James Carville: We Lost Afghan War And It’s Not Biden’s Fault

Democratic strategist James Carville and Republican strategist Mike Murphy discuss the political reacts to Biden's U.S. Afghanistan withdrawal as the president's August 31 deadline approaches.

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66 comments

    1. Your Tax Dollars at Work.

      List of Military Hardware confiscated by the TALIBAN in Afganistan.

      * 2,000 Armored Vehicles Including Humvees and MRAP’s
      * 75,989 Total Vehicles: FMTV, M35, Ford Rangers, Ford F350, Ford Vans, Toyota Pickups, Armored Security Vehicles, etc
      * 45 UH-69 Blackhawk Helicopters
      * 50 MD530G Scout Attack Choppers
      * ScanEagle Military Drones
      * 30 Military Version Cessnas
      * 4 C-130’s
      * 29 Brazilian Made A-29 Super Tocano Ground Attack Aircraft
      * 208+Aircraft Total
      * At Least 600,000+ Small Arms M16, M249, SAWs, M24 Sniper Systems, 50 Calibers, 1,294 M203 Grenade Launchers, M134 Mini Gun, 20mm Gatling Guns And Ammunition.
      * 61,000 M203 Rounds
      * 20,040 Grenades
      * Howitzers
      * Mortars+1,000’s of Rounds
      * 162,000 pieces of Encrypted Military Communications Gear
      * 16,000+ Night Vision Goggles
      * Newest Technology Night Vision Scopes
      * Thermal Scopes and Thermal Mono Goggles
      * 10,000 2.75 inch Air to Ground Rockets
      * Reconnaissance Equipment (ISR)
      * Laser Aiming Units
      * Explosive Ordnance: C-4, Semtex, Detonators, Shaped Charges, Thermite, Incendiaries, AP/API/APIT
      * 2,520 Bombs
      * Operational Administration Encrypted Cell Phones and Laptops
      * Pallets with Millions of Dollars of US Currency
      * Millions of Rounds of Ammunition including but not limited to 20,150.600 rounds of 7.62mm bullets and 9,000.000 rounds of .50 Caliber bullets
      *Large Stockpile of Plate Carriers and Body Armor
      * US Military HIIDE (Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment) Biometrics
      * Lots of Heavy Equipment Including Bull Dozers, Backhoes, Dump Trucks, Excavators
      * Assorted Miscellaneous Equipment

    2. @OUTLAW Videos
      They had them already old man from CANADA.
      Their opium and illegal mining has provided the Taliban the money needed to buy what they want.
      Just ask Russia dimwit!

    3. @HS
      Really gramps?
      How did the Taliban arm themselves before this gramps?
      Check into Russia’s current involvement with the Taliban gramps.
      Low hanging fruit like yours is easily procured for propaganda like yours.
      Double entendre intended old man.

    4. @B. T. Biden then followed through with it. He’s been reversing Trump’s orders since he has been in office, why not this one?

    1. @Neil Mortimer
      Biden had cut off support which left the army weak.
      Biden cut off maintenance support so they had helicopter that couldn’t fly.
      Biden cut off air support also.
      None of that would have cost any American lives.
      It’s pointless to blame others. Biden made these decisions. And just today at least 10 US soldiers were killed.

      Biden pulled 2500 US soldiers out who weren’t in danger. Now 50 billion in equipment is with the Taliban, thousands of US citizens are stranded, 100k Afghans are facing execution, and 10 US soldiers were killed in a terrorist bombing.

      This is an unbelievable failure. All this was just to get a symbolic victory of bringing 2500 troops our of Afghanistan.

    2. @charlesvan13 Leaving involves cutting off support. What American contractor is going to remain behind to work for the malfunctioning Afghan military after the US has left? Considering the Taliban had been making significant gains in May-July, this would have been suicidal. It only makes sense for the contractors to leave while they are still secure.

      Anyone who expects it to go without a hitch is expecting too much. I’m not saying it couldn’t be better, but I’m getting used to the fact that it isn’t. That 50 billion in equipment belongs to the Afghan military. We were expecting them to use it to defend themselves, but if we went in and destroyed it, that would absolutely be sabotage. The only way to secure that equipment without directly sabotaging them is to stay and babysit.

    3. Your Tax Dollars at Work.

      List of Military Hardware confiscated by the TALIBAN in Afganistan.

      * 2,000 Armored Vehicles Including Humvees and MRAP’s
      * 75,989 Total Vehicles: FMTV, M35, Ford Rangers, Ford F350, Ford Vans, Toyota Pickups, Armored Security Vehicles, etc
      * 45 UH-69 Blackhawk Helicopters
      * 50 MD530G Scout Attack Choppers
      * ScanEagle Military Drones
      * 30 Military Version Cessnas
      * 4 C-130’s
      * 29 Brazilian Made A-29 Super Tocano Ground Attack Aircraft
      * 208+Aircraft Total
      * At Least 600,000+ Small Arms M16, M249, SAWs, M24 Sniper Systems, 50 Calibers, 1,294 M203 Grenade Launchers, M134 Mini Gun, 20mm Gatling Guns And Ammunition.
      * 61,000 M203 Rounds
      * 20,040 Grenades
      * Howitzers
      * Mortars+1,000’s of Rounds
      * 162,000 pieces of Encrypted Military Communications Gear
      * 16,000+ Night Vision Goggles
      * Newest Technology Night Vision Scopes
      * Thermal Scopes and Thermal Mono Goggles
      * 10,000 2.75 inch Air to Ground Rockets
      * Reconnaissance Equipment (ISR)
      * Laser Aiming Units
      * Explosive Ordnance: C-4, Semtex, Detonators, Shaped Charges, Thermite, Incendiaries, AP/API/APIT
      * 2,520 Bombs
      * Operational Administration Encrypted Cell Phones and Laptops
      * Pallets with Millions of Dollars of US Currency
      * Millions of Rounds of Ammunition including but not limited to 20,150.600 rounds of 7.62mm bullets and 9,000.000 rounds of .50 Caliber bullets
      *Large Stockpile of Plate Carriers and Body Armor
      * US Military HIIDE (Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment) Biometrics
      * Lots of Heavy Equipment Including Bull Dozers, Backhoes, Dump Trucks, Excavators
      * Assorted Miscellaneous Equipment

    4. @Magnulus76 Yet, he could have organized the evacuations months before this could have happened. But pulling the military out before everyone else was a good thing.

  1. Our reputation was already ruined. The UN General Assembly laughed at Dumpster when he addressed them.

    1. @Ryan Boehm they trained the Afghan military and supplied them with billions of dollars in weapons. Trump didn’t have the balls to leave after pressuring Pakistan to release hundreds of Taliban prisoners. You are blind. The Bush republicans and their updated Nazi cult are to blame. Not Biden, as corporate as he may be. Wake up

    2. @Ryan Boehm Trump released hundreds of Taliban, including their half wit leader, to sabotage Bidens ACTUAL ball sack nd drive to bring the troops home. You are a JOKE!

    3. @Ryan Boehm the “dead Americans”? The president who was sworn in 20 YEARS AFTER WAR MONGER BUSH JR. and the only one in 20 years with the balls to actually leave? That Biden? Grow up you cross burning simpleton.

    4. @Saul Teanuts admit it comrade, he’s a failure! For 8 years under Obama and still today! Could have ended it anytime but instead botched the entire thing and now responsible for one of the biggest crisis in American history! He’s going down as an utter failure and most likely impeached. 😂😂😂😂😂🤣

    5. @Ryan Boehm Emojis are for 12 year old girls. Admit ut “brother”. You are a white supremacist and a fascist, but too dumb to know what that is. Trump pressured Pakistan to release 5 to 6 hundred Taliban, pooners. You are just as smart as the Taliban are. Wait, that is an insult to the Taliban.

  2. What for reputation, that what Trump ruins and quit all contracts, abandoned the Kurds in Syria, start withdrawl form Irak, Afghanistan and Syria and left the allied forces allone? Trump makes the great deal with the Taliban and was the commander for the last 4 years, you really belive the Taliban comes over night?

    1. But they did. In one night. While our President was on vacation, the Taliban took over Kabul, even though we saw for several months they were taking Afghan territory. On Biden’s watch.

    2. @Geo De Leon The Taliban was there also under Trunp and with his deal 5000 of them including the leader was released from jails. Biden inherited the Chaos from Trump with the worst pandemic and must fight against Anti Vaxxers, Anti Maskers, the big election lie, stupid senators and what should he do what other american presidents not could do since 20 years? The republicans are against all what come from democrats, they forced also the withdrawl and nobody from the GOP say stop!

  3. The Fox News Banner just kills me every time. I am sick of them calling this bipartisan infrastructure package a “Dem Spending Bill”. They always try to make every good thing President Biden does just terrible and wrong.

    1. But the infrastructure bill is the same money that you just paid taxes on he’s not giving you anything

    1. @Geo De Leon no THAT I’m sure you did’nt miss . Your huge urge for drama sensation would not fail to see it. But you do not see anything else, so when it is the only thing you have got out of all the informations, then you should rather read a cartoon. You can also just look at the pictures in it. That’s probably more understandable to you.

    2. @Kirsten Grau Oh, here you are again. Making statements with no grounds or relation to the context to which you are responding. And yes, I was being honest when I said I haven’t seen it and was going to look it up today. Honesty, something the current administration could benefit from. What did I get out of all the “informations”? (informations?) A picture book would definitely be more understandable than trying to decipher those last few statements you posted. Braille at this point would be more coherent reading off a screen.

    3. *The demented Joe Biden couldn’t handle the hard Afghanistan questions; therefore, the White House thugs proceeded to cut off the audio feed from Biden’s response.*

    4. Your Tax Dollars at Work.

      List of Military Hardware confiscated by the TALIBAN in Afganistan.

      * 2,000 Armored Vehicles Including Humvees and MRAP’s
      * 75,989 Total Vehicles: FMTV, M35, Ford Rangers, Ford F350, Ford Vans, Toyota Pickups, Armored Security Vehicles, etc
      * 45 UH-69 Blackhawk Helicopters
      * 50 MD530G Scout Attack Choppers
      * ScanEagle Military Drones
      * 30 Military Version Cessnas
      * 4 C-130’s
      * 29 Brazilian Made A-29 Super Tocano Ground Attack Aircraft
      * 208+Aircraft Total
      * At Least 600,000+ Small Arms M16, M249, SAWs, M24 Sniper Systems, 50 Calibers, 1,294 M203 Grenade Launchers, M134 Mini Gun, 20mm Gatling Guns And Ammunition.
      * 61,000 M203 Rounds
      * 20,040 Grenades
      * Howitzers
      * Mortars+1,000’s of Rounds
      * 162,000 pieces of Encrypted Military Communications Gear
      * 16,000+ Night Vision Goggles
      * Newest Technology Night Vision Scopes
      * Thermal Scopes and Thermal Mono Goggles
      * 10,000 2.75 inch Air to Ground Rockets
      * Reconnaissance Equipment (ISR)
      * Laser Aiming Units
      * Explosive Ordnance: C-4, Semtex, Detonators, Shaped Charges, Thermite, Incendiaries, AP/API/APIT
      * 2,520 Bombs
      * Operational Administration Encrypted Cell Phones and Laptops
      * Pallets with Millions of Dollars of US Currency
      * Millions of Rounds of Ammunition including but not limited to 20,150.600 rounds of 7.62mm bullets and 9,000.000 rounds of .50 Caliber bullets
      *Large Stockpile of Plate Carriers and Body Armor
      * US Military HIIDE (Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment) Biometrics
      * Lots of Heavy Equipment Including Bull Dozers, Backhoes, Dump Trucks, Excavators
      * Assorted Miscellaneous Equipment

  4. McCarthy needs to be told to remember WHO exactly decided to pull out of Afghanistan. WHO exactly decided to meet with the Taliban on the anniversary of 9/11. WHO exactly has been saying that the Taliban are fine people.

    1. @charlesvan13, gee, maybe if Dotard Covidiot in his grand deal of capitulation with the Taliban hadn’t acceded to the Taliban’s demands that the government of Afghanistan be excluded from the negotiations in which he agreed to the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters that had been captured during the war who were being held captive by the Afghanistan government who returned to fighting the war upon their release and had the cofounder and de facto leader of the Taliban, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, sprung from a Pakistani prison then the Afghan security forces may have actually put up a fight and not collapsed in 11 days and we would have had more time to complete the evacuation.

    2. @Ryan Boehm “Since his election we have mass inflation and sky rocketing crime rates….”

      I´m sure you were saying the same when after 2016, inflation rose to a high of up to 3% and stayed consistently high throughout donnie dumpster´s “presidency”. BTW: Inflation is driven by the end of the lockdown, and stimulus packages because of Covid-19. So, I take it you want a longer lockdown, and no financial aid to help through Corona?

      Homicide rates have been up since April 2020, or in other words: When the “hoax, that will eventually just disappear” Covid-19 hit. But since trumpanzees like violence, wait, scratch that: feast on it, everything should be fine for you and your ilk.

    3. @Pixel Pusher for starters get over your TDS hes not in charge, your messiah is. I thought you elected him to do better not worse? Gas was cheaper, food was cheaper, lumber was cheaper, crime was half what it is now! the lockdowns don’t work, Biden said the vaccine would allow everyone to return to normal, lie. The border was secure, Americans weren’t trapped, who said the buck stops with him and this wouldn’t happen! Biden has done nothing. Not a single accomplishment! Nothing is better, Everything has gotten worse. He’s a life long corrupt politician who has gotten rich off the taxpayers and corruption along with his corrupt family and crackhead son! He will be impeached and no chance flag burning communists dummycrats hold the house and senate next year!

    4. Your Tax Dollars at Work.

      List of Military Hardware confiscated by the TALIBAN in Afganistan.

      * 2,000 Armored Vehicles Including Humvees and MRAP’s
      * 75,989 Total Vehicles: FMTV, M35, Ford Rangers, Ford F350, Ford Vans, Toyota Pickups, Armored Security Vehicles, etc
      * 45 UH-69 Blackhawk Helicopters
      * 50 MD530G Scout Attack Choppers
      * ScanEagle Military Drones
      * 30 Military Version Cessnas
      * 4 C-130’s
      * 29 Brazilian Made A-29 Super Tocano Ground Attack Aircraft
      * 208+Aircraft Total
      * At Least 600,000+ Small Arms M16, M249, SAWs, M24 Sniper Systems, 50 Calibers, 1,294 M203 Grenade Launchers, M134 Mini Gun, 20mm Gatling Guns And Ammunition.
      * 61,000 M203 Rounds
      * 20,040 Grenades
      * Howitzers
      * Mortars+1,000’s of Rounds
      * 162,000 pieces of Encrypted Military Communications Gear
      * 16,000+ Night Vision Goggles
      * Newest Technology Night Vision Scopes
      * Thermal Scopes and Thermal Mono Goggles
      * 10,000 2.75 inch Air to Ground Rockets
      * Reconnaissance Equipment (ISR)
      * Laser Aiming Units
      * Explosive Ordnance: C-4, Semtex, Detonators, Shaped Charges, Thermite, Incendiaries, AP/API/APIT
      * 2,520 Bombs
      * Operational Administration Encrypted Cell Phones and Laptops
      * Pallets with Millions of Dollars of US Currency
      * Millions of Rounds of Ammunition including but not limited to 20,150.600 rounds of 7.62mm bullets and 9,000.000 rounds of .50 Caliber bullets
      *Large Stockpile of Plate Carriers and Body Armor
      * US Military HIIDE (Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment) Biometrics
      * Lots of Heavy Equipment Including Bull Dozers, Backhoes, Dump Trucks, Excavators
      * Assorted Miscellaneous Equipment

    5. @HS, and of all of that military equipment, how much of it belonged to the Afghan security forces before they collapsed spectacularly without putting up a fight?

  5. Play what stronger hand? Does he want to force US troops to start firing on the Taliban, guaranteeing a return salvo and more?

  6. Successful politicians are responsive to constituents concerns. In turn, they are rewarded with broad support. By contrast, responsible leaders take on challenges requiring difficult decisions that can be unpopular in the short-term. It is smart to do what is most popular right now. That is why paradoxically, true leadership comes from individuals who will risk their reputation or career for the long-term interests of the community. These rare individuals, through wisdom and self-sacrifice, lay the foundations for future resilience. In other words, voters need to distinguish between making demands for what they want, and recognizing the necessary sacrifices for what they will need.

    1. “Successful politicians are responsive to constituents concerns. In turn, they are rewarded with broad support. ” served in the United States Senate from 1973 through 2009.

    2. RnKn…you should run for political office. In 104 words, you literally danced around and not once addressed the current issue, that is, the hasty, disorganized, and unsafe retreat from Afghanistan. And, in my humble opinion, this entire Cluster-f**k is going to get much worse in the days and weeks ahead. Furthermore, this failed operation happened on Biden’s watch, and regardless of anything he said, says, or will say in the future…he owns this, nobody else. PaulA

    3. @Paul Abresch That was my point, this thing has been over for 12 years. He’s the only one who would deal with doing the hard part, of which there was no better option. Ending a war you lost is always a clusterfuck, only someone with some depth and wit could have held this together. He doesn’t own this, the guy showed up 15 minutes ago and his singular conviction was to end it. If you feel a need to allocate blame or ownership, look at anyone who kept it going for the last two decades.

    4. @Rn Kn Buddy…stay on point. The Biden Administration had time and sufficient resources to plan and execute a controlled, timely, and safe evacuation. Instead, this evacuation has turned out to be a knee-jerk, chaotic goat-screw. Biden has been our President and Commander-in-Chief for over 7 months. It was his administration that extended the get-out-of-Afghanistan deadline. Furthermore, I call BS on your comment that Biden was the only one willing to do the hard part, and that he has depth and wit? It was Trump that made peace with the Taliban in February 2020 with an agreed withdrawal date of 31 May 2021, probably in anticipation of being re-elected. Oh well! Biden extended that timeline to 31 August. The Biden Administration was neither ambushed nor blind-sided regarding Afghanistan. Biden and his incoming Administration new about this withdrawal long before he was sworn into office. In summary, Biden new of the plan to leave Afghanistan, and his administration had the Resources and Time to execute this mission in a controlled, efficient, and safe manner. Biden is POTUS and this disaster is happening on His Watch…He Owns This. During a recent briefing, Biden said ‘the buck stops here’ in reference to himself. Yet, it appears to me that he doesn’t miss an opportunity to infer blame on the Trump Administration for his failures. For your information, that’s not leadership, that’s passing the Buck. Again, PaulA

  7. The Ragin Cajun has the best podcast! 🐊🐊🐊 You’re right James, war is ugly. No easy way to get out. You can’t evacuate an entire country. Thank Steve Miller (Himmler) for slowing the rescue visa process.

    1. trump and pompeo. Bet they still had secret meetings with them in another place. Another quid pro quo like Ukraine but way worse!

  8. Extracting 85,000 people in 12 days is the opposite of a failure. That’s an incredible feat but its not being accomplished by presidents. It’s thx to the incredible performance of our troops who have managed to do this so far without a single casualty.

    1. @kyle melby, in any regard, that’s sad we are relying on a known terrorist organization for the security of American citizens and allies. We have reached a new low.

      The Taliban rules by fear. What better way to establish a reputation of strength and capability than to run a superpower out of the country by force? It is absolutely in their best interest when a small group of 70,000 is trying to get 40 million people to fear them.

    2. @SmokeStack, 75% of Americans supported the war in Iraq after 9/11. Are you old enough to have been an adult at that time?

    3. @Super Scary Russian Bot Yes cuz I’m an old f..k but you also said “in my lifetime”. That doesn’t exclude your childhood. Iraq went until 2011 so it’s only ten years ago.

    4. @SmokeStack, we had to respond to 9/11. We could have expected more attacks on America to do nothing after that.

  9. We lost ,big money cashed in ,and ready to do it again. Wars are fought to the sucking sound of the money leaving your wallet, to put people in the ground.

  10. James Carville, I have this same thought in mind. It is just that I do not believe a word to what Trump enabler Kevin McCarthy have said.

  11. “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” – Proverbs 6:16-19

    1. Turn around and pick up y’all brains before it splatters. You have got to be kidding me to blame Trump for Byedone’s mess. Who tf thinks like y’all. Get some brain food. It’s disgusting how you guys rationalize everything to point at Trump. Even though Trump has no say so whatsoever in any of the choices this Fraidulent administration makes!!!

  12. Rumper and his cronies already embarrassed and debased our reputation to such low levels, (and in fact set this whole thing up), that this doesn’t make any further effect. There was no lower to go than that.

  13. It’s in a politicians nature to blame the other guy when things go wrong, that’s just part of their game. But I think it’s possible that we can come to a general consensus that our politicians got us in a unnecessary war. They’re all guilty.

    1. Except Trump. On record for last 20 years, never agreed to any wars. Never started any new wars or conflicts.

  14. We didn’t lose the war. Just like always we lost the peace. America has the most powerful military the world has ever known, and it used solely to serve the economic interests of the wealthy.

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