Biden's Attempts to Use Threats to Overcome U.S. HumiliationSpeaking from the White House on August 31 as the last U.S. troops were forced out of Afghanistan, U.S. President Biden attempted to use threats to overcome the humiliation of the U.S. defeat in that country. He began pathetically by trying to hide the rout that took place in Afghanistan as the Taliban took one city after the other and then Kabul. The magnitude of the panicked, disorderly and undisciplined retreat of troops, U.S. nationals and their retinues, even surpassed the one which the world witnessed during the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. In denial, Biden claimed that the evacuation was an "extraordinary success." He called it a "mission of mercy," saying its success was "due to the incredible skill, bravery, and selfless courage of the United States military and our diplomats and our intelligence professionals."
"We will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries. We just don't need to fight a ground war to do it. We have what's called over-the-horizon capabilities, which means we can strike terrorists and targets without American boots on the ground -- or very few, if needed. We've shown that capacity just in the last week," Biden said.
He referred to the drone strike said to be against ISIS-K, but which killed many civilians, including at least six children. Canada remains silent as always and itself pledges support for the commission of such crimes. With typical U.S. imperialist arrogance Biden went on: "As Commander-in-Chief, I firmly believe the best path to guard our safety and our security lies in the tough, unforgiving, targeted precise strategy that goes after terror where it is today, not where it was two decades ago." Despite this, he spoke just like Bush did 20 years ago: "For anyone who gets the wrong idea, let me say clearly. To those who wish America harm, to those that engage in terrorism against us or our allies, know this: The United States will never rest. We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down to the ends of the Earth and you will pay the ultimate price." Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley echoed Biden's remarks saying: "It is now our mission to ensure that we continue our intelligence efforts, continue our counterterrorism efforts, continue our military efforts to protect the American people for the next 20 years." Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin added: "It's our duty to defend this nation, and we're not going to take our eye off the ball. And that means relentless counterterrorism efforts against any threat to the American people from any place." Such efforts to restore U.S. credibility aim to unite the military bureaucracy behind this warmongering direction which is essentially the one declared by Bush and Donald Rumsfeld who thought shock and awe would bring the people of Iraq to welcome the U.S. “liberators” with open arms. It did not happen then and will not happen today either.
The lead diplomat of the European Union Josep Borrell said the defeat was "a failure of the Western world and it's a game changer for international relations." Canada then contracted Ukrainian special forces trained by Canada to carry out the evacuation of Afghans in the service of Canada and the Globe and Mail during the occupation. The Trudeau government has pledged to settle 20,000 Afghans in Canada. The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security has said that at least 50,000 Afghan refugees will be admitted into the U.S. Overall, some 300,000 Afghans have been involved in the U.S. military operations, and are now said to be at risk for reprisal. Since assuming the presidency Biden has tried to contend with the U.S. loss of prestige and credibility, both within the U.S., among its allies and amongst the peoples of the world. His bravado "America is back" rings hollow so long as the U.S. cannot get people to accept its authority. Its use of force and threats to use more force are nonetheless very real. Anyone who does not bend their will to the will of U.S. imperialist power faces destruction, sanctions, and use of force. As Biden put it, the U.S. will "hunt you down" and make you "pay the ultimate price." The biggest problem the U.S. faces is its repeated failure to make predictions and thus it suffers one defeat after another. Its defeat in Afghanistan shows U.S. actions and policies remain filled with contradictions as the factions within the ruling oligarchy intensify and the peoples of the world and the U.S. itself set their own agenda to fulfill their striving for peace, freedom and democracy.
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His belief that
this hides the reality is misguided indeed. The peoples of the entire
world observed what took place, including the failure of his
"intelligence professionals" to predict the Taliban takeover and the
speed with which it took place. They also witnessed the U.S. agent
placed in the presidency of Afghanistan flee the country with bags of
money stuffed into helicopters as he ran away. Perhaps he will say he
did it to champion the cause of women and girls. The truth of the
matter is that after 20 years of justifying all U.S. crimes in the name
of establishing rule of law and championing the rights of women and
girls, there is nothing to show for it except a devastated country
which Biden continues to threaten saying U.S. aggression will continue,
including through illegal drone warfare and assassinations decided by
the president.
There is no indication Biden's
doctrine is anything but impotent. The peoples of the world do not
accept it, the people of the U.S. do not accept it, the peoples of the
U.S. allied countries do not accept it. Britain, Germany, Canada and
other NATO countries that provided funds and troops to conquer
Afghanistan are also damaged. After all their bravado about being one
force in defence of freedom, they were left to fend for themselves
during the chaotic and brutal evacuation. Biden dismissed their request
for more time to prepare the withdrawal.