Trump's 'recklessness' or Biden's 'boldness'?:Narrative on US troop withdrawal from Afghan

While US President Joe Biden on April 14 announced his final plan of withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan ahead of the 9/11 terror attacks anniversary, a similar announcement was also made by former US President Donald Trump and received a starkly different kind of response. Comparing the two instances involving Trump and Biden and citing different US officials, American media outlet described US troop redeployment from the war-stricken country as ‘reckless’ for ex-US President and ‘bold’ for the current Democratic leader. 

While the United States made a grim testament this year about how a divisive nation can truly lead to chaos after the January 6 riot at Capitol Hill, Drew Holden, a commentary writer drew attention to the difference in the narrative of coverage among American media outlets of the same move. However, the only difference remains, one is a conservative Republican and the other remains a liberal Democrat. In a Twitter thread, Holden drew headlines and coverages in general to favour and oppose the candidate of their choice.

Trump can impact Afghan-Taliban talks, not Biden

For instance, CNN quoted Diplomats worrying over Trump’s desire to withdraw the US troops and how it can impact the peace talks between Afghan and Taliban. At the same time, the media outlet drove attention to Biden’s same decision and how it came before the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that led the nation into “its longest war.” Similarly, the New York Times reported saying Trump’s decision of troop withdrawal was ‘capitulation’ to the extremist group but did not raise the same concerns with Biden announcing the redeployment. 

Biden said, "US troops, as well as forces deployed by our NATO allies and operational partners, will be out of Afghanistan before we mark the 20th anniversary of the heinous attack on September 11 but we will not take our eyes off the terrorist threat." Meanwhile, taking to Twitter on October 8, Trump said the US ‘should’ have the little number of US soldiers present in the foreign country, to return “home” by Christmas. However, it still remains unclear how many American troops are currently deployed there. 

"It's time to end the forever war," Biden said in remarks from the White House's Treaty Room as he rolled out a plan to pull out all American forces by September 11. Currently, there are 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan and according to Biden, “There's no comforting distance in history in Section 60, the grief is raw....It's visceral reminder of the living cost of war.”  According to NYT, when Trump said the same, Afghan officials feared that the Taliban will be encouraged to keep fighting after the retraction of troops. But, for Biden, no such matter was raised.

Image credits: AP