the conclusion I’m asking you to consider is to bring together everyone from [Former Vice President Abdul Rashid] Dostum, to [Former President Hamid] Karzai and in between, if they stand there and say they back the strategy you put together, and put a warrior in charge, you know a military man, [Defense Minister Bismillah] Khan in charge of executing that strategy, and that will change perception, and that will change an awful lot I think,” Biden asked again to paint the picture on the ground in Afghanistan in a good light.
Ghani responded to Biden with a dose of reality, “President, we are facing a full-scale invasion, composed of Taliban, full Pakistani planning and logistical support, and at least 10-15,000 international terrorists, predominantly Pakistanis thrown into this, so that dimension needs to be taken account of.”
He also said his troops haven’t been paid and are in need of raise. He told Biden that the U.S. Air Force had stopped providing the necessary close air support needed to defeat the Taliban forces.
At some point after the conversation, it’s clear a message was sent through the ranks of the Afghanistan government and military, “America will not be here to save us. It’s now every man for himself.”
With that, the Afghan national army dropped its weapons and fled their bases. Ghani fled the country. America was not coming to rescue anyone, even its own citizens trapped behind enemy lines.
Biden had no plan, but Ghani had a plan…get out as fast as possible. Three weeks after speaking with Biden, he was in the United Arab Emirates.