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Home Front: Politix
Scoop: Generals come to Harris' defense on Afghanistan
2024-09-09
[Axios] Ten generals and admirals are mobilizing to defend Vice President Kamala Harris from Republican attempts to tie her to the chaotic 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Why it matters: The withdrawal has emerged as a major campaign issue in the lead-up to Tuesday's presidential debate, with Harris coming under fire from former President Trump, House Republicans and parents of victims of the Abbey Gate suicide attack, which killed 13 American service members.

  • The push to defend Harris comes from retired military brass, including three with four-stars: Admiral Steve Abbot, who served as deputy homeland security advisor to George W. Bush, Gen. Lloyd W. Newton and Gen. Larry R. Ellis, who has never previously endorsed a political candidate.

  • Some of the military officials are also fanning out on TV this week to defend Harris' record, two people familiar with the plans told Axios.

    Driving the news: "Without involving the Afghan government, [Trump] and his Administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban that freed 5,000 Taliban fighters," the retired military officials wrote in a National Security Leaders for America letter first obtained by Axios.

  • The group accused Trump of leaving Biden and Harris with no plans to execute a withdrawal and little time to do so.

  • "This chaotic approach severely hindered the Biden-Harris Administration's ability to execute the most orderly withdrawal possible and put our service members and our allies at risk," they wrote.

  • Trump "continually disrespects those who serve in uniform, including wounded warriors, prisoners of war, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice," they added.

    The other side: Trump and his Republican allies have sought to elevate the voices of the Gold Star families, laying wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of the bombing.

  • Trump has also tried to cleanse his record with veterans, telling podcaster Shawn Ryan last month that he never called Americans who died in war "suckers and losers." — "Who would say that? A stupid person would say that."

    What we're watching: On Tuesday, GOP congressional leaders including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will present the Congressional Gold Medal to the families of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the 2021 attack.


    • Posted by:Besoeker

    #8  Cleaning the place out will be like the Augea stables. Fortunately, the Potomac is well situated.
    Posted by: Procopius2k   2024-09-09 16:25  

    #7  /\ Yep, they're buying your access and contacts.
    Posted by: Besoeker   2024-09-09 16:24  

    #6  ^^
    "The half-life of a retired senior field grade/flag officer rolodex is about 18 months". Advice from a contractor years ago about what most retired guys actually brought to the company!
    (Rolodex does date it a bit I fear).
    Posted by: NoMoreBS   2024-09-09 15:00  

    #5  /\ Too many 3 martini Morton lunches. Uniform no longer fits. Colleagues no longer call or text.

    "New day, new handler."
    ~ Unknown
    Posted by: Besoeker   2024-09-09 14:44  

    #4  The Wiki CV for all three of the 4-buttons are long retired and all have/had post career MIC contractor/lobbyist links, two of the three are POC and two of the three openly endorsed the Light-bringer at the beginning of 08. Flag Officers that are followed by MIC careers often have a tendency to lean in the direction that is good for the company. In recent years it seems to be the Uniparty/Left coalition.

    As for the plan, I seem to recall reading something about a scheduled consolidation of Class VII Major End Items onsite at Bagram, air-bridge of equipment out while maintaining a secure base and extended range perimeter with US forces, and then collapsing US presence and stable passage of control with AFGHAN Army takeover? Nothing but open source discussions by those involved post-withdrawl, but it seemed like there was that plan, not the mess that actually happened.!
    Posted by: NoMoreBS   2024-09-09 14:05  

    #3  It's frightening to imagine how these generals and admirals would perform if we got into war with a determined and industrialized enemy in which our national security really was at stake.
    Posted by: Abu Uluque   2024-09-09 13:45  

    #2  GOP-Led Report-There was no plan
    Posted by: Abu Uluque   2024-09-09 13:38  

    #1  They couldn't get 51 Intelligence Expertsâ„¢?
    Posted by: Frank G   2024-09-09 11:00  

    00:00