689: Afghanistan is abandoned to the Taliban and al Qaeda; Biden to leave only a rump force? @thomasjoscelyn, @billroggio
Image: Santa chose a slightly different mode of transportation in Afghanistan to toss candy canes to children as he gave Rudolph and the other reindeer a much deserved rest. Tom Joscelyn, Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies; & Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal; and Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD; in re: Afghanistan in transition to standalone if the Trump Adm empties it of combat troops. Biden says he wants to leave a counterterrorism force behind. Taliban are gaining ground, have been for five years. Without US special forces, it’ll continue expansion. Al Qaeda benefits when Taliban do. People trying to cook the books, claim that al Q is a spent force—which it is not. Mr Biden probably will keep only a rump force there. US never had a clear picture of what al Q looks like in Afghanistan. Christopher Miller, SecDef in the last two months: filled with inaccurate statements. Al Q in East Africa, Kenya. They not only don’t want to understand after nineteen years in Afghanistan, they refuse to.