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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My question is, WHY was this being done NOW???

The Afghan withdrawal was in 2021.  3 years ago.  THREE YEARS AGO.

There is one and only one reason why it was done NOW and that's because it was to try and boost Trump and to trash the Biden admin (and by extension Harris) BECAUSE IT'S ELECTION SEASON.

This was NOT an "official ceremony" and Biden wasn't informed, involved or anything.

All lies.  A political stunt.  And they abused one of our nation's most hallowed memorials to do it.  [/quote]

Biden wasn’t informed?

[b]He released a statement about the Arlington Wreath Laying Ceremony.[/b]

Everything about your comment is false.

AUGUST 26, 2024
Statement from President Joe Biden on the Anniversary of the Terrorist Attack Outside Kabul Airport
HOME
BRIEFING ROOM
STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
Three years ago, an ISIS suicide bomber launched an attack of deliberate evil at Abbey Gate outside of Kabul Airport—killing 13 American service members and more than 100 innocent Afghans. Today, and every day, we honor our fallen:

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover

Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo

Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee

Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez

Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page

Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui

Navy Petty Officer Third Class Maxton W. Soviak

Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss

These 13 Americans—and the many more that were wounded—were patriots in the highest sense. Some were born the year the war in Afghanistan started. Some were on their second or third tour. But all raised their hand to serve a cause greater than themselves—risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, Allies, and Afghan partners. They embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless. And we owe them and their families a sacred debt we will never be able to fully repay, but will never cease working to fulfill.

We also owe their brothers and sisters-in-arms—who served and sacrificed for our freedom and future during America’s longest war. 20,744 American service members were wounded. 2,461 made the ultimate sacrifice. They were sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, spouses and friends. No matter how much time passes, the pain of their loss will remain real and raw. And so will the pride we feel in their service. From the deserts of Helmand, to the mountains of Kunduz, and everywhere in between—these women and men worked alongside our Afghan partners to protect our nation. And deployment after deployment, tour after tour, they dared all, risked all, and gave all to keep us safe.

Today, our longest war is over. But our commitment to preventing attacks on our homeland—or our people—never will be. We will continue to disrupt terrorist activity, wherever we find it. We will continue to deliver justice to terrorists who plot against America—just as we have over the last three years with the leader of al-Qaeda and the global leader of ISIS. And we will do so without deploying thousands of American troops to ground wars overseas.

Ever since I became Vice President, I carried a card with me every day that listed the exact number of American service members who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan—including Taylor, Johanny, Nicole, Hunter, Daegan, Humberto, David, Jared, Rylee, Dylan, Kareem, Maxton, and Ryan. Because we must never forget the immense price that was paid for our freedom. We must never forget that each beloved service member we lost was a human being, who left behind entire families and communities. And together, we must never stop striving to be worthy of their ultimate sacrifice.

Today, we vow we never will. May God bless each of our fallen heroes. May God bless all those who served and sacrificed. And may He keep them and their families close—today and always.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/08/26/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-anniversary-of-the-terrorist-attack-outside-kabul-airport/[/quote]

He released a statement on the anniversary. Where in that statement is there any reference to a wreath-laying ceremony?[/quote]

Biden issued a statement that honored ALL 13 of the soldiers that died that day.   What Trump went to was a PRIVATE, UNOFFICIAL event involving ONLY ONE of the fallen.  Trump did nothing for the other 12 or their families, did he.

And AGAIN it should be pointed out that Trump had SIGNIFICANT culpability in what happened that day.

The chaotic withdrawal was caused by a range of factors and decisions made during the Trump administration. Here’s examples of key Trump actions and decisions that contributed to the problematic withdrawal:

1. Secret Negotiations with the Taliban
Involvement of the Afghan Government: The Trump administration engaged in direct negotiations with the Taliban, sidelining the Afghan government and sidelining multinational allies. The Doha Agreement, signed in February 2020, was a a huge part of this. The Afghan government was not a formal party to these negotiations, which undermined its position and authority.

Impact on Afghan Government Morale and Legitimacy: The exclusion of the Afghan government from these talks weakened its credibility and ability to negotiate from a position of strength. It also led to a perception among the Afghan people and international partners that the U.S. was abandoning its allies.

2. Troop Drawdown
Drawdown Timetable: The Trump administration committed to reducing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan significantly as part of the Doha Agreement. This included plans to cut the number of troops to 2,500 by early 2021, which was a key provision in the agreement with the Taliban.

Effects on Security: The rapid reduction in troop numbers led to a decrease in U.S. and NATO forces available to support Afghan security forces. This reduction was perceived by the Taliban as a weakening of U.S. commitment, emboldening their offensive actions.  It also left the US with significantly less troops to have a secured and orderly withdrawal of the remaining troops, assets and American allies fleeing Afghanistan.

3. Closing Offices and Infrastructure
Reduction of Diplomatic and Support Presence: During the Trump administration, there were significant reductions in diplomatic and support personnel in Afghanistan. This included the downsizing of the U.S. Embassy and the closure of various support offices.

Impact on Withdrawal Planning: The reduction of on-ground infrastructure and personnel limited the ability to plan and execute a comprehensive and orderly withdrawal strategy. It also affected the capacity to coordinate with Afghan and allied forces on the ground.

4. Lack of Continuity and Transition Planning
Transition to the Biden Administration: The Trump administration's abrupt changes in policy and the decision to begin a substantial drawdown without a clear, cohesive plan for the transition contributed to difficulties faced by the incoming Biden administration. There was limited continuity in strategic planning and execution, which hampered an orderly handover.  As General McMaster and others said, "the cupboards were bare."

Impact on Strategic Planning: The lack of a detailed, coordinated plan for the final stages of the withdrawal meant that the Biden administration had to grapple with a situation that had not been fully addressed or planned for in advance. This lack of continuity contributed to the difficulties in managing the final withdrawal process effectively.

5. Implementation and Enforcement of Trump's Doha Agreement
Terms of the Agreement: The Doha Agreement contained terms that were challenging to enforce and led to significant leverage for the Taliban. While it was intended to facilitate peace talks and a gradual withdrawal, the agreement's implementation often fell short, particularly in terms of achieving its intended goals of reducing violence and fostering a stable political transition in Afghanistan.

The withdrawal was in effect already sabotaged ahead of time by Trump.  That really can't even be disputed.[/quote]

The Wreath laying ceremony was private and unofficial? Citation?

[/quote]

Where's the citation that this wreath event was public and officially organized, by ANC or the military or whoever it is you want to call "official"?  Thanks for playing along![/quote]

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