So what if Trump was in charge? ** Title edited by GNHQ**

All I know Chestnut was the day Biden took office I felt at ease. I felt the World was a safer place.
I don't today.

It is an interesting question, Chestnut.

One I don't know the answer to though .

But I doubt he could have done worse than Biden

He was the one who started it wasn’t it? And it’s Biden who’s had to mop it up.

Newatthis

He was the one who started it wasn’t it? And it’s Biden who’s had to mop it up.

Trump did a lot of things that Biden changed when he took office. He could have changed this.

I'm assuming the heading is meant to be "What if Trump was in charge?" He was, wasn't he. This is dated 29 February 2020 and was reported by the BBC.

The US and the Taliban have signed an "agreement for bringing peace" to Afghanistan after more than 18 years of conflict.

The US and Nato allies have agreed to withdraw all troops within 14 months if the militants uphold the deal.

President Trump said it had been a "long and hard journey" in Afghanistan. "It's time after all these years to bring our people back home," he said.

Talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are due to follow.

Under the agreement, the militants also agreed not to allow al-Qaeda or any other extremist group to operate in the areas they control.

So Trump has already taken the US into a deal with the Taliban. This deal went over the head of the legitimate government of Afghanistan. This is the deal Biden has carried on with. Why did UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace welcome this deal?

There is a summary of the deal and commentary on the same page.

Zoejory

Newatthis

He was the one who started it wasn’t it? And it’s Biden who’s had to mop it up.

Trump did a lot of things that Biden changed when he took office. He could have changed this.

How could he have changed it. It was an agreement with the USA not with one man. Perhaps you can explain how he would have gone about this?

Getting the troops out of Afghanistan was always the aim, many military leaders (American and British) have criticised the way the withdrawal has been handled. Would Trump have handled it any better - I have no idea. I don't think Biden is up to the job but on the other hand Trump frightens the bejesus out of me.

I have no idea and in a sense it doesnt matter really. Biden is the president and it has been handled appallingly.

I'm assuming the heading is meant to be "What if Trump was in charge?"
Yes typing error and I've asked them to change it.

I just wonder whether things might be different if Trump had been re-elected. Might the Taliban have seen him as a stronger leader than Biden?

Trump was better at foreign policy I think. But not at anything else.

Chestnut

^I'm assuming the heading is meant to be "What if Trump was in charge?"^
Yes typing error and I've asked them to change it.

I just wonder whether things might be different if Trump had been re-elected. Might the Taliban have seen him as a stronger leader than Biden?

HQ are usually very helpful with these things. I see they have kindly changed it. It helps people like me, who are only half awake when they are reading through .

Looking at the 'evidence', I doubt he would have done better and may have done worse.

1. This was his treaty. He was playing to his core voters by making it.
2. He did not seem to be able to keep his senior staff. It seems (one day we may know) that he could not listen to others points of view. The one thing a leader needs in these circumstances, I would have thought, is to build a good team and be prepared to listen to them.
3. He did not care for his countrymen's lives when it came to Covid; why would he care more in this instance.
4. He does not like "others" coming to his country.

I can see no reason to think he would have done any better, intensely sad though this outcome is. However, when you lose, and Trump had already capitulated, you stop having control over what happens. Sadly I wonder if anyone could have done any better once the agreement with the Taliban was made. Perhaps one of those who think he could have done could list the past evidence that would make them think that.

Hard to say Chestnut isn’t it? One thing for certain....he couldn't have done worse.

Would Trump have done any better than Biden? Who knows! However I understand that Biden has been pro withdrawal from Afghanistan for years. He did extend the withdrawal date though from May to August. To be honest, I think this awful situation would have been much the same who ever was in power and whenever it was done. Look at what happened in Vietnam.

PippaZ

Zoejory

Newatthis

He was the one who started it wasn’t it? And it’s Biden who’s had to mop it up.

Trump did a lot of things that Biden changed when he took office. He could have changed this.

How could he have changed it. It was an agreement with the USA not with one man. Perhaps you can explain how he would have gone about this?

American military appear to believe he didn't have to implement this.

Hatred of Trump is all well and good but the buck stops with Biden which most people appear to appreciate. No matter what their politics.

lemongrove

Hard to say Chestnut isn’t it? One thing for certain....he couldn't have done worse.

No, it couldn’t have been worse could it? But with the precedent of Vietnam, I think it would have been chaos whoever was in power. There were bound to be thousands who worked with the allies who wanted to get out, they should have been offered free passage in the last few months in my humble opinion.

Might the Taliban have seen him as a stronger leader than Biden?

I believe so, Chestnut

I think Biden made the wrong decision this time, leading to a terrible outcome. I have no doubt however that the world is safer with ANYONE other than Trump serving as the US President. Who knows what Trump would have done with Afghanistan? He never appeared to have a plan for much of anything other than where he was going to play golf or vacation. I’m sure of one thing: Trump would have made a decision based solely on what was in HIS OWN best interest.

Globally Everyone knew there was an endgame, it has been the strategies implemented for the withdrawal that have been shamefully heartlessly grossly mismanaged. It’s an “emperors new clothes “ scenario because Biden is clearly most obviously suffering with Dementia - this is the leader of the free world. I’m incredulous and ashamed

I think Trump "could have done worse" lemongrove.

But it's a disaster anyway.

What is so astonishing is that a country the size of America, with all the many thousands of clever people living there, could only come up with Trump and Biden as a choice of president. I feel sorry for the voters who were as always caught between a rock and a hard place.

I totally agree Chestnut and had this same conversation with someone last night. Something wrong in American politics when either Trump or a semi senile old man is all they have to choose between. Regardless of anyone’s political persuasions it’s surely obvious Biden isn’t capable.

lemongrove

Hard to say Chestnut isn’t it? One thing for certain....he couldn't have done worse.

We all know you would prefer Trump lemongrove but where are your facts?

He couldn't have done worse. Of course, he could. Trump's agreement with the Taliban not to attack US troops ended on the day a new President was in power. Had that President been Trump what would he have done that would be so wonderful? I see nothing in Trump's history that tells us he could have done better. If you can, please tell us.

While those poor people were being killed yesterday 5,000 more Americans or those who helped America in Afghanistan were being flown out. Look at that figure; of course things could have been much worse. It is a sad fact of war that people get killed. So far the numbers are very low in comparison to the over 100,000 airlifted out since 1 August this year.

If you are going to accuse people then give us facts otherwise it is just the nasty, spurious gossip we see so often on this forum.

I don't think it's American politics as such, it's the millions of poor Americans who have lost out over recent years because of the disappearance of many industries but also those who are racist. Trump appealed to all those people. It's almost impossible to change their mindset.

Biden is following the same path as Trump in "making America again" except he isn't using that particular phrase.

Just as Johnson did Dinahmo. We have people who would vote out Democracy in both countries.