US President Biden discusses situation in Afghanistan with his cabinet amid criticism

United States President Joe Biden on August 14 spoke with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defence Secretary Llyod Austin and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about the ongoing US withdrawal from Afghanistan, said the White House, on Saturday. As the US began withdrawing civilian personnel and troops from the war-stricken country, the Taliban unleashed one of its greatest attacks and has now captured at least two-thirds of the country. Meanwhile, the US withdrawal is just two weeks away with Biden declaring the deadline as August 31, 2021.

Former United States National Security Adviser (NSA) HR McMaster on August 12 slammed US President Joe Biden over his policy towards Afghanistan as the South Asian country is engulfed in Taliban violence. McMaster, who served under former US President Donald Trump as the second White House National Security Adviser, criticised Biden over the US troop withdrawal and said that the time had come to take a stringent stance on Pakistan. He said, “We stopped actively targeting the Taliban in Afghanistan during the, what I would call again, the capitulation negotiations.”

While speaking at Wilson Center, a DC-based think tank event, McMaster further said, “And then, once that capitulation agreement was signed, we were hands-off with the Taliban... Meanwhile, the Taliban were marshalling for this offensive.” McMaster retired as a Lieutenant General in the US Army and said on Thursday that what comes next for the country might be worse than the bloody civil war that ravaged Afghanistan from 1992 to 1996.

McConnell lambasted Biden's 'reckless policy'

Meanwhile, a top Republican in Congress has lambasted US President Joe Biden on August 12 for his “reckless policy” on the war-stricken country. In a statement on Thursday, Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell noted that Afghanistan is careening with “preventable disaster” as the United States moved to evacuate embassy workers in the wake of violence by the insurgents. Taliban has now captured most of the country and proceed towards Kabul. McConnell slammed Biden administration for being ‘naive’ and ‘absurd.’

Senate Republican leader said, “Afghanistan is careening toward a massive, predictable, and preventable disaster. And the Administration’s surreal efforts to defend President Biden’s reckless policy are frankly humiliating.”

IMAGE: AP