No Retreat, No Surrender

Republicans are having a field day blaming the withdrawal from Afghanistan on Kamala Harris and the Biden administration. 

It seems like a sign of desperation, but it could be effective.  She’s shouldn’t retreat on the administration’s decision; on the contrary, she should own it.

Back in 2021, the Biden administration and the Democrats made a mistake in allowing Republicans and the media to characterize the withdrawal as a disaster.  The deaths of 13 Americans was indeed a tragedy, and probably unavoidable. 

But the withdrawal itself was about as successful as any military evacuation in history, especially given the collapse of the Afghan military

It’s a little late to rewrite history, but some spin from Democrats could help counter the effectiveness of Trump’s certain assault on Kamala Harris in the debates.

The conventional response of Democrats to Republican charges is to blame the Trump administration for signing the withdrawal (or surrender) treaty with the Taliban.  Kamala might use it but fact-checkers will undoubtedly note that the agreement is a bit more nuanced than that accusation.

Rather, they should point out that the Americans who died were part of a valiant effort to rescue their fellow citizens and comrades in arms.  To deny that is to say their deaths were in vain.  Trump probably feels that way but he and Republicans will be loath to say it.

Kamala might also want to point out that American combat deaths during the Biden years are a fraction of what they were under Trump.  Trump TALKED about reducing America’s involvement in overseas wars; the Biden administration actually did it.

Under Trump, about 110 Americans died in combat; under Biden, 20.

Kamala has a tendency to come across as defensive.  When it comes to Afghanistan, she doesn’t have to be.