Despite these errors, Biden declared that the U.S. evacuated more than 120,000 Afghans from Afghanistan an extraordinary success.
Biden did not waste time dwelling on broken promises, including the promise to fly out all U.S. citizens who wanted to leave. Instead, he delivered a defiant speech to end America's longest war. He cited corruption and malfeasance within the Afghan government, which the U.S. had spent too much time supporting.
This decision regarding Afghanistan isn't just about Afghanistan. Biden stated that it's about ending an era where major military operations were used to rebuild other countries. He took no questions.
Biden's comments were the latest example of President Obama sticking to Afghanistan despite a flurry of criticisms from his traditional allies in Democratic Party and the media. Biden, despite being criticized louder, has seemed more determined and defensive than his critics, and seems convinced that history and voters will eventually reward him for ending war despite chaotic withdrawal.
His administration spent weeks selling polls that showed voters support his policy goal. They were confident that the Beltways' reaction to his decision was the latest example of their disconnect from regular voters.
I swear by you, this is the best decision America has ever made.
The commander in chiefs confidence was not shared by everyone in the administration. One administration official said to POLITICO that he was shocked and literally horrified at the decision to leave Americans there. It was a hostage rescue operation of thousands of Americans under the pretense of NEO [noncombatant emergency operations], and they failed that mission.
Biden's most serious failure as a president is the drawdown of Afghanistan. He has repeatedly failed to fulfill his lofty promises, and his flawed predictions. Biden enjoys proving his doubters wrong, and wraps his pursuits with optimism. Biden has proven it before with his relentless pursuit to win Republican support for an infrastructure deal.
He blasted critics after the Senate passed the huge bill. They had said for years that his push was like trying to revive an older relic.
That was something I didn't believe. The president stated that I don't believe that. He asked reporters if they had learned anything from watching him negotiate. He replied that he had just reviewed 50 statements from very serious journalists and that my entire plan was dead.
However, Biden has been in trouble on several occasions and had to change tactics. Biden had claimed for months that the increase in migrants crossing the border to Mexico was part of a seasonal pattern. He said that it happens every single year. The summer numbers reached a two-decade high with record numbers of unaccompanied children coming to this country.
Even after months of hand-wringing by fellow Democrats, who considered the decision unsustainable and morally incorrect, the Trump administration had refused to lift the 15,000 refugee admissions cap. Biden eventually gave in and agreed to raise it to 62,500 by 2021.
He has been less willing than before to help in areas where the outcome is uncertain. Biden lashed out at the media for not being optimistic about the prospect of reaching strategic stability between the countries after meeting with Vladimir Putin, the Russian President. He said that the country had put a new face on where we have been and where we are going, and that he feels good about it.
He said, "Look, guys," telegraphing his frustration. I'm going to drive all of you crazy because I know that you want me always to put a negative thrust onto things.
Even though he has criticized the U.S. occupation in Afghanistan, Biden continues to push the boundaries of optimism, while also appearing reluctant to admit that his earlier forecasts were too optimistic. Biden stated earlier this summer that there won't be any situation in which people are lifted from the roof of an American embassy in Afghanistan.
He continued, "The likelihood that the Taliban will overrun everything and take control of the entire country is highly unlikely."
Both were wrong.
Biden and his administration repeatedly tried to shift the responsibility when Biden was asked about some of the predictions.
When Jen Psaki was asked Tuesday if President Obama meant to blame Americans for not being able to reach the airport on time, Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, replied that "the president stated clearly that our commitment continues, there is no end to our commitment towards American citizens in Afghanistan who want leave."
She continued, "It is also important for people not to forget and to understand the process and what have we undergone over these past few months. That's what President Obama laid out."
