[ad_1]
Speaking to GB News on Sunday Colonel Richard Kemp, a former British army commander in Afghanistan and former chairman of COBRA, launched a stinging rebuke of President Biden’s withdrawal strategy. He criticised the President for the “very short time frame” for the withdrawal of western forces which he blamed for the total collapse of the country in recent days. He went on to attack Mr Biden for what he claimed was the “guaranteed” rise of the Taliban and said the US simply did not give the Afghan government “a chance” to prepare for life after the US left.
Colonel Kemp said: “From the moment President Biden announced his unconditional withdrawal from Afghanistan…
“The situation we watched unfolding in the last few days was guaranteed.”
He stressed how Mr Biden ”gave a very short time frame for the withdrawal” before going on to hit out at the key areas Biden failed in.
Colonel Kemp said: “He didn’t give the Afghan government the chance to consolidate themselves and to prepare for the next stage after the Americans left.
JUST IN ‘There they are!’ Shocking moment Taliban ‘procession’ interrupts Sky broadcast in Kabul
“And those two things have led to the situation we are in now.”
He added: “In terms of longevity, we have been there 20-years… 20-years is a very long time in our minds – it’s not very long time in geopolitical terms.”
The former Colonel went on to draw on other examples of conflicts where western forces have remained a presence for many years in locations such as Cyprus and South Korea and have been relatively successful at keeping the peace on a long term basis.
He explained: “If it is necessary to remain there for twenty years and to make the sacrifices that we’re made by our forces and others.
READ MORE Two senior Taliban commanders say group are ‘inside’ presidential palace as country falls
Colonel Kemp’s comments come as the Taliban have effectively regained control of Afghanistan after 20-years of western involvement in the country.
Over a period of a matter of months the hardline group made lightning gains taking a string of regional cities and provinces as the Afghan army failed to hold back their offensive.
While late on Sunday it was reported the Taliban have entered the Presidential Palace in Kabul and have toppled the government.
Other reports suggest the international airport where thousands are attempting to flee the country has come under fire from the Taliban as all flights out of the airport, apart from military flights, have been cancelled.
[ad_2]
