Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas delivered a blow to the Biden Administration on Friday by ordering the reinstatement of the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program, also known as the “Remain-in-Mexico” policy. This is only the latest of a string of losses by the Biden Administration in its first six months in court.
Under the Migrant Protection Protocols program in January 2019 asylum seekers who passed through Mexico on their way to the U.S. had to stay in Mexico while their claims were processed in U.S. courts. The policy was meant to end a practice of claiming asylum in order to draw out appeals for years or not appearing for required hearings. It was intended to deter many who just wanted to gain entrance in the United States. It also reduced the burden for beds and facilities along the border.
In his 53-page opinion, Judge Kacsmaryk found that the states of Texas and Missouri had shown sufficient injury after noting increases in human trafficking and other criminal acts as part of the surge at the Southern border after President Joe Biden ended the policy. Some 13,000 undocumented immigrants have been admitted to the country since the ending of the policy.
Kacsmaryk held that the June memo by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to formally end the Remain in Mexico policy violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) by failing to consider the program’s “benefits.”
That should sound familiar. Within two weeks of taking office, Biden racked up one of his first losses under the APA when he reversed Trump’s deportation order. While many are denouncing that and the most recent decision, it was precisely the attack used by Trump critics during the prior administration. Even though President Barack Obama did not satisfy APA conditions in imposing original rules, the Supreme Court enforced such procedures to reverse prior orders. During that litigation over the Trump executive orders, I repeatedly noted that the Democratic challengers in court were making arguments that would likely used against the next Democratic president in seeking to quickly undo Trump’s orders.
The court ruled that the unilateral action was taken acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” in ending the Remain-in-Mexico policy.
A key issue in the Remain-in-Mexico policy is that there is a clear footprint in federal law. Congress gave DHS the option not to use mandatory detention in the United States: “In the case of an alien described in [Section 1225(b)(2)(A)] who is arriving on land (whether or not at a designated port of arrival) from a foreign territory contiguous to the United States, [DHS] may return the alien to that territory pending a proceeding under Section 1229a of this title.” § 1225(b)(2)(C).
The unilateral action is precisely what Democrats challenged under President Trump. APA prohibits agency actions that are “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law.” 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A). Accordingly, “the agency must examine the relevant data and articulate a satisfactory explanation for its action including a ‘rational connection between the facts found and the choice made.’” Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass’n of U.S., Inc. v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 463 U.S. 29, 43 (1983) (quoting Burlington Truck Lines v. United States, 371 U.S. 156, 168 (1962)). The court found the Biden Administration violated APA by taking action without such review and reasonable deliberation.
One of the key issues will be whether the policy is an enforcement decision. The unreviewable actions includes an agency’s decision not to institute enforcement proceedings. ” Dep’t of Homeland Sec. v. Regents of the Univ. of Cal., 140 S. Ct. 1905 (2020) (citing Heckler v. Chaney, 470 U.S. 821, 831–32 (1985)). However, the court rejected that characterization:
“the decision to terminate MPP “is more than a non-enforcement policy.” Regents, 140 S. Ct. at 1907. Although the termination of MPP itself does not confer affirmative benefits, the interaction between the termination of MPP and the lack of detention capacity necessarily means more aliens will be released and paroled into the Plaintiff States. And parole does create affirmative benefits for aliens such as work authorization. App. 337; Texas, 809 F.3d at 167 (“Likewise, to be reviewable agency action, DAPA need not directly confer public benefits.”) (emphasis added).
Moreover, the MPP program is not about enforcement proceedings at all. Any alien eligible for MPP has already been placed into enforcement proceedings under Section 1229a. The only question MPP answers is where the alien will be while the federal government pursues removal — in the United States or in Mexico.
That (and standing) could clearly divide judges.
Here is the opinion: Texas v. Biden
The “Now” Administration
Hobble America’s energy producers, Now! — economic consequences be damned.
Open the borders, Now! — pandemic consequences be damned.
Exit Afghanistan, Now! — the consequences of a chaotic execution be damned.
This administration is run by a bunch of spoiled children.
“We have the largest military on the planet, let’s use it for one good purpose, to get these people out. We have a beach head in Kabul. We need to keep it open for as long as we can and put as many people onto as many planes as we possibly can.” – Matt Zeller @mattczeller
https://twitter.com/MaddowBlog/status/1427451027004006405
https://nooneleft.org/
Thanks to the others on this blog who have posted comments about NOLB.
#NOLBMoralObligation
+100
eb
Anyone taking a fair look at this disaster in Afghanistan will see it as a failure of national policy supported by both major parties and a majority of Americans – us. Specifically, it is a fair question whether Biden has mismanaged this willful capitulation, begun by Trump with the full support of his party. It was always going to be bitter. We’ll see if it there were choices that could have saved lives and made the exit more palatable. Some pretending that Trump – the guy who talked about the Taliban as if it was the Liberal party in Portugal – would have been tougher is a joke, but predictable. Could we have stayed with a small force and maintained the status quo indefinitely? If so, I would favor that, but the ones pushing that idea are the ones who were gung ho to get us into this.
This is a tragedy, and especially for the Afghanis, but along with those who will suffer – pretty much all the women and girls, though some may welcome the 7th century – blame should be placed not on America for “abandoning” the country. 20 years, 2500 lives, and a trillion dollars is never going to be accurately described as “abandoning”, but the Afghani leadership, who’s corruption was probably behind the military’s collapse which supposedly had not been paid in months and who one by one took the money and offer of peace from the Taliban if they quit. With no one behind them they did. Sorry, but no one predicted that and it explains the speed with which the Taliban took over.
Let’s rescue those who helped us there and who’s lives are now in danger – if we can – but then close the book. This was a failure of good will and we don’t owe that country any more. Let’s not do this again.
“Specifically, it is a fair question whether Biden has mismanaged this willful capitulation,”
That everyone had a part in the Afghanistan problem is a given but there is no question the end game to date has been handled terribly by Biden and that will have tremendous implications around the world. Biden is a product delivered to us by the Democrats so the blame for the end game need not be divided.
Must watch video of Afghanistan vet just blew up MSNBC’s entire Biden-simping Afghanistan narrative LIVE ON AIR.
“Brian Williams brought on Zeller and said, “It’s almost ironic now to state the name of the organization you founded, given what we’re watching go on, though I’m curious to hear your reaction of this consequential speech by the American president. Didn’t run from it. He owned it. He owned his decision, he the fact that — as he put it — the buck stops with him.”
Zeller said Biden should “own their deaths too” and told Williams, “I feel like I watched a different speech than the rest of you guys. I was appalled.”
He called it a “bold-faced lie” for the president to claim they planned for every contingency.
He was most frustrated that Biden didn’t talk specifically “about how we’re going to get every single one of these people out.”
Watch this video in the article.
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/afghanistan-veteran-says-on-msnbc-he-was-appalled-by-biden-address-i-feel-like-i-watched-a-different-speech-than-the-rest-of-you/
Brian Williams said, “I’m curious to hear your reaction of this consequential speech by the American president. Didn’t run from it. He owned it. He owned his decision, he the fact that — as he put it — the buck stops with him.”
——
Biden didn’t “own” his fiasco! He disingenously made the speech about his ‘decision’ in an effort to avoid talking about his decisions surrounding his disastrous implementation. Then he scurried out of the room like a coward refusing to take a single question from the press. This vet is correct — Biden’s speech was appalling.
And GOOD GOD Brian Williams is an idiot. Why does ANYONE give this guy the time of day? He’s a fool.
“Then he (Biden) scurried out of the room like a coward refusing to take a single question from the press.”
Yep.
“The buck stops here” was on the Resolute desk at the White House, and it meant actually taking responsibility. It wasn’t a tag line the president used to impress the friendly media before hiding away again on vacation.” ~Joel Pollak
Biden used Trump’s own exit plan. Did you miss that? Biden relied on the Afghanistan army to provide secure exit for US troops, embassy personnel, contractors, US citizens and anyone else who wanted to leave. The Afghan army was bought off by the Taliban and simply surrendered. Did Biden know they were going to do that? No. Was he supposed to plan for this contingency? How could he? There is no way to draw down and leave without someone being there to provide protection and security, which the Afghans agreed to do, but didn’t. Just how do you leave but still provide security?
“Biden used Trump’s own exit plan. Did you miss that?”
Yes. Because he didn’t.
The essence of Trump’s exit was: Americans, allies, and military equipment out *first*. Disable/destroy physical assets that couldn’t be returned home (e.g., forts). Then the military out — *last*. And a warning that the Taliban knew Trump meant: Touch a hair on an American’s head, and we’ll bomb you into that 6th century you worship.
Biden did *none* of that — and the Taliban laughed at him.
I suppose if you look at it through clouded glasses while drunk, Biden’s exit was the same as Trump’s America-first strategy.
Trump’s Sec of Defense differs with you on this Sam:
“Washington (CNN)Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday that he was concerned that then-President Donald Trump “undermined” the US’ 2020 agreement with the Taliban by pushing for US forces to leave Afghanistan without the Taliban meeting the conditions of the deal.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/17/politics/mark-esper-donald-trump-taliban-afghanistan-cnntv/index.html
It is painful to watch Biden struggle during news conferences and interviews, even with most journalists content to ask him about ice cream.
Joe Biden should take a cognitive assessment test, and share it with the public, just like Trump did. In fact, I think everyone in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, all medical personnel, all police and military, and many others in such important positions should also take cognitive assessment tests every other year, beginning at age 70. If they fail the test, they should be reassessed for confirmation. If the decline is confirmed, they should have to retire.
While it’s true that only a medical professional can diagnose Joe Biden with any particular disease or impairment, it’s also true that red flags give family members and friends concerns, which lead to such tests. Joe Biden refuses to take the test and share it. We’re not going to just ignore the red flags that indicate that such a test is necessary.
Follow Trump’s example. Take the test and share it. If he doesn’t, he leaves it to conjecture. There must be some reason why he won’t take such a simple examination, so common in the elderly. Or maybe he’s already been tested and didn’t get the results he’d hoped for.
https://youtu.be/l2WCkmw38ew
Legislators, instead of hoping Joe Biden will do the right thing, pass laws requiring periodic standardized, non biased cognitive tests. But don’t exempt yourself. Legislators should have to be periodically assessed, as well.
https://youtu.be/l2WCkmw38ew
Dear Karen and others on this blog. The subject of the Professors posting is illegal immigration. Have you noticed that Natacha, Svelaz and Eb don’t want to comment on the subject the Professor has presented because they know that they are losing on this subject. You allow them to sidetrack you. When you have a winning position you should not be distracted and you should hold their feet to the fire on the subject at hand. Don’t fall for their tactic just continue to point out that they really don’t give a damn about the children stacked on top of one another in the detention centers. Just point out that their compassion is also a phony heartless tactic.
What are we “losing” on the subject? Biden can’t stop people from coming here. When you kick them out, they just turn right around and come back. And, even Turley admits that it’s not clear that a subsequent Executive Order cannot reverse a prior Executive Order on immigration policy, which is what this Texas judge ruled, and that judges are in disagreement over this issue. Turley’s piece was just another of his assignments: find reasons to criticize Biden and try to defend Trump and his massive failures of leadership, primarily by Executive Order.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the majority of the fault for illegal immigration falls on those who hire them to work. if there was no work for them, they wouldn’t come here and they’d leave, but there’s plenty of work here, under the table, of course. They are cheap labor because they don’t demand benefits, workers compensation, overtime pay and they don’t file sexual harassment lawsuits. They work in most, if not all, of the big hotel chains, restaurants, nonunion construction, nanny and housekeeping services that are run by Republican-supported corporations. They are cheap labor, and good for the bottom line. If laws for hiring illegals were enforced and even toughened, including large fines and jail time for repeat offenders, they’d stop hiring them. Without work, they’d be forced to go back home to South America. But Republicans refuse to do this–instead, they try to blame Biden and lie about the US having “open” borders. Abusing these people isn’t the answer, either. Kidnapping their children and incarcerating them is a human rights violation. I agree that most of these people don’t qualify for refuge here. They want to come here because the US is better than Honduras, Guatemala, and the other South American countries they come from. Mexicans don’t come here so much because we exported most of our factory jobs to Mexico [without penalties to the wealthy, Republican-supported corporations who don’t want to pay US workers a living wage], and they can stay home and have a good life there. Here, we have good schools, better health care, better food, a better standard of living and better everything than South America, and most of them have relatives here, too, who are living large compared to life in South America. The more that come here, the more that will continue coming here. Immigration courts are overwhelmed with cases.
This has become a serious problem, but Biden and the Democrats didn’t cause it, and aren’t prolonging it by refusing to separate young children from their parents. The only answer is to prevent them from working here, because that’s the only thing completely under US control, and we’re not doing enough to punish those who hire illegals. Maybe among the penalties for hiring an illegal would be the cost to deport them to their home country. Republicans need to step up and support toughening and enforcing laws prohibiting hiring illegals. That’s not going to happen as long as illegals help the bottom line.
“Glenn Greenwald
@ggreenwald
·
3h
Finally, read this great thread where @RichardHanania documents how military and intelligence leadership manipulated Presidents to not only stay in Afghanistan but escalate.
The biggest and worse lie of the Trump era is that the US has no Deep State:”
https://twitter.com/RichardHanania/status/1427228322329632777
“Richard Hanania
@RichardHanania
There needs to be a thread on the Afghanistan withdrawal. People who support withdrawal but don’t like how it’s done have no better option, and it’s this attitude that leads to forever war. They expect competence when the entire lesson of the war is the US is not competent! 1/n
6:18 AM · Aug 16, 2021·Twitter Web App”
“The U.S. Government Lied For Two Decades About Afghanistan”
“Using the same deceitful tactics they pioneered in Vietnam, U.S. political and military officials repeatedly misled the country about the prospects for success in Afghanistan.”
https://greenwald.substack.com/p/the-us-government-lied-for-two-decades
My relative fought in the Korean War. When I asked him about the state of North and South Korea today, he was frustrated. He said, “We were right there!” They fought so hard, only to be called back when they signed a treaty that allowed Socialists to abuse the people of North Korea, while only South Korea was free.
We could have had one Korea, a free and prosperous Korea. Instead only the Southern half is free. Its prosperity can be seen from space, where South Korea is lighted like any other First World country, while North Korea is dark.
This retreat inevitably led to North Korean dictators, and their constant threats to nuke the US.
We could have avoided all of this if the politicians had let our military win.
How will our vets feel about the inevitable rise of terrorism in Afghanistan? They were right there! We’re going to end up having to go back there again, after more death.
The Republican National Committee was caught attempting to quietly erase history on Sunday when a page on GOP.com praising former President Donald Trump’s “historic peace agreement with the Taliban” was deleted as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban.
The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel first noticed the apparent takedown, which an RNC spokesperson later billed as a routine update to the website.
“How quickly can the politics around Afghanistan change? Here’s a section on the RNC’s website in June; click it now, and you get a 404 error.” Weigel added alongside an image of the dated page.
Hours later, RNC spokesperson Mike Reed said the site’s page was missing due to the GOP operation launching a new website and the old content not being carried over.
“This is so dishonest,” Reed tweeted. “We launched a new website last week… some of the old posts haven’t been carried over yet. Go look… all blog/research pieces from years ago aren’t there. But good try attempting to divert attention from the folks actually in charge of this disaster.”
Additionally, on Sunday evening, Trump called for Biden to “resign in disgrace” over his role in withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.
“It is time for Joe Biden to resign in disgrace for what he has allowed to happen to Afghanistan, along with the tremendous surge in COVID, the Border catastrophe, the destruction of energy independence, and our crippled economy,” Trump declared in a statement. “It shouldn’t be a big deal, because he wasn’t elected legitimately in the first place!”
Notably, as the situation quickly unravels in Afghanistan, many Republicans are already flipping on positions about withdrawing troops from the region held only months ago.
Yeah, now Republicans are against withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and Trump’s accusing Biden of not being “legitimately elected”. Such hypocrisy.
“Trump called for Biden to “resign in disgrace” over his role in withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.”
Trump is correct. Where are the rest of the calls for him to resign?
Today we finally saw President Biden begrudgingly interupt his vacation to give an absurd 5 minute speech before scurrying away like a coward to resume his recreating with his family at Camp David.
He would not even stand there as the Commander in Chief, the leader of the country and take a single question from the press. Beyond cowardly. Total lack of leadership. Embarrassing and shameful — that is IF he had any shame — which he clearly does not. None of them do.
It’s a disgrace to see much of the fake news still carrying water for President Biden in the face of this humilating debacle. The media would be slaughtering Trump nonstop and Pelosi would have drawn up impeachment papers, like yesterday.
You claim that Biden was supposed to take questions from the press. Since the exit from Afghanistan is an ongoing operation, how can he answer questions about what is being done and what is being planned, without tipping his hand to the Taliban and the (bribed) Afghan government, which could scuttle the success of removal of US citizens, contractors and others? Since we know the Afghanistan government thrives on bribes and has no gratitude for all that America did for it, I could see them taking hostages and demanding ransom at this point if they knew what our next moves are going to be. Anything to criticize Biden.
“Anything to criticize Biden.”
I’m sorry, would you rather we bow and kiss the ring of Dear Leader? Geezus.
He is the Commander in Chief. Do you really think he should NOT be criticized? Holy smokes, even CNN is blasting the guy.
Biden’s blunders are SO bad that one can’t help but wonder if this was intentional diminishment of Amerca’s standing in the world. Mis-managed decline. Seems quite possible.
Afghan withdrawal is being brought to you by some the same minds leading during the time of Benghazi withdrawal 9/11/12:
Anthony Blinken
Jake Sullivan
Jen Psaki
Bill Burns
Ron Klain
~Sharyl Attkisson
—————————-
IOW the incompetent government dum dums “failed up”
” without tipping his hand to the Taliban and the (bribed) Afghan government, which could scuttle the success of removal of US citizens,”
I guess you haven’t heard Biden’s “plan” is to trust the Taliban who assured them they would “grant safe passage”…..
“For five years, the credentialed morons warned that Trump was a foreign catastrophe waiting to happen. None of the prophecies came to pass. Seven months in, Biden, his veep and press secretary are AWOL, while WH photos dox CIA stations and Afghans drop from fleeing US craft.” @SohrabAhmari
“This is a truly manipulative speech. Biden did not take an ounce of responsibility, portrayed himself as heroic, created a fake issue of staying and fighting forever being only alternative to his withdrawal debacle. A metaphor for his deceptive several decades in politics.” @LegInsurrection
“Biden: the Buck stops with me and I take full responsibility but my hands were tied by Trump and this is the Afghan military’s fault. We were prepared for this, but we were caught off guard. We’re giving the country to the Taliban but we’ll hold them accountable.” @JonahDispatch
Over 1 million illegal immigrants have crossed the border in less than a year. This is in addition to our legal immigration system. Some of these people have Covid, and those who don’t can easily get it in the crowded conditions of intake.
There are people from the Middle East, war torn African nations with their forever wars, and many other countries. Mexican and South Americans have expressed entitlement to immigrate here illegally. They feel they have a right to come here. When asked, they oppose that same right for Pakistan, Serbia, Iraq, and many other nations, without a shred of irony.
We already saw pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the US with signs urging the rape of Jewish women, and murder of Jewish kids. When people who want to kill Jews migrate here, they still want to kill Jews. When people who were allowed to rape and control women come here, they still want to rape and control women. Unfettered migration is why there are places in Europe too dangerous for Jews or women to walk. The same will happen here.
Logistically, our country cannot handle more than 1 million mostly unskilled illegal immigrants every year, especially during a pandemic. It’s negligent to allow unskilled workers in when US citizens and legal migrants need entry level work in order to get that first step on the rung to success. Even if every one of those 1 million people were nice, and shared Western values, our support structure will quickly implode under the strain. We don’t have the benefits system capability, the housing, jobs, and water to grow at that pace. But not all 1 million are nice, or share Western values.
We could have gone to every country in the world, and found people who would be an asset to our country. We could have found the best, the brightest, the hardest working, the most kind hearted, the best artists, poets, scientists, farmers, or just plain good people. Instead, we’re getting a people who would give their children to a drug cartel in order to skip the immigration process. We’re getting a cross section of the world, and that cross section includes a lot of bad with the good. We’re not winnowing out the good people, but just taking them all, the abusers with those they abuse. That’s crazy.
We will quite simply destroy our prosperity and our country with this massive population migration.
Immigration is like vitamins. Just enough is healthy; too much is deadly.
Let me summarize: a total s^&t stain was in office and created a handful of strategically placed, fully despicable policies. Everyone knew the s^&t stain for who he was. About a third of the nation fully agreed with whatever policy was resultant. A really slimy slice of the legal community ran interference for the s^&t stain and continues to maintain the resultant policies…
Rinse and repeat. But hey, I’m speaking to the choir, right?
eb
You pegged Obama well!!!
I have to wonder about the real soldiers in the military.
What must they be thinking and worrying about knowing what incompetent idiots are the ‘brains’ behind dangerous missions and whether they will be abandoned if things go sideways.
Trump would never abandon them. But people like Obama, Clinton, Kamala and Biden don’t even like our soldiers and, as they say,”what difference does it make” when they leave them to die.
By the way, the San Francisco hippie lets the Taliban commander have a Twitter account but denies one to Trump.
Young,
“ Trump would never abandon them.”
Huh? Trump abandons everyone he deals with the moment they are not useful to him.
Let’s not forget that Trump was the one who abandoned the Kurdish allies.
Trump made a peace deal with the Taliban and falsely declared he had a very good relationship with the leader of the Taliban.
It was Trump supporters and those in congress they wanted out of Afghanistan. They got their wish. Particularly Sen. Rand Paul he wholeheartedly supports Biden withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.
Svelaz:
Trump told the Taliban that if they did anything bad, he’d send the military to their homes to blow them up. Biden, by contrast, has begged the terrorists to please spare the embassies, where they are destroying the American flags themselves in order to prevent their desecration at the hands of terrorists.
Obama bowed and scraped and groveled to world leaders on an apology tour. Trump took a position of strength. Biden appears to have dementia or some other issue, and his administration is weak.
Those who hate America won’t love her when she’s weak.
I recently saw the movie White House Down, in which President Jamie Foxx planned to withdraw troops from all around the world. In response there was a coup attempt on his life. When he miraculously survived, with the help of Channing Tatum, world leaders, including those of the Middle East, called for unity and solidarity.
That’s the fantasy of the Left. If we just ceased all military action and presence, the world would love us. Terrorists would see the error of their ways and go buy a latte.
But that’s not reality. Terrorist who want to kill us rejoice when we’ve got weak leadership. They want to see the fall of the West.
This is not how Trump would have handled a drawdown in Afghanistan. Biden is responsible for how Biden ran this show.
There were plenty of previous agreements, like the Paris Climate Accord, for instance, that Trump jettisoned as being against American interests while letting the worst polluters pollute even more. Simply having a previous plan to withdraw does not absolve Biden of responsibility for how he carried it out.
We shouldn’t build infrastructure in any country where there is a high likelihood that it will be given to terrorists. It’s difficult to export the idea of democracy and equality. We gave women a false hope for the past two decades. Under our control and influence, Afghani women were able to get an eduction, work, and travel without permission. That’s all gone, now.
Any withdrawal should have been very gradual, seeing how each step went and responding accordingly. The Afghani military and police were either not up to the task, or they were in cahoots with the Taliban.
Karen: I truly wish you would stop pretending to be an intellectual, because you aren’t–you are a Trump disciple, and by virtue of that, gullible and misinformed. You are just repeating this morning’s slop from the alt-right media you rely on for your “opinions”. Trump does NOT portray any strength–personal or otherwise. He thinks that when he struts around in his expensive clothes, jeweled cuff links, oversized ties, and that comical pompadour, accompanied by his stripper wife, that people see strength and authority–but it’s all smoke and mirrors. Trump didn’t intimidate anyone, including the Taliban, and they have never been afraid of him. Most Americans and people around the world mock him for the arrogant loser that he is. The Trump Baby balloon came from England. Trump is seriously mentally ill with narcissism and the rest of the world knows that, too. And, you really need to stop lying about Biden being weak or having dementia–that, too, is nothing but another alt-right talking point.
There would be no such thing as a gradual withdrawal from Afghanistan. I’ve seen a roundtable discussion with our own military experts. They said that it wouldn’t matter whether we were in Afghanistan 20 years or 200 years–it’s going to boil down to the Afghanistan military stepping up to defend themselves. We’ve given them all of the necessary military hardware, weapons, ammunition and training, plus 2,400 American lives, and the situation didn’t change. The minute the US wasn’t doing all of the work, the Taliban surged because the Afghan military simply doesn’t have the guts or desire to fight back. At the end of the day, it’s not the US’s battle. How many more American lives are owed? The Afghan government either can muster enough strength to do the work necessary to fight off the Taliban, or they don’t. Twenty years is long enough. So if there had been any type of gradual draw down, the Taliban would still move in, leaving the US with the choice of staying and fighting or leaving. So, you stay and fight awhile, and then try to leave–but Taliban would surge once again–so you stay and fight awhile longer, and try to leave again, only to have the process repeat. The problem is the Afghan government–it’s their country–it’s their battle. If they don’t care enough to defend themselves, why should the US lose any more lives fighting their battle? The majority of Americans of both parties support withdrawing from Afghanistan because it’s just like Viet Nam–it will never end unless those who oppose the radicals are willing to fight to defend their own freedoms. The US can’t go in and annihilate all of the Taliban. Without the Afghanistan government fighting off the Taliban, take over by the Taliban was inevitable. And, yes, it’s tragic how they treat women, but who has the bigger responsibility to protect Afghan women–the US or Afghanistan? I don’t see the rest of the world stepping up, either.
“And, you really need to stop lying about Biden being weak or having dementia–that, too, is nothing but another alt-right talking point.”
Is it?
Why doesn’t Biden put that to rest by taking the same cognitive test Trump took and sharing his results? Very simple thing to do.
Trump didn’t take a “cognitive test”–the “test” he took was a basic screening for Alzheimer’s Disease–being able to plot the time of day on a clock face and to recall 5 words. And…why should Biden take any “tests”? Because Hannity accuses him of being “senile” or having “dementia”? Who the hell are you and the alt-right media to accuse the lawfully-elected POTUS of having cognitive issues, anyway?
Why doesn’t Biden take the same test? Put the stories to rest?
Nothing is ever “put to rest” by you Trumpsters–not the 2020 election, the Mueller investigation–nothing, because you are disciples to alt-right media. Multiple recounts in swing states, certification by all 50 Secretaries of State, and most of you Trumpsters believe the Big Lie. What is the evidence of Biden’s alleged “senility”? Why is it that only you alt-right media mavens see issues with Biden’s competence?
“Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to f**k things up.” ~Barack Obama
The Big Lie *is* the big lie.
“Who the hell are you and the alt-right media to accuse the lawfully-elected POTUS of having cognitive issues, anyway?”
Given what we can all see with our own eyes, it would be political malpractice to NOT call it out.
Biden can take a simple test and share the results to put the story to rest. But he won’t.
What is it you think you “see with [your] own eyes”? Biden has always had an issue with stuttering, but that’s not proof of senility or dementia. Ever seen “Talk Like Trump”–a video showing all of his flubs and mis-pronounciations?
Biden’s brain is stuttering.
He’s got a history of not one, but two brain anyeurisms, where they cut his skull open to operate on his brain. No one is the same after one brain bleed, let alone two.
Calm down, Allan.
You say Biden’s “brain is stuttering”. I ask again: what is the proof?
Biden can’t keep ‘calling lids’ every day and disappearing out of sight for much longer. Not after this Afghanistan fiasco.
Anonymous:
When Trump was accused of having dementia, he immediately took a cognitive function test and gave his doctor permission to release not only those results, but answer questions about his health in general.
When Biden was asked, on camera, to do the same thing, he became offended and resentful. Most important, he refused to do the same.
The exact same people who declared Trump had dementia, heart disease, narcissistic personality disorder, and any number of mental and physical illnesses are now outraged at the conjecture that something is wrong with Biden. Remember when they said Trump had dementia and shouldn’t have the nuclear codes?
We have all seen Biden forget names, forget where he is, forget who’s in charge, tell reporters he’s not “allowed” to answer certain questions or “he’ll get in trouble”. He’s only allowed to call on a written list of reporters, and then he answers questions by reading them. He’s suddenly begun whispering, strangely, during press conferences. He’s babbled in interviews about how much he loves when kids he’s not related to sit on his lap and stroke his leg hair.
No, one cannot diagnose an illness without an exam. We also have eyes and sincere concerns. We want Biden to take an exam and release the results.
Trump took a test to allay concerns, and he shared it with the public. Why won’t Biden do the same? Why isn’t Biden held to the same standard, or do the Democrat Ruling Class get their own special rules?
I don’t recall people saying Trump has dementia, but there’s no doubt that he has a narcissistic personality disorder. HE brought up the issue of the basic test for Alzheimer’s, which is not a diagonstic tool. It is a screening device. His niece, Dr. Mary Trump, says he has narcissistic personality disorder, along with sociopathic tendencies. A group of psychologists and psychiatrists also opined that Trump is a narcissist. Trump’s narcissism includes his inability or refusal to focus on complex problems or a form of ADHD, so the PDB had to be “dumbed down” for him–no more than one page–because he just didn’t care enough about the job of President to pay attention to the details of any issue any longer than that. The job was all about him: how wonderful he was, how much he was loved, how successful he was (according to him). That’s all he wanted to hear. Staff had to be careful how to approach him because of his volatile temper any time something didn’t go his way or someone criticized him, because they were afraid he’d start on one of his name-calling tantrums. He also refused to stay on message. He had plenty of wise people surrounding him who advised him to stick to the script they prepared for him, and not to deviate, because every time he deviated, he said something that made him look bad or stupid, like, for instance, the way he handled the COVID daily briefings, contradicting the doctors and lying about the dangers of the disease, the proximity of a vaccine, and nonexistent cures. This information is from several sources, including the book “Only I Can Fix It” by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker. These authors confirmed everything they wrote from at least 2 sources. Trump’s massive ego, his sociopathic lack of concern about others, his lack of patriotism and inability to focus disqualified him from handling the job of president. None of the things you claim about Biden are true–you got all of this from alt-right media, and they lie and alter videos.
Karen: you and your alt-right media sources do not speak for most Americans, so stop using the word “we” to describe alleged concerns of the American people about Biden being senile. Trump is overweight, he has high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, according to the book by Leonnig and Rucker, which isn’t surprising considering his diet of Big Macs and fries washed down with Diet Coke. There is no “Democrat Ruling Class”, either. The 2020 election was secure and the candidates who won were the choices of the American people.
Biden is the president now. We are talking about Biden refusing to address the elephant in the room. There have been concerns raised on all sides about HIS cognitive capacity that is OBVIOUSLY declining, rapidly. That’s why they ‘wind him up’ and trot him out for a short speech, NO questions, back to vacation, back to ‘calling lids’ and staying out of sight for days at a time.
Anonymous:
In addition, given the very high incidence of dementia among those 70 and older, everyone in the legislative, executive, and judicial branch of government, all doctors, all police and military, should all have to take standardized cognitive assessment tests beginning at age 65. A fail can lead to a retest. A subsequent failure should require retirement.
What qualifies you to opine about dementia or the need for testing, anyway? You don’t even have a college education. And, BTW, Trump is over 70, he is not fit, he has high blood pressure and atherosclerosis and he is obese. Biden is slim and very physically active.
Karen has said that she has a college education, so maybe it’s time to let that one go. Karen could clarify, though she probably won’t.
That said, on occasion, I skim Karen’s comments, but they aren’t worth much time, IMO.
I agree with your comment @ 4:27.
On the one hand, Biden is just carrying out the agreement Trump negotiated with the Taliban. No one liked the deal, it was poorly negotiated and gave the Taliban much of what they wanted without retaining much leverage in return. On top of that, this sort of end was predicted in 2003 by many when the initial invasion occurred….
But this is awful how the withdrawal has been mismanaged. Just plain awful. Would the trump administration have done any better? Hey, just look at their pandemic tactics and extrapolate, they’d have probably done even worse. I really just hate that the Biden administration has given the trump administration a run for its money in terms of sheer incompetence with how this withdrawal is playing out.
Bottom line, we’re leaving a bunch of allies in Afghanistan hanging. This, combined with what trump did in Syria, leaves almost zero trust about the prospects of working with the Americans in any sort of arrangement. And they shouldn’t.
eb
Trump inherited Afghanistan and tried to get us out. Lest we forget Obama’s shameful Bergdahl trade? One military deserter for 5 Taliban Generals. Biden fubar’d the exit — as he has fubar’d everything he’s touched for the past 50 years in Washington.
The US exit fromn Afghanistan had no end point that wasn’t messy unless the Afghanistan military were going to step up and take charge of defending themselves, which they didn’t. We gave them military training, military equipment, money, support and the lives of 2,400 American troops, and what did they do? Handed the place over to the Taliban like cowards. So, the US could stay and figtht for the freedom of Afghanistan for another 20 years, but would that have made any real difference? Would the story have ever ended differently? Viet Nam, Korea, and now Afghanistan–will the US ever learn that we can’t go to other countries and kill those who oppose democracy singlehandedly unless the citizens there want democracy badly enough to do what’s needed. Where is the rest of the world? Why don’t they take over where we left off?
The issue is not the decision to leave Afghanistan it is *how* Pres. Biden botched the departure turning it into such a fiasco.
Biden said one month ago that we would not abandon our embassy. We were run out by the Taliban. China and Russian embassies are remaining.
Why did Biden come back from Camp David to give a 10 minute ‘strawman’ speech, take ZERO questions and head immediately back to Camp David?
That is NOT leadership nor is Biden taking responsiblity. He is not capable of standing before the press and answering questions — which he absolutely needs to do. Instead he goes straight back to his vacation. Absolutely shameful.
Exactly HOW did Biden allegedly “botch” the departure? Specifics, please. What, exactly, did he fail to do? The Afghans said they would secure the exit of US embassy personnel, US citizens, contractors, interpreters and others who wanted out. They didn’t keep up their end of the bargain. Yet, Biden still didn’t try to shift blame. It turns out that the Afghanistan government was bribed by the Taliban to lay down their weapons and surrender. Explain exactly HOW this is Biden’s fault–did he know about it in advance? Yes, it has been known for quite some time that the Afghanistan government was corrupt, but was Biden supposed to look into a crystal ball and know, in advance, that the Afghanistanis would take bribes and lay down their arms?
Gosh, is this guy eb deluded.
Ex-Obama adviser: Why Biden must fire his national security adviser for Afghanistan failure
“The people, plans and processes that President Joe Biden has put in place to keep America safe are not working.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/08/16/afghanistan-disaster-why-bidens-foreign-policy-team-failed-america/8145997002/
S. Meyer,
“ Any withdrawal should have been very gradual, seeing how each step went and responding accordingly. ”
That’s exactly what president Obama was doing. Republicans excoriated him for being too slow. Now we know why he was doing it that way.
Trump negotiated the release of the Taliban leader who is now in charge of Afghanistan. He also negotiated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for this peace treaty he proudly took credit for.
Trump wasn’t going to bomb or attack the Taliban as he claimed. Every chance he had to assert his military “might” he hesitated or was all bluff. Even in Syria where he just bombed a couple of empty buildings and a runway. That was nothing.
Trump shares blame for this disaster too. Especially for the fact that he negotiated for the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters and their current leader.
Basing your analysis of the left on a movie S. Meyer? Tsk tsk tsk, says a lot about your “knowledge”.
Svelaz, what you say is almost always wrong. You are incompetent. Along with incompetence, your reading abilities are near zero. The accompanying quote was from Karen, not me. Let me add one thing, Trump did not release 5,000 prisoners, but I believe Biden permitted how many to be released?
When you finally decide to enter the world where intelligent people exist, hopefully, you will come prepared with a dictionary. Along with the other words I have urged you to look up, you need to look up the word. if. It means A is conditioned on B. Study the word carefully because the word, if, changes a positive to a negative if the conditions aren’t met.
The youngest in my family is 6, and she knows what the word, if, means even though, as an adult, you don’t. She also has better reading comprehension. That is not an insult. She is smart, and you are not.
SM
Excellent point. Both parties/presidents suck so bad it’s hard to express it strongly enough.
Svelaz:
There was an article in WSJ that absolutely buried Biden. It’s under a paywall, so I’ll summarize. Biden reversed one Trump policy after another, yet the withdrawal from Afghanistan was the one thing he’s claiming he was powerless over.
Trump told the Taliban if they did bad things, he’d bomb them. They respect strength. Biden promised us, on video, that there would be no airlifts needed in Afghanistan. He said the Taliban was totally disorganized, and nothing like the North Vietnamese army.
This position was not supported by any evidence. The Taliban was always the most organized organization in Afghanistan.
Biden is doddering and begging terrorist organizations for mercy. This is the most disorganized, chaotic, panicked route possible. I don’t see much of a plan to evacuate all the Afghanis who helped our military. The Taliban has a list of those who helped us. They are going to their homes, unafraid of what the US would do, and they’re killing them. They are already forcing little girls and young women to marry Taliban fighters.
This is not how a responsible draw down would have gone in any way, shape, or form. But responsibility is like a hot potato. Biden won’t accept leadership responsibility. He’s made a disaster out of this and people are dying.
What a difference a vote makes.
Post the link, Karen.
Please.
No, Karen, you are wrong. Read what Svelaz wrote in response to Meyer above:
“ Any withdrawal should have been very gradual, seeing how each step went and responding accordingly. ”
That’s exactly what president Obama was doing. Republicans excoriated him for being too slow. Now we know why he was doing it that way.
Trump negotiated the release of the Taliban leader who is now in charge of Afghanistan. He also negotiated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for this peace treaty he proudly took credit for.
Trump wasn’t going to bomb or attack the Taliban as he claimed. Every chance he had to assert his military “might” he hesitated or was all bluff. Even in Syria where he just bombed a couple of empty buildings and a runway. That was nothing.
Trump shares blame for this disaster too. Especially for the fact that he negotiated for the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters and their current leader.
Basing your analysis of the left on a movie S. Meyer? Tsk tsk tsk, says a lot about your “knowledge”.
From USA Today:
“Biden said Afghan leaders had assured him that their army would stand up and fight the Taliban, but they did not. He also said he followed through on a withdrawal plan developed during the administration of former President Donald Trump.
Biden added there “was never a good time to withdraw US forces.”
Afghan security forces dissolved as the Taliban raced to Kabul in a matter to days. Protesters blocked access to the airport as the U.S. scrambled to get its people out of the country.
The president said the Taliban takeover was faster than expected, but Afghan officials – including former President Ashraf Ghani – had assured him that Afghan forces would fight the insurgents.
“The truth is, this did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated,” Biden said.”
So, Biden relied on Trump’s withdrawal plan and assurances from Afghanistan’s President that Afghan troops would fight, which they didn’t do. What, again, did Biden do wrong?
Yep, Pres. Biden just told us “the buck stops with me!”
Then he blamed Trump and everything else.
And immediately went back to his vacation without taking a single question from the press.
Shameful.
Presidential.
Presidential plagiarizing. Biden plagiarized Harry Truman. That’s what Biden is known for: plagiarizing.
“Let’s not forget that Trump was the one who abandoned the Kurdish allies.”
Trump hit a home run with that decision. Your arguments at that time were wrong and showed you didn’t know what you were talking about. Here you are again being stupid about world affairs.
You are totally non credible. Maybe you are like Biden senile and dumb. Maybe, just like Biden someone has to check to make sure you pulled your zipper up.
OMG! No one named “Trump” ever served in the military. Your fat hero evaded military service by a phony medical deferment for nonexistent bone spurs that never kept him off of the golf course. Mysteriously, his Selective Service file is there, but is missing the paperwork on the deferment. He went to military school because he was incorrigible and abusive to fellow students at the private school he had been attending, and loved parading around in his military uniform, but balked at actual military service. Trump referred to those who serve our country as “suckers” and “losers”. He threatened to disown Don, Jr. when he expressed an interest in joining the military. Trump refused to go to a military cemetery for a WWII memorial ceremony in France because it was misting out and he was afraid the Aqua Net wouldn’t hold and we’d all see the rug under his bouffant hair do. He lied about this, claiming that a military helicopter couldn’t fly due to rainy weather. He could have gone by automobile. Trump mocked John McCain because his plane was shot down over Viet Nam. When Gen. Kelly was with Trump at Arlington and pointed out that his son was buried there: Trump said “I don’t get it–what do they get out of it?”. Two of Biden’s sons served in the military, and you have the gall to claim that “Obama, Clinton, Kamala and Biden don’t even like our soldiers”, and that they say “what difference does it make when they leave them to die.”? You are not only a disciple, but a delusional one at that.
How many deferments did Joe Biden get?
5
Hunter Biden “served” in the military? How did he get INTO the military at his age and with his known drug issues only to be dishonorably discharged after what, a few months?
I don’t know, but Biden never called our military personnel “suckers and losers”, he never insulted John McCain or lied about nonexistent bone spurs to get out of service. He never threatened to disown his children for expressing interest in the military, either.
You believe everything you read, apparently.
“I don’t know, but Biden never called our military personnel “suckers and losers”
Neither did Trump who has tremendous devotion to those serving in the military. When you make things up it looks bad for you. If you repeat what Stupid people write or tell you then you can look equally dumb. There is no evidence he said that or many of the other things he was said to have said. It’s bogus. That is why WaPo and the NYT have been sued.
I understand you don’t like Trump. That is OK as long as you remain honest.
Sec of State Hillary and Pres. Obama were both MIA during Benghazi terror attack.
Joe Biden pulled strings to get Hunter (who was too old at the time) into the military. Joe Biden foisted his crack addict son on the military to deal with trying to rehabilitate him. Joe Biden’s son then became the military’s problem to deal with until they booted him out. THAT’s what Joe Biden did.
Joe Biden, a football player and lifeguard, received 5 draft deferments from Vietnam for asthma.
Clarification, Joe Biden, lifeguard and football player, got 5 draft deferments and then a medical exemption for asthma.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/09/16/fact-check-biden-received-multiple-draft-deferments-vietnam/5809482002/
Psaki taking the week off, Biden gone, Kamala (?). It seems like these people really don’t give a crap about anything.
They probably don’t.
The rest of the world figured these clowns out some while ago and I imagine they, foreign leaders, have bad things planned for us.
Experts have been saying there is no legal constitutional way Trump can next week come back as Pres.
I’m not saying Trump is but it could happen in one day/any day.
If VP Kamala in a back room deal resigns, Congress replaces her with Trump, Biden Resigns a minute or few resigns,same day & about time Congress votes to put the now VP Trump back into power.
Whatever. I’ve seen penalty of very odd back room deals made & brought out to the public with lots of lawyer type words.
We’ll See??
The Constitution doesn’t count for much with the Biden crowd anyhow.
The Cray pills are strong in this one.
eb
The rest of the world figured these clowns out some while ago and I imagine they… have bad things planned for us. — Young
Dementia Joe was always their fall guy… media-made with his very own Hunter to hang him.
And cackling harpie to replace him.
Trump took more vacation time than any POTUS in recent history. He also took more daily “executive time”–during which he obsessively watched television, especially Fox News.
Try again.
Was Trump ever AWOL, MIA in the midst of a spectacular foreign policy disaster unfolding before the world? No. That’s Biden. That’s Obama.
OBAMA was golfing and his Secy of State was MIA as we lost an embassy and an ambassador in the Benghazi terror attack.
OBAMA was golfing when Americans were beheaded by ISIS.
And trump was just golfing.
Hey, anyone remember the pic of Bush jr. on the golf course being handed the PDB he ignored about Osama Bin Ladin being more active and up to something? Bush jr. ignored that briefing and the Minneapolis FBI office, who was trying to break through with intelligence they had on one of the pilots scheduled to fly on 9/11, stayed locked up and not able to get their intel through. Repubs specialize at being asleep at the wheel. The story here is that a Dem administration approached Repub levels of incompetence.
eb
You saw peace around the world. In a way you are right. Biden should have started and finished his term on vacation with no working days in-between. Biden in a dunce and always has been and always will be.
The only “clowns” the rest of the world has “figured out” is Trump and Pence. Trump was mocked everywhere he went for being the arrogant lightweight he is. Angela Merkle walked away from Ivanka while she was speaking. Every world leader has welcomed Biden and expressed support for him and his administration. Maybe if you watched something other than alt-right news, you’d know this.
Putin and Xi and the Iran mullahs are expecially pleased Biden is in the White House.
Remember when there was peace in the Middle East under Trump? Seems so long ago.
No, I don’t and can’t remember things that didn’t happen. There was no “peace in the Middle East” under Trump, who was manipulated by Israel and American Jews to move the Embassy as a symbolic middle finger to the Palestinian people. Jared’s little “peace agreement” was NOT between Israel and Palestine–all this did was formalize what had already been happening–trade between Israel and UAE and Bahrain–nothing significant in the overall picture for Middle East relations. But, pretending it was some big deal, well, that’s what Republicans and Trump do–bragging about his alleged “success” when the parties involved were already trading among themselves to begin with. Trump is NO dealmaker–he is a bully and liar.
There was peace breaking out in the middle east and the world during Trump’s presidency. Thomas Friedman, total lefty New York Times writer called Trump’s (first of many) historic middle east peace deal “a geopolitical earthquake.” And Trump was nominated 3 times for Nobel Peace Prizes.
Are we sure Mayor Lightfoot of Chicago isn’t a Taliban leader?
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/08/15/report-at-least-45-shot-friday-into-sunday-morning-in-chicago
Same ole same ole. Mayor Lightfoot still needs to fund free range time for the hood rats to tight up on center of mass shooting to increase their k-ill rates by at least 50%, I would think.
In South Africa now the problem citizens, police & military have has been running out of ammo as there are so many hood rats attacking.
Oky1– You may have something there. Maybe the ammo shortage just comes down to the lads in Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit and Africa just having too much fun shooting each other lately.
Young,
I’m a bit tried as I got some good choirs taken care of & much research done.
The research is telling me that everyone needs to hold themselves back for now. Hell is breaking out everywhere. I think we’ll just have to take the pounding from the 3 letter agencies for a bit longer. They’ve already lost the high ground but in their panic & they’ll think like idiots & attempt to pull another yet Massive False Flag event in an attempt to blame us normal American people for their violence.
The shooters in the Gettos could care less & the police/military like their violence for reason training Docs/Nurses for Battle Flied like ER conditions.
The people in the Dem/Rino’s Gettos are actual in a good position, they are battle hardened though decades of street fighting, us in the Gen Pop have grown a bit soft from the lack that type crap.
As I see it, the govt reacts violently against us Americans, they’ll Ph’k it up, almost everyone sees it this time for what it is, the govt will collapse & then anyone that is pissed like the guy that shot the catalytic converter thief, anyone will know they can do whatever the wish.
The difference between the Getto Trash & the 3 letter agencies is that the 3 letter agencies are the ones most likely to shoot your dogs when the show up.
Okyi– Good points.
BTW , Extra Ammo can also be used as Barter/Money as currencies are going or are collapsing.