President Biden is, let us not forget, a much better man for the job of President of the United States of America than the previous occupier of that post could ever be. But Biden, with this one act of betrayal, has shown himself wanting and lacking in character.
His decision to pull all of the US Armed forces out of Afghanistan and denude the Afghanis of the support promised to them is not just criminally outrageous but revealing.
There is a separate question regarding how the British and Europeans reacted - but I will come to that.
After the end of the second world war, the Allies, despite their many disagreements, stood by the defeated Germans. However shameful the sacrificing of East Germany and Poland to Communist Russia, the West did not turn tail and run. Of course, there was a financial cost to this, and not all was perfect. But there was a determination to do everything that could be done. You only have to look at the Berlin air-lift to understand the Wests determination to stand up against the tyranny of communism.
This time, it is not communism. It is the brutal and arbitrary interpretation of Sharia Law and the Taliban's determination to take a whole country back to the dark ages. But it is worse than that - the Westen powers have spent trillions of dollars, twenty years of time and worst of all, have sacrificed the lives of thousands of human beings from so many countries, all in order to free Afghanistan - only for Biden, to apparently, have total disregard for any of that.
Biden's decision is so flawed; you have to wonder on what grounds did he reach it. What criteria did President Biden use to conclude that removing all troops from Afghanistan was a humanitarian and intelligent decision?
Was it financial? Did he not have the foresight to understand the long-term gain if Afghanistan could be peaceful and a Western ally? How long does it take to foster and nurture democracy until it takes hold? History tells us it is more than twenty years.
From the original 9/11 motivation for attacking the Taliban - through all the changes of mission over the years - to where we were in having created a level of stability that allowed democracy to take hold - and then, seemingly, almost on a whim, we pull the plug? Was that that the best thing to do for the world at large? Has that helped our civilisation move forward? Was that decision good for Everyone or just America? Indeed, is it good for even America?
It has been a lousy decision for everyone - except, of course, for the tyrannies of our world. For them - it is like all their Christmas's have come at once. But for lovers of freedom and civilisation, it has knocked us back decades.
I watched the film Darkest Hour, which tells how Winston Churchill, more or less alone, stood up to the establishment who wanted in 1939 to sue for peace and enter into a negotiated appeasement with Adolph Hitler. It was Churchill who recognised the value of freedom and that freedom was worth fighting and dying for.
We have also to address the utter lack of commitment from Borris Johnson's conservative government and the rest of Europe as well. The European Union keeps talking about the power of the EU - yet when they have a chance to make a significant stand - to send a signal to the world, they fold like puppets. Britain's and the EU's response to Biden's decision is a disgrace and should make us all feel very ashamed of ourselves as nations.
We have all failed; the United States, Britain and the EU nations have all failed the people of Afghanistan. We are defeated nations running away with our tails tucked between our legs, all because our leaders lack the moral fortitude to do what is right. Those men and women took the easy way, the coward's way.
The immediate price for Biden's pronouncement will be paid by the men and women of Afghanistan who will suffer interminably, many with the brutal and cruel punishment that the Taliban will inflict on them. The first to suffer will be the brave Afghani people who helped and aided the West; security forces, interpreters - all those who helped us and then, of course, the women. They will be compelled and forced by these bearded, backward monsters of man to adopt the Burka and the unforgiving interpretation of sharia law. Education will cease for the vast majority of women. We will see beatings, "Stoning", and random Decapitations reintroduced.
We should all be hanging our heads in shame. We had already done most of the hard stuff, the heavy lifting. We had filled the Afghani people with the "hope" that is "democracy" - the Dream of education and freedom. Then, without any good reason, we left these brave people and abandoned them to their dreadful fate.
I don't think I have ever felt more ashamed of being British or being a citizen of the West before in my life. Why should anyone ever trust us again?
Biden does not deserve to hold his high office; he has, in my view, clearly demonstrated his unworthiness to be President of the United States. We in the West have all been diminished because of his decision.
As for Pritti Patel, Dominic Raab, Borris Johnson and the rest of these spineless and useless conservatives here in the UK, I hope it is their undoing.
Once again, Russia, China, and other rogue states will be rubbing their grubby little hands with glee, chuckling with delight. America is back - not hardly - more like America has gone, capitulated. Humanity, along with our world, has just taken a few giant steps backwards.
Rick - Suffolk - Uk - 20th August - 2021
www.ricknotesfromengland.com
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