LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Articles misses the ‘how’

I read Sunday’s editorial commentary titled “Biden right to withdraw from Afghanistan” with stunned disbelief. The article, from a foreign affairs columnist, focuses totally on the “why” while missing, as the Biden Administration apparently has, the “how” which was not only botched badly, but which also served as a precursor of multiple, future “screw-ups” by the same people. EVERYONE pretty well agrees that it was time to leave, but not as it was done – all of which was the responsibility of the new administration, and done apparently, despite recommendations from the military leadership. In short, abandoning weapons, equipment and an entire, intact airbase, along with four or five allies (other than the Afghanistan’s) without warning, and then trying to evacuate civilians with all military support already gone, was totally inexplicable. It was all so poorly done that loyal Afghani allies and even some US citizens have still been left behind. Future generations will no doubt be able to study it as a sterling example of how NOT to do a withdrawal from a foreign entanglement. It was time, but wow, what a screw-up.

David Schucker

Medicine Park