David Ignatius: Biden Bears Scars from the 2009 Debates About Afghanistan

EXCERPT:

IGNATIUS: "I think the administration coming in was holding things close. They talk a better game about sharing with allies than they sometimes practice. But I share your view. You and I were talking before the show, I’ve seen, traveling in Syria, in Afghanistan, that small numbers of U.S. Forces can have a significant effect on these conflicts. In Syria, they just blew out the Islamic State. We had very well-motivated allies. We don’t have that in Afghanistan, our allies in Afghanistan — but the idea that we needed to pull these out right away, I think, was Joe Biden’s, and Biden bears scars from the 2009 debates about Afghanistan and he came in and he wanted to do it and he did it over the objections of his military. I think Defense Secretary Austin, probably National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan opposed this, but, you know, we’re seeing Joe Biden has pretty strong views on this."