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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: TigersEye

Is that “Joetato” as in
Mr. Joetato Head?


81 posted on 08/17/2021 5:22:21 PM PDT by smvoice (I WILL NOT WEAR THE RIBBON. OR THE MASK)
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To: FreedomForce

That wins the internet for today!


82 posted on 08/17/2021 5:22:33 PM PDT by Cincinnatus.45-70 (What do DemocRats enjoy more than a truckload of dead babies? Unloading them with a pitchfork!)
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To: Olog-hai
Röttgen, a senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, is no flamethrower. He has known Biden for decades and was optimistic about his prospects.

In other words, he's a fool.

83 posted on 08/17/2021 5:22:38 PM PDT by libertylover (Our biggest problem by far is that most of the news media is hate & agenda driven, not truth driven.)
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To: nascarnation

Because liberals said we are islamophobic and I am sure they watch CNN and realize how awful we are!


84 posted on 08/17/2021 5:22:58 PM PDT by richardthelionheart
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To: CornPop

Probably.


85 posted on 08/17/2021 5:27:10 PM PDT by FreedomForce
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To: CornPop

Exactly and our pilots made the call to take them here. Since it was mostly men I will assume unmarried and since it’s their culture a bunch of pedophiles. I say put them on bush ranch in Crawford, Obama’s Martha vineyard home and hunter Biden Malibu palace and let them have fun. I really believe we are doomed. I feel like there are millions of Americans who would love to live in an Islamic state as we are importing them to be subjugated on a daily basis.


86 posted on 08/17/2021 5:27:21 PM PDT by richardthelionheart
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To: smvoice

Why, yes, yes it is! :)


87 posted on 08/17/2021 5:28:14 PM PDT by TigersEye (Who shot Ashli Babbitt?)
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To: TigersEye

Okay. Love it! I shall forever refer to him as Mr.Joetato Head. I can’t believe I haven’t seen that before today. Fantastic name!


88 posted on 08/17/2021 5:32:53 PM PDT by smvoice (I WILL NOT WEAR THE RIBBON. OR THE MASK)
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To: FreedomForce

What I don’t understand is how Biden’s bizarre and demented corn pop and cockroach speech didn’t not destroy his political future, but Howard Dean’s celebrating his Iowa Causcus win did. At least Dean’s “yahhhh” could be considered “heat of the moment.”


89 posted on 08/17/2021 5:33:29 PM PDT by CornPop
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To: Ron H.

Republicans are assistant Democrats that’s why.


90 posted on 08/17/2021 5:34:59 PM PDT by Blue Highway
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To: Olog-hai

I was under the impression that the Europenises were quite happy with the fact that there are no more mean Tweets. Gee, is something upsetting them, something that might be just a tad more important?

Nah, they’ll be back to their ball-less, appeasing ways in a day or two.


91 posted on 08/17/2021 5:35:54 PM PDT by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons is the right to be free." A. E. van Vogt, “The Weapon Shops of Isher”)
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To: smvoice

It makes me wonder.

Afghanistan was well known as a CIA source of opiate drug running, and DoD efforts in the area were always stymied by in the Intel and Deep State side.

White hats have probably known for a long time who the bad players were in the community, which always attacked Trump and anything conservative, including the farcical impeachment attempts from Afghanistan housed State Dept employees.

Even now, the public is told we don’t know how many Americans are in this sh***ole country, which is probably better controlled by the Dark Hats than anywhere else around.

Makes me wonder if the entire affair isn’t set up to hoist them on their own petards. If not, it sure looks like a distraction from something much more significant.


92 posted on 08/17/2021 5:37:41 PM PDT by Cvengr ( Adversity in life & death is inevitable; Stress is optional through faith in Christ.)
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To: smvoice

What about Harcourt Fenton Mudd?


93 posted on 08/17/2021 5:37:45 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Claiming Racism, the antidote to personal responsibility)
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To: Olog-hai
Europe thought Joe Biden was an expert on foreign policy.

Good grief! Based on what??? When has Xiden EVER demonstrated any expertise?

94 posted on 08/17/2021 5:39:35 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Claiming Racism, the antidote to personal responsibility)
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To: butlerweave

“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 . . .”


The only reason Macron is making such a push is because President Trump made it clear the US was no longer going to spend its blood and treasure to defend those in Europe who would not defend themselves. The Europeans looked to Biden as more malleable and willing to restore the old order. Now, they are learning the hard way that what Robert Gates said in his book about Biden being on the wrong side of every foreign policy issue for the last four decades is true. So, good luck Europe. Time to stand on your own.


95 posted on 08/17/2021 5:40:51 PM PDT by JGPhila
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To: CornPop

I think the media’s hatred of Trump and their willingness to conceal and minimize Biden’s bizarre behavior kept a lot of people from being aware of just how far gone Biden was. I’m not sure why the Democrat establishment decided to put him forward. Maybe they were counting on name recognition to carry him through. They could have found someone more competent, for sure.


96 posted on 08/17/2021 5:45:29 PM PDT by FreedomForce
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To: Olog-hai

If Europe elite are expressing their displeasure with Joe Biden, then that explains why our MSM has been complaining about Joe.

It’s all global IMO


97 posted on 08/17/2021 5:52:22 PM PDT by Karoo
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To: FreedomForce

I’m still thinking the puppet masters are perfectly happy Biden is incompetent. They can control him easier.


98 posted on 08/17/2021 6:02:30 PM PDT by Blue Highway
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To: Olog-hai

Biden would be remembered as a noble statesman of historical proportion if he would just resign and crawl back in his basement and stay there.


99 posted on 08/17/2021 6:09:39 PM PDT by 353FMG
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To: DIRTYSECRET

Something amiss with your spell-checker?


100 posted on 08/17/2021 6:11:43 PM PDT by 353FMG
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