Fox News anchor Chris Wallace faces former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo In his own role withdraw When former Trump administration officials slammed the president, all American troops from Afghanistan Joe Biden During the Taliban’s takeover of the country.
As the United States and its allies withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban quickly regained control of Afghanistan. February 2020 Peace agreement And the Taliban that led to the withdrawal were signed under the leadership of the former president Donald Trump It was led by Pompeo, who suggested that the Taliban cooperate with the United States to fight terrorism.
In the interview Fox News SundayPompeo said that Biden and White House officials pointed out that they inherited the peace agreement from the Trump administration, which is a “sad transfer of responsibility.” The former Trump administration official argued that Biden’s withdrawal of US troops was “completely unsuccessful.”
Wallace fought back, pointing out outstanding military officials and leaders Republicans Has been highly critical of the agreement reached under the leadership of Trump and Pompeo.
“But I have to say that it is not just President Biden who said this. When we announced that you would be a guest on this show, you were a former senior military commander in Afghanistan and a current senior member of the Republican Party. Congress Both sides talked about the Trump administration and the agreement you negotiated with the Taliban in 2020 to withdraw all U.S. troops,” Wallace told Pompeo.
This Fox News The host then played a clip of Trump defending his plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan while he was still president.
“Basically we are the police now. We shouldn’t be the police. We have been in Afghanistan for 19 years. This is ridiculous,” Trump said in the segment of the White House.
Fox News/Screenshot
Wallace said: “Critics say that the United States reached an agreement with the Taliban without the Afghan government, even in the room is very frustrating, and inevitably led to our situation today.”
Pompeo insisted that this assessment is “not at all correct.” The former secretary of state also stated that Wallace should “read the deal, read the terms of the deal.” He asserted that “Afghans are in the room”.
Pompeo said he was “proud” of the work done by the Trump administration to negotiate the agreement.
“However, I just want to ask you one more question about your record, sir,” Wallace replied, emphasizing the question. “You are the first U.S. Secretary of State to meet with the Taliban. You talked about how they agreed to join us in the fight against terrorism.”
The Fox News host then played the Pompeo clip in March 2020, stating that the Taliban had agreed to “destruct with us, refuse to provide resources, and have [U.S. designated terrorist group] Al Qaeda started from “Afghanistan.”
“Do you regret giving the Taliban this legitimacy? Do you regret forcing the Afghan government to release 5,000 prisoners? They did it, and some of them are now back on the battlefield against the Taliban,” Wallace asked Pompeo.
The former Trump administration official defended his record, saying that “you reconcile with the enemy.” Pompeo stated that his statement in March 2020 was “absolutely correct”. He also said that during Trump’s tenure in the White House, the United States “does a good job in combating al Qaeda.”
Like Pompeo, Trump Attacked Biden Because the Taliban quickly regained control of Afghanistan.
“He fled Afghanistan instead of following the plan our government left him-a plan to protect our people and our property, and to ensure that the Taliban never dream of occupying our embassy or providing a base for new attacks against the United States. The withdrawal will be guided by facts on the ground,” Trump said in a statement on Saturday.
After Biden took office, he decided to continue to implement the peace agreement signed with the Taliban under Trump’s leadership in February 2020. Biden actually extended the withdrawal period from May 1 to September 11, and then moved it forward to August 31.
Even if the Taliban quickly regained control of Afghanistan, Biden defended the withdrawal. He argued that the United States had achieved its goal in the county by defeating Al Qaeda and killing the leader of the organization Osama bin Laden many years ago.
Alleged to be the mastermind of the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, bin Laden was killed in 2011 during his tenure as the former president of Pakistan. Barack ObamaManagement.
“I don’t regret my decision,” Biden said last week. “The Afghan leaders must unite. We have lost thousands-dead and wounded-thousands of American personnel. They must fight for themselves and for their country.”
Weekly newspaper Trump’s press office and the White House were contacted for comments, but there was no immediate response.
