On Afghanistan, G.O.P. Assails the Pullout It Had Supported Under Trump

September 1, 2021 ☼ bidentrumpafghanistangophypocrites

Source: The New York Times - Link

Early last year, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the House minority leader, praised former President Donald J. Trump’s deal to pull American troops out of Afghanistan as “a positive step.” As secretary of state, Mike Pompeo helped negotiate that agreement with the Taliban. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri pressed last November for a withdrawal as soon as possible.

Now, the three are among dozens of prominent Republicans who, with President Biden seeing the pullout through, have sharply reversed themselves — assailing Mr. Biden even as he keeps a promise that Mr. Trump had made, and carries out a policy to which they had given their full-throated support.

The logic is simple: Trump good, Biden bad. Trump was going to pull out and not bring any Afghans with the troops. Republicans would have fallen all over themselves licking his boots. Withdrawal under fire is nearly impossible and was probably accomplished as best it could.