Pence: Trump would’ve maintained troops in Afghanistan despite Taliban agreement.

Former Vice President Mike Pence: Trump Would Have Kept Troops in Afghanistan

Former Vice President Mike Pence expressed his belief that former President Donald Trump would have maintained a presence of a few thousand troops in Afghanistan, despite the agreement with the Taliban to withdraw. Pence made these remarks during an appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation, where he placed blame for the U.S. troop withdrawal on President Joe Biden’s administration. He firmly rejected any responsibility on the part of the Trump-Pence administration for the outcome of the war, stating that they would have ceased honoring the deal with the Taliban once it was violated by the Taliban leadership.

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Pence emphasized that under their administration, they would have responded differently to the situation in Afghanistan. He stated, “When the Taliban broke the deal and moved into Mazar-e-Sharif and Joe Biden did nothing, that set into motion the catastrophe that became Afghanistan and the heartbreaking end to 20 years of conflict.” When asked if this meant that the United States would have ultimately kept troops in the region after the August 2021 pull-out date, Pence confirmed that it was his belief. He explained that it would have been prudent to maintain a small American force to combat terrorist elements in Afghanistan and the surrounding region, drawing a parallel to the situation in Syria where U.S. forces remain today.

Pence asserted, “I will tell you with deep conviction that, that disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan would never have happened under our administration because we would have held the Taliban to the deal.”

A recent State Department report criticized the Biden administration’s crisis management and situational awareness during the collapse of the Afghan government. The report also acknowledged challenges faced due to staff shortages and COVID-related restrictions. The Defense Department had initiated evacuation plans before August 2021, but the State Department’s involvement was hindered by a lack of clarity regarding leadership. The report also highlighted insufficient consideration of worst-case scenarios by senior-level officials.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan was marred by tragedy, with thirteen service members and nearly 200 Afghan civilians losing their lives in an ISIS-K terrorist attack near Hamid Karzai International Airport. Additionally, the United Nations reported that two decades of progress in women’s and girls’ rights were undone following the Taliban’s takeover.

President Biden defended his decision, stating, “I said al Qaeda would not be there. I said it wouldn’t be there. I said we would get help from the Taliban. What is happening now? What’s going on? Read your press. I was right.”

Naomi Lim contributed to this report.

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