Biden to address nation
Apparently Joe Biden will be emerging from his hiding place to address the nation at 3:45 Eastern Time. I predict that his message will be some combination of “it’s not that bad” and “Bush and Trump made me do it.”
The spin must be dizzying for those writing his speech. And it’s almost possible to feel sorry for those trying to prepare him – almost, but not quite.
My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that this approach to the Afghanistan exit is one decision that Joe really did make himself. It has that quality of attempted self-aggrandizement – the timing being motivated by the vision of himself celebrating the 20th anniversary of 9/11 by being able to brag that he finally got us out of there when no one else could. It also apparently encompasses self-delusion, because all reports are that his military advisors said that this way of withdrawing from that country was ill-advised. They may not have known exactly how they should have done it, but this extremely precipitous and abrupt departure, leaving so many vulnerable people (and their families) to be tortured and murdered, was especially bad and it was especially obvious. But Biden knew better, right?
And the idea that our “intelligence” had no idea about Afghan surrender to the Taliban being likely is preposterous:
Biden announced that withdraw would begin on May 1st. By May 11th (!!) the media reported on warnings of massive defections. Everybody knew. https://t.co/3Nqs6OG0GJ pic.twitter.com/yBids3GpM7
— Kyle Shideler (@ShidelerK) August 16, 2021
The Biden administration seems implacably determined to gravely damage this country and so many others in record time – except for our enemies, who are sitting pretty. It’s a good example of how hard it is to build and how easy to destroy.
As someone pointed out in a previous thread IIRC, Biden managed to hit VJ day for DA day.
“My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that this approach to the Afghanistan exit is one decision that Joe really did make himself. It has that quality of attempted self-aggrandizement”
I think you’re right.
If the current administration hadn’t done everything in their power to destroy the stability we were enjoying, they wouldn’t have to address anyone. I have never in my lifetime time seen such destruction in our USA in such a short time. I hope, though doubt, that anyone that voted for this mess is deeply ashamed. What is happening over there is a horror show the legitimately white and privileged (that has nothing to do with being able to have an 8 foot TV) can only intellectualize about, and it turns my stomach. If this were Trump, they’d impeach him again tomorrow, and likely find some reason to arrest him as well. Blocking the Dem’s ‘voting reform’ is the only thing that stands between us and utter collapse.
“Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to f*** things up.” – Barack Obama
Expect nothing but excuses and blame shifting, delivered in barely coherent sputters (and that’s with a teleprompter) from this address.
Senator Rick Scott has suggested it may be time to invoke the 25th Amendment; obviously from a practical standpoint, this is no better, and likely worse, with Willie Brown’s mistress at the helm. Still, that’s the first time I’ve seen a Senator suggest it. And, it’s obviously warranted: Biden is clearly, obviously, undoubtedly, not mentally capable of discharging his duties.
The calculated decision of electing Biden comes under the heading of “plausible deniability.” Biden is doing everything that the Democrats want done (destroying confidence in our military, empowering China, inflating our currency, etc.) but they won’t get blamed for it and most crucially they won’t reverse anything. When it comes to blame, they’ll say, “We’re as shocked as you are. Who knew Biden had mental issues?”
All this brings back memories of that idiot Lt Col Vindman who poo pooed Trump leading foreign policy. He claimed the Deep State knows best. Now we know, they know nothing.
As Neo said above:
‘And the idea that our “intelligence” had no idea about Afghan surrender to the Taliban being likely is preposterous: ‘
The slick job the Taliban has pulled off buying the Afghan military over the past months should have been known by those who are supposed to gather intelligence, monitor electronic info and human intel yet here we are. This was an incredibly sophisticated takeover with all of the moving parts well oiled and slipping right into place. This current Taliban is not the usual old cave dwelling, camel driving, goat eating tribal people although they have plenty of those jumping right in to celebrate along with the actual leadership who appear to have won a takeover in less than a week.
Perhaps some of the people on the left will see what a sorry SOB they put into office when they stole the election early in the morning last November.
A long-shot prediction:
Neo is correct in that this was a decision that our President made himself, against the advice of his advisors.
He’s miserable as president, has enough awareness that he’s in over his head and has f’ed this great country over with his incompetence.
He will resign, acknowledging his error in judgment, falling on his sword in a last ditch effort to salvage a legacy.
His supporters will laud his supreme sacrifice, and spend the nest several months extolling his memory as a President who left his office out of nobility and principle (in contrast to his predecessor, of course). They will attempt to erase the last seven months of American history.
Then we get Kamala, good and hard.
West Tex.
Disagree. He’s not smart enough. He thinks insisting he was right all along, whether the thinks he was right, will take care of things. And anybody who thinks otherwise is a lying dog-faced pony soldier.
Smart Schmart. He thinks. He dinks.
What is this cult that seems ready to think of Biden as anything smarter than a potato? This guy, when he shows up to do or say something, is clearly running on stimulants.
I doubt Biden will resign.
I doubt this will bother mainstream Dems and the Left (if there is a difference these days). They are embarrassed but will shrug it off. At least Biden is not Trump, Dems are in power and almost all is right with the world.
It will hurt with true moderates, independents, NeverTrumpers and above all with military personnel and vets.
It does mean that the Biden “honeymoon” is definitely over and with any luck it will be harder for Schumer and Pelosi to push crazy bills through Congress.
huxley, To polite paraphrase: Defecate in one hand and open the other to catch some luck and find out which hand fills up first.
“The Biden administration seems implacably determined to gravely damage this country and so many others in record time…” neo
Incompetence? Malevolence? Ideological blindness?
I vote for all of the above.
What’s now happening in Afghanistan is truly horrific.
But Biden has an easy out; with the full throated support of the media propagandists, he’s going to blame Bush 44 as starting it and Trump compounding it, so its the Republican’s fault. The meme will be that poor Joe Biden was handed a debacle in the making.
Just enough truth to that to cover up the fact that Bush’s hands were tied by both Congressional democrats and the neocon belief (which Bush and Chaney still refuse to renounce) that democracy could be ‘grafted’ into Middle Eastern societies by “winning hearts and minds”.
Yet after 20 years, Afghans are not willing to fight for their country.
Gerard vanderleun:
Defecate in your own hand. I’ve got a delicate nature.
Are you arguing that the Afghan humiliation will have no effect on Congress’s voting?
Or was yours just a cynical scato comment that you imagine makes you sound wise?
huxley, find a quart of sand, mix it with quickcrete. Pound.
GVDL:
What a comeback! What a maroon!*
_____________
*In the Bugs Bunny sense.
Biden? Brendan O’Neill at Spiked Online renders withering judgement:
“Yet here’s the brutal truth: what is happening right now is worse than Saigon. Yes, America’s defeat in Vietnam was an epoch-shaping humiliation for the self-styled defenders of freedom in the Cold War clash with the ‘Evil Empire’ and its communist allies. But the routing of the US in Afghanistan, the alarmingly swift collapse of its allies in the Afghan government, the fall of Kabul like a house of cards, and the fact that Operation Enduring Freedom, launched in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, has ended with the endurance of the Taliban instead, with victory for the bad guys – all of this represents the most significant moment of geopolitical decline for the US in decades. Indeed, it raises questions not only about America’s global standing, but also about its very purpose and meaning as a nation.
“The scale of the humiliation just suffered by the United States cannot be overstated. The most powerful military force on Earth and its incredibly well-funded allies in Kabul have been pushed aside by a regressive 12th-century movement that thinks adulterers should be stoned to death. The allies of the most technologically sophisticated army in the world have been sent packing by a ragtag Islamist army which set about painting over billboard posters for female beauty products the minute it arrived in Kabul. A nation founded in freedom – and which justified its international presence in the language of freedom for the entire postwar period – has been usurped by a movement so intolerant that it bans pop music, executes comedians who make fun of it, and beats women with canes if they are immodestly dressed.”
“this is Worse Than Saigon”
https://www.spiked-online.com/2021/08/16/this-is-worse-that-saigon/
“…the Afghanistan exit is one decision that Joe really did make himself.”
Someone who agrees:
https://twitter.com/ian_mckelvey/status/1427232830103371778
I don’t, however.
FWIW, I believe it’s firmly the Democratic Party POLITBURO that’s making ALL the decisions ALL the way down the line. But it is extremely convenient having a demented figurehead—whom EVERYONE loves! “Decent Joe”!—acting as though he’s in charge.
(Kind of adds a new dimension to “plausible deniability”, doesn’t it…. Besides, whenever it become necessary, “Decent Joe” can easily be retired with full honors—having served his nation with the utmost distinction—not to mention Oh-so-DECENTLY—for the past 500 years, or something…)
Needless to say, I could have no idea of what I’m talking about…. (It’s happened!)
“Worse than Saigon”.
Yes, withering and all of it true.
But from “Biden” ‘s POV, it is—not “probably is”, but “is”—a feature and not a bug.
This is what so many people can’t seem to understand….and one can understand that. But these are not normal times and this REINCARNATION/REIMPOSITION of the Obama years is not a normal administration.
Reposting Victor D. Hanson’s latest because it lays down what many don’t wish to believe (since, frankly, it seems unbelievable):
https://amgreatness.com/2021/08/15/are-we-in-a-revolution-and-dont-even-know-it/
Not even Rubio seems to understand that “Biden” ‘s policy is a feature and not a bug.
Not even with all his deep intuition and vast intelligence.
https://justthenews.com/government/congress/april-rubio-warned-taliban-would-take-over-afghanistan-after-us-withdraw
But it is understandable: one would rather not “go there”….
It is as though Wretchard’s Ichunamean Wasp is not the external threat one thought it was all along. But an internal one.
https://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2012/01/11/the-ichneumon-wasp-n191336