When President Joe Biden ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, it caught the country by surprise – shocked to say the least! The American people weren’t prepared for it. It’s a retreat of great proportion. Not even a shot was fired! Yet, the Taliban – with its ragtag army –entered Kabul triumphantly after 11 days.
But as soon as Biden had ordered the withdrawal, Republicans began discussing invoking the 25th Amendment. Foremost among them was Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida who suggested removing Biden from office for mental incompetence after the “disastrous events in Afghanistan.” In essence, he called into question Biden’s mental competency. He tweeted, “After the disastrous events in Afghanistan, we must confront a serious question: Is Joe Biden capable of discharging the duties of his office or has time come to exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment?”
The 25th Amendment, which has never been invoked to remove the president permanently, would require the vice president and members of the president’s Cabinet to determine Biden is no longer fit for office. Congress would then need to approve that process by a two-thirds vote in both chambers and vice president Harris would become president.
While it seems like a far-fetched proposition to remove Biden at this time, the idea of removing a president due to valid or perceived reasons can still be pursued. That’s the whole reason behind the 25th Amendment. It serves as a Sword of Damocles hanging over the president’s head, warning him to make sure that he performs his presidential duties in accordance with the Constitution.
But then with the August 31 deadline coming up, he said he might extend the withdrawal. He responded that the August 31 deadline was a firm date. Immediately, the Taliban reacted saying that they will not accept an extension. They have to leave or else…
Meanwhile, America’s NATO allies asked him to extend the withdrawal date so all the allies can withdraw their people too without leaving them behind. Biden reacted, saying he’ll have a contingency to withdraw at a later date to complete the withdrawal. Once again, he made a boo-boo. He shouldn’t have committed to withdrawing US troops without consulting his NATO allies. They were in Afghanistan to support America’s war; it’s their war too. His hasty withdrawal order simply means his disregard for teamwork.
Criticism poured in. The media called his rush exit “shameful” and a “stain on our nation’s integrity.” Critics said Biden’s decision to wind down America’s longest conflict has undone 20 years of work and human sacrifice.
The genesis of the 25th Amendment
The 25th Amendment was added to the Constitution on February 10, 1967 to allow the removal of the president in an orderly manner. It clarifies that the vice president become president if the president dies, resigns or is removed from office. It also establishes how the office of vice president will be filled. Regardless of how the presidency is vacated, the vice president immediately takes over the presidency.
During the Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021, former Vice President Mike Pence was pressured into invoking the 25th Amendment by a growing number of Democrats – and some Republicans – who called for Trump’s removal immediately. But Pence rejected the idea. However, he wanted to keep his options open should Trump become more unstable. Pence was worried that if he invoked the 25th Amendment, it might have triggered Trump into action and put the nation at risk.
The 25th Amendment also addresses a situation when the president is unable to discharge his duties. In this case, the vice president and majority of the Cabinet members transmit within four days their written declaration that the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Within 48 hours, Congress shall decide the issue, with a two-thirds vote by both Houses required.
Bloody Thursday
Then came Bloody Thursday on August 26. Thirteen U.S. service members were killed and 18 others were injured in an attack outside the airport in the capital of Afghanistan. More than 60 Afghan civilians were also killed. It’s the first deaths of American soldiers since February 2020. Two ISIS-Khorasan or ISIS-K suicide bombers detonated the blasts. It marked one of the single deadliest days for U.S. forces in Afghanistan since the U.S. invasion 20 years ago.
ISIS-K is also known as the Islamic State Khorasan, which is named for a historical region in Central Asia that includes part of Afghanistan. It was established in 2015 after the late ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi chose Pakistani national Hafiz Saeed Khan, a veteran commander of the Terik-e Taliban Pakistan, as the group’s first “emir,” or chief, according to a 2018 report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Biden calls ISIS-K a sworn enemy of the Taliban, and as it is said in the Middle East, “An enemy of my enemy is my friend,” which would make the Taliban a “friend” of the Americans. That would make the Taliban and Americans strange bedfellows. Hmm… It’s hard to believe but let’s see what happens next.
Meanwhile, the al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network is considered by the U.S. as one of the most active terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. With the resurgence of Taliban, the Haqqani network and al-Qaeda are expected to increase their terrorist activities in Afghanistan.
It’s interesting to note that in the months before American forces withdrew, some 8,000 to 10,000 jihadi fighters from Central Asia, the North Caucasus region of Russia, Pakistan, and the Xinjiang region in western China poured into Afghanistan.
Biden vowed to retaliate against the ISIS-K terrorists. “To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said. “Our mission will go on. America will not be intimidated.”
Biden said he bears responsibility for “fundamentally all that’s happened of late,” but he blamed former president Trump for the situation. He repeated his allegations that the Trump administration forced his withdrawal from Afghanistan on an abbreviated timeline. But we cannot blame Trump for what happened on Bloody Thursday; Trump was no longer in command. As Biden had said, parroting Truman’s famous words: “The buck stops here.” And so be it. But Biden must be held accountable for the deaths of 13 U.S. service members. He has blood on his hands.