Troops set to withdraw for good tomorrow

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Everyone seems to have an opinion on Afghanistan. Judging by our readers' responses, they seem to fall into three broad categories. The first is that it was long past time for us to get out of Afghanistan, and no president would have been able to avoid this mess of a departure, especially after the deal negotiated by Donald Trump. The second is that it was long past time for us to get out of Afghanistan, but President Biden has done a particularly poor job of executing the withdrawal. And the third is that what we're seeing now was unavoidable and proves that we should have maintained a presence in the country to keep some semblance of peace in the region. There are likely elements of truth to all three, which is what makes foreign policy so difficult. Perfect solutions don't exist, and domestic hyper-partisanship precludes consensus on most major decisions—even the best ones—if they can be mined for political advantage. One area on which we can all agree: it's a dangerous time. As the U.S.
mission in Afghanistan draws to a close, we're praying for safe passage for our troops and all under their protection. Have a good week, everyone. —Melissa Amour, Managing Editor

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** Winding down
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The hours are ticking down on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Over the last few tense days, the U.S. launched a retaliatory drone strike against ISIS-K, the terrorist group that claimed responsibility for the Kabul airport bombing that killed 13 American service members and at least 170 others last Thursday. U.S. anti-missile defenses intercepted rocket fire aimed at the airport today as core diplomats were shuttled out of the country. In the biggest air evacuation in history, the U.S. and its allies have flown out 122,000 people, including about 6,000 American citizens, in the past two weeks. —Reuters ([link removed])
* — An unpopular decision. President Biden traveled to Dover, Del., yesterday to attend the dignified transfer of the service members killed in Thursday's suicide bombing and meet with their families. He remains committed to the Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal, though Americans broadly disagree with him. More than 8 in 10 (84%) Americans think U.S. troops should remain in the country until all Americans are evacuated, and 71% think they should stay until all Afghans who helped the U.S. are evacuated as well. —ABC News ([link removed])
*
* — "A day of reckoning." Republicans have seized the political moment, with some calling for Biden's resignation or impeachment—an interesting position for them to take considering the GOP's stance on impeachment seven months ago. Leaders of both chambers have slammed Biden over the withdrawal, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell saying yesterday, "Over the next two days, our heroic military is doing the best they can with a horrible policy decision. This is one of the worst foreign policy decisions in American history, much worse than Saigon." —The Hill ([link removed])
*
* — Democrats aren't pleased either. Rep. Susan Wild said, "[I]t appears that the evacuation process has been egregiously mishandled," and that there will be a lot to uncover through future congressional oversight hearings. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer who focused on counterterrorism efforts in the Middle East, has spearheaded a bipartisan statement from the Problem Solvers Caucus calling on the administration to reconsider the withdrawal deadline. Sen. Mark Kelly, a Navy combat veteran, has said he sees the Aug. 31 deadline as less important than accomplishing the mission of evacuating all Americans and Afghan allies. —Axios ([link removed])

MORE: Some Afghans say that enemies of the Taliban have begun to disappear —The New York Times ([link removed])


** Biden's allies stand firm
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Not everyone is criticizing President Biden amid the furor created by the devastating events of the past few weeks. Instead, some seasoned Democratic voices have directed their outrage toward journalists and national media outlets for what they say is unfair coverage of the president's handling of Afghanistan. "[J]ournalism is doing what it ought to be doing," argues Robert Thompson, the founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. "The disturbing thing would have been covering Biden positively on this story." After four years of favorable coverage of the previous administration on partisan networks such as Fox News, Thompson says, some Democrats are wondering why CNN and MSNBC aren't carrying water in the same way. But "good journalism is not supposed to be good for administrations," he concludes. — ([link removed]) The Hill
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MORE: Jonathan Chait: Why the media is worse for Biden than Trump —New York Magazine ([link removed])


** Ross: Gaining back U.S. credibility
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"[T]he administration must respond to enemy attacks or challenges to international norms with strength and conviction. Its message to the world must be clear: U.S. forces and allies cannot be attacked with impunity. Biden's retaliatory unmanned airstrike against an ISIS-K planner Friday to avenge the airport bombings was a good first step. More actions against those who attack or threaten the U.S. and its partners will be needed to drive home the point. It's easy to despair over the idea that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has forever doomed American credibility. Undeniably, the United States has paid and will likely continue to pay a high price in Afghanistan. But it can recoup, just as it has before." —Dennis Ross in ([link removed]) The New York Times ([link removed])

Dennis Ross is the counselor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

MORE: Graeme Wood: What does ISIS want now? —The Atlantic ([link removed])


** States banning mask mandates face federal inquiry
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The U.S. Education Department has announced an investigation of five states that have banned universal mask requirements in schools, saying the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions. The department's Office for Civil Rights notified education chiefs in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah of the investigation today. "It's simply unacceptable that state leaders are putting politics over the health and education of the students they took an oath to serve," Education Sec. Miguel Cardona said in a statement. "The department will fight to protect every student's right to access in-person learning safely." Stay tuned. —Associated Press ([link removed])

MORE: 30-year-old Texas man who organized anti-mask protest dies of COVID-19 —KTLA ([link removed])
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** NYT Ed Board: Repression knows no borders
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"If the United States is to regain some of its credibility as a defender of human rights and the rule of law around the globe, pushing back on transnational repression would be a good place to start. Targeted sanctions on authoritarian governments can be effective if used wisely. Training employees of the State and Justice Departments to recognize, understand, and address the various incarnations of transnational repression would also bring more attention and resources to fight the problem. Making it easier for refugees to escape repression would be in keeping with the country's long tradition of offering a safe harbor to persecuted and desperate people." —The New York Times ([link removed])

MORE: Russian government moves to repress opposition in run-up to elections —The Guardian ([link removed])


** Focus on domestic extremism
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While the world watches Afghanistan with apprehension about a possible resurgence of Islamist terror groups, closer to home, lawmakers and law enforcement are bracing for the possibility of more violence and unrest in Washington, D.C., in the very near future. In particular, officials’ concerns surround a far-right rally planned in support of the jailed Jan. 6 insurrectionists and the 20th anniversary of 9/11. ([link removed])
* — As security preparations ramp up for the "Justice for J6" rally planned for Sept. 18 on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, serious discussions are underway about reinstalling the temporary fencing around the Capitol's perimeter. The D.C. Metropolitan Police will be fully activated for the event, which is being organized by a former Trump campaign staffer. The department is also monitoring online chatter and travel bookings to gauge the potential crowds. ([link removed])
*
* — It is unclear if any members of Congress will show up to the event, as some did for the pro-Trump "Stop the Steal" rally on Jan. 6. The organizer of the Sept. 18 event has not yet released a speaker lineup, but several Republican lawmakers—including Reps. Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, Paul Gosar, and Marjorie Taylor Greene—have tried to rally public support for the jailed insurrectionists, referring to them as "political prisoners." ([link removed])

1. — The rally takes place seven days after the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The chaotic exit from Afghanistan and the deadly attack on the Kabul airport have further raised security fears for the already significant date. The Department of Homeland Security has issued a new terrorism bulletin warning the public about increasingly complex and volatile threats facing the country. "It's a scary week," said one former intelligence officer. "It's a week from hell for DHS, for the ATF, for the FBI, for DOD, and for the intelligence community." —CNN ([link removed])


** Dionne: Advancing democracy abroad requires defending it at home
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"[Democracy] entails both freedom and equality—open debate and an insistence that 'people cannot have license to undermine the standing of their fellow citizens as free and equal members of the polity.' This last point needs to be on the minds of U.S. senators as they contemplate the epic battle over voting rights and the filibuster that will confront them next month. Our post-Afghanistan debates over U.S. responsibility for democracy in the world will be mere bluster if we allow it to be undermined at home. Foes of freedom abroad would like nothing better than for us to walk away from democracy's rules." —E.J. Dionne in ([link removed]) The Washington Post ([link removed])

E.J. Dionne is a
Washington Post columnist covering national politics.

MORE: Ross Ramsey: The partisan debate over voting laws is a prologue to redistricting —The Texas Tribune ([link removed])

Thank you, Steve J. of Pennsylvania. I agree with your clear-eyed analysis on Afghanistan completely. Living and working overseas for years, I often heard or read analysis that Americans have a lot going for them, but are often childish and hysterical. The situation is promoted and exacerbated by a childish, hysterical, and ratings-mad news media. —Anna K., Washington

Ah, the irony (and hypocrisy!) of Republicans calling for Biden's resignation. While Biden's management of the Afghanistan withdrawal has been handled poorly, does that really stack up to the acts of the twice-impeached former president? No Republican cries for resignation then, even when faced with hard evidence of his autocratic and clearly illegal behavior vis-a-vis the laws and Constitution he was supposed to be upholding. If they can't get rid of their opponent with their Big Lie, why not call for his resignation? Spitting into the wind, I'd say. —Read G., Utah

War is ugly. It's ugly when it begins; it's ugly during the actual battles; it's ugly getting out. President Biden is doing a good job getting us out of a war we certainly shouldn't have been in for 20 years. Now the grandstanders (politicians, certain media, etc.) are so quick to act as if they have some inside information that makes them qualified to be the experts. President Biden is working closely with the military experts and is not sugar-coating anything.

He's telling us as much as he can, and I fully trust he is making the best possible decisions. Anyone who believes this would be easy needs a good dose of reality. The truth of the matter is we should not be there. Trump claims this is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to America. I strongly disagree. The most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to America is Donald Trump. —Amy C., Idaho
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** The views expressed in "What's Your Take?" are submitted by readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff or the Stand Up Republic Foundation.
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Got feedback about THE TOPLINE? Send it to Melissa Amour, Managing Editor, at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
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