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Disbelief and betrayal: Europe reacts to Biden’s Afghanistan ‘miscalculation’
Politico.eu ^ | August 17, 2021 1:23 am | Matthew Karnitschnig

Posted on 08/17/2021 3:53:04 PM PDT by Olog-hai

Until Sunday, Europe thought Joe Biden was an expert on foreign policy.

Now, the American president’s decision to allow Afghanistan to collapse into the arms of the Taliban has European officials worried he has unwittingly accelerated what his predecessor Donald Trump started: the degradation of the Western alliance and everything it is supposed to stand for in the world.

Across Europe, officials have reacted with a mix of disbelief and a sense of betrayal. Even those who cheered Biden’s election and believed he could ease the recent tensions in the transatlantic relationship said they regarded the withdrawal from Afghanistan as nothing short of a mistake of historic magnitude.

“I say this with a heavy heart and with horror over what is happening, but the early withdrawal was a serious and far-reaching miscalculation by the current administration,” said Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the German parliament’s foreign relations committee. “This does fundamental damage to the political and moral credibility of the West.” […]

At a time when some European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have been pushing for the bloc to pursue a security policy less dependent on America, Afghanistan is bound to be used as evidence for why “strategic autonomy” is necessary.

“Naturally this has damaged American credibility, along with that of the intelligence services and of the military,” said Rüdiger Lentz, the former head of the Aspen Institute in Berlin. “One can only hope that the damage to America’s foreign policy leadership can be quickly contained.” …

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.eu ...


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; biden; bideneffect; eussr; matthewkarnitschnig; waronterror
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To: Ron H.
Why are not impeachment hearings already in progress

Because the Dems control both houses of Congress.

41 posted on 08/17/2021 4:23:22 PM PDT by Avalon Memories (Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right...)
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To: Olog-hai

Does europe miss Trump yet?


42 posted on 08/17/2021 4:23:40 PM PDT by Born to Conserve
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To: Olog-hai

Dr. Samuel Mudd can rest easy now
He has been replaced as the back ggest U.S. villain in history.

President Joseph Mudd


43 posted on 08/17/2021 4:25:04 PM PDT by smvoice (I WILL NOT WEAR THE RIBBON. OR THE MASK)
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To: Olog-hai

this has damaged American credibility, along with that of the intelligence services
/\
\/

You know stuff is fubar when this is seen as a silver lining.

And considering the global intelligence 7 ways till Sunday slander of trump for 4 + years that’s what I think.

Time for not only a house cleaning but a full scale forensic and RICO level spring cleaning.


44 posted on 08/17/2021 4:26:13 PM PDT by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: butlerweave

Good point, Europe’s leaders are steeped in global warming, massive refugee input and failing socialist health care. They must pull the beams out of their own eyes before pointing at “Creepy” Joe Biden’s massive eye logs. They are all bursting with ignorance.


45 posted on 08/17/2021 4:27:09 PM PDT by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper)
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To: Olog-hai

Dear Europe: why in God’s name did you think Biden was a foreign policy expert?


46 posted on 08/17/2021 4:29:54 PM PDT by McGavin999 (biden is not my president )
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To: SpaceBar

Stupidity kills...


47 posted on 08/17/2021 4:29:57 PM PDT by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: JennysCool
Jack Posobiec posted this on gettr today


48 posted on 08/17/2021 4:31:47 PM PDT by Pollard
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To: Olog-hai
The Uniparty still supports him, evidently.

Their support is contingent. If the Americans manage to get home in one piece then Biden is safe.

If this turns into a massacre/hostage situation then the families of the victims are gonna make the Congress-critters feel like they are hostages, and then Congress is gonna want a scapegoat...
49 posted on 08/17/2021 4:34:12 PM PDT by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: Olog-hai

“Until Sunday, Europe thought Joe Biden was an expert on foreign policy.”

What kind of an expert on anything blurts out “my butt’s been wiped” to reporters? Did they miss where he wandered off onto the White House lawn? Did they miss the last 5 decades of Biden being a corrupt clown?


50 posted on 08/17/2021 4:34:30 PM PDT by cdcdawg (Blame Biden)
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To: McGavin999

Because the Uniparty and their media extension declared him to be so, of course.


51 posted on 08/17/2021 4:35:49 PM PDT by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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To: Pollard
joek struck his adult diaper like thunder when the Taliban rolled into Kabul.

He'll do the same thing when the CCP's army lands on Taiwan next week.

52 posted on 08/17/2021 4:36:11 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: Olog-hai

Do what you want and blame it on Trump..


53 posted on 08/17/2021 4:38:44 PM PDT by glimmerman70
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To: Olog-hai

Anyone who has ever played a few hours of Sim Civilization could have averted this foreign policy disaster.


54 posted on 08/17/2021 4:42:25 PM PDT by CornPop
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To: Clemenza

The West is dead. It’s rotting corpse is nothing but fertilizer for the next ascendant civilization.


55 posted on 08/17/2021 4:42:41 PM PDT by Scott from the Left Coast (Make Orwell Fiction Again)
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To: Avalon Memories

Unfortunately, if the GOP controlled both house there would be talk of impeachment, hearings, etc. but nothing would ever come of it.

GOP = DNC JV team!


56 posted on 08/17/2021 4:44:20 PM PDT by Mr Fuji
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To: laconic

And Biden hasn’t talked to a single foreign leader since the collapse began seven days ago .....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Actually, it’s being reported on the evening ‘news’ that he just got off the phone with a foreign leader .... Boris Johnson. I’d laugh, but it’s not funny.


57 posted on 08/17/2021 4:45:56 PM PDT by Qiviut (Faith is the antidote to fear. Mindset: be a victor, not a victim.)
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To: Olog-hai
Until Sunday, Europe thought Joe Biden was an expert on foreign policy.

Hardly. They assumed he was back to normal, not that he had any great skills at foreign policy or anything else. They just thought he wasn't Trump. And that was good enough for them.

58 posted on 08/17/2021 4:46:18 PM PDT by x
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To: FreedomForce

I pretty certain he would have messed this up just as badly 30 years ago. He is Stupid, He is Arrogant, he is Corrupt, and he is evil. He has always been.


59 posted on 08/17/2021 4:48:58 PM PDT by CornPop
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To: laconic

“I know what I think, he’s senile.”

I think he would have messed it up just as bad 20 years ago.


60 posted on 08/17/2021 4:49:03 PM PDT by alternatives?
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