Biden’s Afghanistan Policy Counts on War-Weariness of Americans

Since the Taliban has overrun Kabul and the US airlift mission began, the media has turned on President Biden, and some Republicans like Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are even threatening impeachment. But despite the media storm, Biden allies and administration officials told Reuters that the president is brushing off the criticism since the war in Afghanistan was so unpopular.

“The public opinion is pretty damn clear that Americans wanted out of the ongoing war and don’t want to get back in. It’s true today and it’s going to be true in six months,” one unnamed Biden ally told Reuters. “It isn’t about not caring or being empathetic about what’s going on over there, but worrying about what’s happening in America.”

A new opinion poll from The Associated Press found 62 percent of Americans don’t believe the war in Afghanistan was worth fighting. The poll was taken from August 12th to August 16th, as the Afghan government was collapsing and the Taliban was entering Kabul.

The unpopularity of the war is clearly being taken into consideration by Biden’s speechwriter. While addressing the media this week, the president has made a point to argue how futile the war was and how the Afghan government would have collapsed whether the US pulled out now or five years from now.

“If Afghanistan is unable to mount any real resistance to the Taliban now, there is no chance that 1 year — one more year, five more years, or 20 more years of US military boots on the ground would’ve made any difference,” Biden said Monday.

Still, Biden’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest point of his presidency, and his administration will have to answer to the media for whatever unfolds in Afghanistan over the next few years.