US withdraws from Afghanistan; Afghanistan becomes a mess; enablers/war hawks worldwide blame Biden.

If the critics think that being there is such a good idea, maybe they should pick up a rifle and go stand a post there.

Of course, that would violate their ideal of others risking their lives and even dying so that the war hawks can be seen as tough.

From AP - 

GOP hits Biden despite divides over Afghanistan withdrawal

When President Joe Biden announced he would stick to his

 

predecessor’s plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan,

 

Republican reaction was mixed and largely muted. Foreign

 

policy had become so contentious that the party’s own leaders

 

had no single position on the end of the nation’s longest war.

But the fall of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s swift

 

return to power have, at least for now, reunited Republicans

 

in criticism of Biden. Longtime opponents of a withdrawal

 

argued Monday that the president should have seen the

 

disaster coming. Even those who cheered his decision to

 

pull out troops turned to slamming him for doing it badly.

Of course, some Republicans worked to cement their statuses as "Taliban Heroes" -

From USA Today -

These 16 Republicans voted against speeding up visas for Afghans fleeing the Taliban

Some of the Republican House members who this week excoriated President Joe Biden's strategy to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan and evacuate Afghan civilians voted last month against legislation to speed up the visa application process for Afghan citizens.

The House overwhelmingly passed a bill to make it easier for Afghans who assisted the American military to relocate to the U.S. The Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act (ALLIES) Act was approved by a 407-16 vote on July 22. The 16 "no" votes were all from Republicans.

[snip]

These Republican House members voted against the bill: 

• Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona 
• Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado
• Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama
• Rep. Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee
• Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina
• Rep. Bob Good of Virginia
• Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona
• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia
• Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma 
• Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia 
• Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky
• Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama
• Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania
• Rep. Bill Posey of Florida
• Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana
• Rep. Chip Roy of Texas 

Of course, in their defense, it's no surprise that the GOP identifies with the Taliban.

From CNN NEWS18 (a website from India) -

Not Just Women, Taliban Also Hates Schools, Colleges and Higher Education. Here's Proof

Taliban has been trying to portray a cleaner image in the international diaspora, attempting to wash its hands off the militant group’s infamous last regime. While the discussion largely seems to be about women’s safety and rights, experts have also pointed out the possible detrimental effects on education.

According to a working paper by Centre for the Study of Armed Groups named ‘Taliban attitudes and policies towards education’, published in February this year, since 2009, Taliban policy has been formally against attacks on education and the closure of schools. The current policy emphasises keeping schools open and maintaining access to education – unless there is a compelling reason to close them.

One could replace "Taliban" in that headline with "GOP" and it would be just as true.

The criticism of Biden isn't limited to American war hawks.

Also from AP -

‘Imbecilic’: Ex-UK leader Tony Blair slams Afghan withdrawal

Tony Blair, the British prime minister who deployed troops to 

Afghanistan 20 years ago after the 9/11 attacks, says the U.S. 

decision to withdraw from the country has “every Jihadist group 

round the world cheering.”

In a lengthy essay posted on his website late Saturday, the former 

Labour Party leader said the sudden and chaotic pullout that 

allowed the Taliban to reclaim power risked undermining everything 

that had been achieved in Afghanistan over the past two decades,

including advances in living standards and the education of girls.

Blair has his own issues where Afghanistan is concerned.