PAGE A14, KEIZERTIMES, AUGUST 27, 2021
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Biden’s ‘team of sycophants’
enabled Afghanistan disaster
By MARC A. THIESSEN
In 2014, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
took to the Senate floor to deliver a
blistering speech opposing Antony
Blinken’s nomination as deputy sec-
retary of state. Noting his years work-
ing for then-Vice President Joe Biden,
McCain declared that Blinken was office but was persuaded to leave 2,500
“not only unqualified” but also would troops on the ground, pending a con-
be “dangerous to America and to the ditions-based withdrawal in May.
And when he would not listen to
young men and women who are fight-
reason, there were people willing to
ing and serving our country.”
As evidence, McCain cited a 2013 put their stars on the table. In 2018,
speech in which “Mr. Blinken dis- after clashing with Trump over the
cussed a number of the administra- withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria
tion’s achievements, including, one, and Afghanistan, Defense Secretary
ending the war in Iraq responsibly; Jim Mattis submitted his resignation.
Where are the adults in the room
two, setting a clear strategy and date
for the withdrawal from Afghanistan.” today? Nowhere to be found. ABC
To call these achievements, McCain News’s George Stephanopoulos asked
said, was “Orwellian.” The senator Biden whether any of his advisers had
then went on to cite a series of Blinken pushed back on a complete withdrawal
statements that McCain said were “so and recommended leaving a residual
divorced from reality, one can only force of 2,500 troops in Afghanistan?
“No. No one said
draw one of two
that to me that I
conclusions: either
Where are the adults can recall,” Biden
that Mr. Blinken
replied.
is abysmally igno-
in the room today?
That he can
rant or he is sim-
ply not telling the
Nowhere to be found. recall? If some-
one did push
truth.” He quoted
back, and Biden
Blinken boasting
how “many predicted that the violence cannot recall it, then we have a 25th
would return and Iraq would slide Amendment problem. But if Biden is
backward toward sectarian war,” but correct, and not one single person in
that “those predictions proved wrong.” his circle of advisers—in or out of uni-
And he cited Blinken declaring that in form—pushed back on his plan to with-
Afghanistan “we have been very clear. draw no matter the conditions on the
We have been consistent. The war will ground, or made the case for leaving
be concluded by the end of 2014. We a residual force, then that is a shock-
have a timetable, and that timetable ing indictment of his national security
will not change.”
team.
“This is why I am so worried about
Far from a team of rivals, Biden has
him being in the position he is in,” surrounded himself with a team of
McCain said. If we followed Blinken’s sycophants and enablers who share
advice, he warned, “we will see the his worst instincts. Blinken is an ideo-
same movie in Afghanistan that we logue who has been working toward
saw in Iraq,” adding that “we must a full Afghanistan withdrawal since
leave a stabilizing force behind of a he joined the Obama administration
few thousand troops.”
in 2009. Ditto for national security
Flash forward seven years: Biden is adviser Jake Sullivan. But others such
president, Blinken is secretary of state, as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin
and McCain’s warning has come true.
and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman
When President Donald Trump was Mark A. Milley knew better. Why
in office, the media were always cele- didn’t one of them have the courage to
brating the “adults in the room”—the do what Mattis did, and resign rather
presidential advisers who restrained than carry out a policy they knew—or
Trump from following through on should have known—would lead to the
his worst instincts. To his credit, disaster we see unfolding?
In his speech seven years ago,
Trump sometimes invited people
who disagreed with him such as H.R. McCain noted that former defense
McMaster and John Bolton to join secretary Robert Gates famously said
his inner circle. And when his gener- Biden has been “wrong on nearly every
als warned him of disastrous conse- major foreign policy and national secu-
quences, he modified his plans. Trump rity issue over the past four decades.”
He did not make those blunders—or
wanted to pull all U.S. forces from
Syria but was persuaded to leave 900 this one—alone.
(Washington Post)
in place. He wanted to pull out all U.S.
forces from Afghanistan before leaving
other
VOICES
Educate, don't mandate
Since early 2020, the people in
Marion County, like others throughout
the state, have been greatly impacted by
COVID-19. While we have experienced
the loss of loved ones and continue to
help others who are ill to recover, the
people of Marion County have also
demonstrated resilience and commit-
ment to the community.
We’ve seen community members
volunteer to help others through wild-
fires, ice storms and historic heat waves,
all while also facing the realities of the
pandemic. Through these challenging
times, I’ve watched as our local public
health officials, county and city lead-
ers, and many community partners
have worked tirelessly to get PPE into
the hands of our residents and visitors.
Our local leaders have collaborated
with state officials to ensure vaccines
are available to every person in Marion
County who choose to get one.
As the elected Sheriff of Marion
County, I am sworn to protect its
345,000 residents who are spread across
1,182 square miles. I recognize the many
diverse communities that make up
Marion County have their own unique
needs, values and beliefs, something
I value greatly. With this diversity in
mind, I find it necessary to express how
important it is we have the ability at the
local level to develop a response that fits
the needs of our community members.
As a resident of Marion County, I
am confident in the ability of Marion
County Health and Human Services to
lead local response efforts to COVID-19.
This confidence is vested in the proven
ability of our local leaders to listen to our
community members, assess our local
FROM THE
SHERIFF’S
DESK
By JOE KAST
capabilities, and ask for addition sup-
port when needed. This preserves our
ability to continue to tailor our efforts to
the specific needs of our residents and
visitors.
My office committed to encouraging
our community members to make edu-
cated decisions to protect the health
and safety of our residents and visitors
in Marion County. This is something
we can accomplish, not through man-
dates, but with communication, compas-
sion, and while respecting the different
beliefs of our diverse community.
(Joe Kast is the Sheriff of Marion
County.)
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