Afghanistan showed Biden unbowed

Hours after the last US military flight out of Kabul, President Joe Biden began a meeting in the White House Situation Room with praise. “You all did a helluva job,” Biden told his top national security aides, according to a White House official. He feels the same way about his own performance.

His conviction was not melted by a weeks-long blowtorch of criticism for the chaotic conclusion to the nation’s 20-year military involvement in Afghanistan. …

The fact that most Americans told pollsters they favored leaving didn’t make it easy for Biden to accomplish on his watch. Public attention had long since moved elsewhere. Wars reach ragged conclusions.

“Much tougher than kicking the can down the road,” observed Michael Beschloss, one of several historians the President brought in for conversation six months ago. “Biden knows enough about history to know that he will expose himself to criticism for everything that happens. It took guts.” CONTINUED

John Harwood, CNN


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