Democracy was abandoned the day Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal turned disastrous
US Army Humvees were seen rolling down the tarmac at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan on Wednesday, with Taliban fighters commemorating the third anniversary of President Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Taliban, the same extremist group that once sheltered Osama bin Laden and the perpetrators of 9/11, held a parade with the Humvees.
The decline of democracy in Afghanistan began on July 1, 2021, when the US military evacuated Bagram under the cover of night.
The Biden-Harris administration justified the hasty withdrawal with “speed equals safety,” but the events of the past three years have shown that the world is not a safer place.
Since then, global democracy has been under threat from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who have been increasingly assertive in their actions.
Russian and Chinese officials were present at Bagram to celebrate President Biden’s abandonment of democracy in Afghanistan and the subsequent rise of the Axis of Evil in the region.
Horror at Abbey Gate
An ominous precursor to the future unfolded at Abbey Gate when a suicide bomber attacked, resulting in the deaths of thirteen US soldiers and 170 Afghans at Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport.
As the chaotic US evacuation from Kabul unfolded, Russian President Putin viewed it as a green light for his ambitions in Ukraine and other regions like the Sahel, North Africa, and beyond.
This perceived weakness and disarray in US foreign policy not only jeopardized global democracy but also emboldened aggressive actions by Putin and Xi Jinping.
The consequences of Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan have reverberated far beyond the region, leading to escalating conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The reluctance to engage in “forever wars” and the fear of escalation have been perceived as invitations for aggression by authoritarian leaders like Putin, Xi, and Khamenei.
The fallout from Biden’s actions in Afghanistan has fueled conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and beyond, with escalating tensions and military activities around the world.
Despite warnings from military leaders like Gen. Frank McKenzie and Gen. Mark Milley to maintain a presence in Afghanistan, their advice went unheeded, leading to the tragedy at Abbey Gate and subsequent global instability.
Global conflagration
What began as a withdrawal from Afghanistan has now escalated into a global crisis, with conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East threatening to spark World War III.
While Afghanistan was not the direct cause of this dangerous path, it was a crucial turning point that set the stage for larger geopolitical confrontations.
Yet, it isn’t too late to reverse this trajectory, with Ukraine and Israel standing up against aggression and offering opportunities for Western democracies to push back against authoritarian regimes like Putin’s Russia.
President Zelensky of Ukraine and Israel are demonstrating that bold actions and strategic maneuvers can counter democracy’s foes and restore stability in the face of aggression.
It’s time for Western leaders, including Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, to seize upon these opportunities and confront the challenges posed by authoritarian powers like Russia and Iran.
Afghanistan’s past cannot be changed, but its impact on global stability can be mitigated through concerted efforts and decisive actions by democratic nations.
Will Biden and his administration rise to the occasion, or will the triumph of the Axis of Evil signal a darker future for democracy worldwide?
Mark Toth writes on national security and foreign policy. Col. Jonathan Sweet (Ret.) served 30 years as a military intelligence officer.
