Biden’s ‘Orderly’ Afghan Exit Already In Peril As Suicide Attack Rocks Kabul

After Biden broke the prior Trump administration’s long negotiated May 1st deadline pullout deal with the Taliban, it vowed a “nightmare” for US troops should they stay past that date. Are we witnessing the beginnings of a massive upsurge in violence to come? A major peace conference meant to bring the national government and Taliban into a power-sharing arrangement to help facilitate a swift US exit has been canceled before it got off the ground…

“Just hours before the announcement of the postponement, a suicide bomber attacked a convoy of Afghan security personnel, wounding seven people in the capital of Kabul. The interior ministry said civilians and security personnel were among the wounded.

The attack was the first in weeks in the capital, even as targeted killings have escalated and Afghanistan’s security personnel have come under relentless attacks by Taliban insurgents. Recent months have also seen an increase in government bombing raids on suspected Taliban positions and increased raids by Afghan special forces.”

And the Associated Press adds further that “Residents fear the attack could be a harbinger of what’s to come as foreign troops prepare to begin their final withdrawal from Afghanistan. No one took immediate responsibility for the attack.” The report emphasized that US hopes for an “orderly exit” are already in peril. 

A week ago Biden announced a full US troop exit from America’s longest war in history, scheduled to be accomplished prior to the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks, which is this year.

But that’s long past the prior agreed-upon May 1st exit date. It appears that the Taliban has already declared the national government in Kabul ‘fair game’ for attacks, perhaps in an early ‘message’ and signal to Washington. 

Prior Taliban statements from days ago said that Washington can’t be trusted, and further it would “fight till the end” of the US occupation.

A number of pundits have noted that Biden’s handling of Afghanistan is a recipe for ensuring that America will yet again find a reason to stay.

Biden has botched Afghanistan. Any attacks against Americans after May 1 will be on him. If he foot drags on leaving after 9/11 he will also look bad & if we must return after that date he will look bad. We could have quietly packed up and left in accordance with the Doha deal.

— Max Abrahms (@MaxAbrahms) April 14, 2021

It’s the same pattern that’s repeated itself over and over again: Washington announces an intent to withdraw, then there’s an uptick in attacks ahead of the telegraphed exit date, and the US must then “answer” those attacks which in the end means extending military operations into the indefinite future.