Washington, DC – Like Democrats in the United States fighting to protect Biden’s administration in the face of growing criticism of Afghanistan’s sudden emergence, a new approach is coming: to highlight the role of former President Donald Trump.
At a parliamentary session on Monday, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that President Joe Biden had welcomed the Trump-Taliban alliance that said all U.S. troops would leave Afghanistan by May this year.
The program of Removal from the US at the end of August, shortly after the Taliban took control of the country, became a problem for Biden, who was criticized by Republicans and the media, as well he wants to resign.
Now supporters of the President in Congress are setting up a defense that focuses more on Taliban control laws.
When Republicans harassed Blinken and officials at a hearing on Monday, Democratic lawmakers responded to questions and comments about Trump and Taliban talks.
“We took the last day [for withdrawal]; we have not inherited it, “Blinken told the House of Representatives (HFAC). Congress secretary Brad Sherman, a California Democrat, replied:” Then there is no order; surprisingly it wasn’t too hard. ”
In February 2020, Trump administration signed a contract and the Taliban who would ensure that all foreign groups were expelled from Afghanistan and ensure that “Afghan soil will not be used against the security of the United States and its allies”.
The agreement also resulted in the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners as part of a US-funded prisoner exchange, which did not take part in talks that led to the union.
Biden, who started work in January, later pushed the deadline out of the end of August.
After the Taliban invaded Kabul last month, US troops – still monitoring the airport at the capital – began deporting American citizens, third nationals and Afghan allies.
The mob was involved in a riot and a suicide bomber killed 175 people, including 13 US members.
“When President Biden took office in January, he received an agreement with his secretary to the Taliban to withdraw all US troops on May 1 this year,” Blinken told HFAC on Monday.
As part of the treaty, the former government called on the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners – along with other military personnel. So far, it has reduced our military capabilities to 2,500. “
Blinken added that Biden had no choice but to end the withdrawal or advance the war and threaten US forces.
Republican outrage
But Republicans were outraged by the US president, accusing him of leaving allies with Washington and allowing Afghanistan to become a “terrorist state”.
“The group’s departure from Afghanistan could be the worst disaster in American history,” Republican Steve Chabot told Blinken on Monday. “You have truly given the country and its people a favor for the good of the Taliban, and the Taliban have no mercy.”
Chris Smith, another Republican, called for Blinken to step down, while his colleague Brian Mast criticized officials for using future intelligence to capture the Taliban after the US left.
“We don’t need to hear lies,” Mast, a Florida attorney, said, while Gregory Meeks, HFAC Democratic Party chairman Gregory Meeks, reminded Mast that his term had expired.
In his own words, Meeks also said that Republicans had condemned his ouster, as well as the 2020 deal he had discussed with Trump and then-Secretary-State Mike Pompeo.
“I wonder if the protests were when Trump’s administration left the Afghan government to reduce ties with the Taliban?” The meek asked. “And where was the show when President Trump and Secretary Pompeo agreed to remove all troops by May 2021?”