Insta
'Imbecilic': Former UK PM Tony Blair Tears Into US President Joe Biden Over Withdrawal From Afghanistan
Swarajya Staff
Aug 23, 2021, 10:27 AM | Updated 10:27 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Former prime minister (PM) of the United Kingdom (UK), Tony Blair has come out slamming the United States (US)' move to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan and said that the decision has "every Jihadist group round the world cheering", reports Economic Times.
Blair, during his term at the helm of affairs in the UK, had deployed troops to Afghanistan. Posting a lengthy essay on his website, he emphasised, "The abandonment of Afghanistan and its people is tragic, dangerous, unnecessary, not in their interests and not in ours."
Blair further added that the sudden and chaotic pullout that allowed the Taliban to reclaim power risked undermining everything that had been achieved in Afghanistan over the past two decades, including advances in living standards and the education of girls.
Blair went on to assert, "The world is now uncertain of where the West stands because it is so obvious that the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in this way was driven not by grand strategy but by politics."
Going all out against incumbent US President Joe Biden, Blair accused him of being in obedience to an "imbecilic political slogan" about ending the forever wars.
Blair stressed, "We must evacuate and give sanctuary to those to whom we have responsibility- those Afghans who helped us and stood by us and have a right to demand we stand by them."
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.