[SmokingJoe]

President Trump had already ordered the phased withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
A Dementia Joe did was first of cancel the withdrawal then get right back to carrying out President Trump’s withdrawal after a meaningless delay.

[RandFan]

100% correct.

Was part of his America First agenda.

Including bringing troops back from Germany. Biden or whoever is in charge cancelled that one :/

[allendale]

The Pentagon Generals actually disobeyed Trump and failed to implement his lawful order to withdraw with delay and obfuscation.

[silverleaf]

Pragmatic Trump would have worked out a realpolitick ‘ arrangement” with regional powers ( Pakistan, India, Russia, China. the ‘stans) to help control what comes out of Afghanistan that really affects our national strategic interests: radical anti western terrorism cloaked in islamic fundamentalism, and heroin both as an export and as a source of funding for terrorism,

Frankly the War Colleges need to stop training the hivemind of strategists in MacKinder’s geopolitical prophecies and move waaaay beyond trying to “ contain” Russia in the heartland by putting American troops and proxy military elements and weapons in places like Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine,

China is the big piece of the puzzle with its “New Silk Road”, or “ One Belt” plans. For years our very smart political establishment either praised or ignored this scheme. But you can see how they are progressing, one project after another, all according to long term plan. Maybe our really smart political strategists thought China would never pull it off, and besides, hivemind strategists hold dear two certainties: the Russians and Chinese were “ never” going to ally …and there are moderates in Iran just waiting to emerge if we don't rattle the cage.