Staff Reports
In this revealing and emotional article, a combat veteran shares his personal assessment of the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal under President Biden. The veteran reflects on his own experiences serving in Iraq and witnessing the loss of territory to ISIS. He expresses deep anguish and anger at seeing history repeat itself with the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The veteran criticizes Biden’s decision to conduct the pullout from Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) instead of the more defensible Bagram Airfield. He points out that this made the operation ten times harder and led to a massive non-combatant evacuation operation. He expresses shock and horror at the scenes of civilians desperately clinging onto planes and falling to their deaths.
Absolute scenes at Kabul airport https://t.co/XsrWBv7zhY
— Campbell MacDiarmid (@CampbellMacD) August 16, 2021
The veteran also highlights the devastating suicide bombing at HKIA, which killed American service members and Afghan civilians. He criticizes the lack of clear guidance on rules of engagement, which prevented American troops from effectively defending themselves. The veteran shares his anger at President Biden’s lack of gratitude towards the wounded Marine he visited in the hospital.
The veteran concludes by expressing his pride in his fellow service members and their sacrifice. However, he condemns Biden for using them as pawns in a losing game and for betraying their trust. He emphasizes the need for strong leadership, accurate intel, and a clear path to victory in military operations. The veteran’s deeply personal and passionate account adds weight to the narrative of the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal under the Biden administration.
