With the rapid fall of Afghan cities, US officials draw comparisons to the humiliating withdrawal from Vietnam, while Senator McConnell warns of an impending disaster.”
As the Taliban continues its swift advance across Afghanistan, the capture of Kandahar, the country’s second-largest city, has raised alarms in Washington. With Lashkar Gah also falling to the militants, US officials are bracing for a possible repeat of the chaotic US exit from Saigon in 1975, a moment of national humiliation.
Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the US Senate, issued a stark warning about the consequences of America’s retreat from Afghanistan, stating that the situation was “careening toward a massive, predictable, and preventable disaster.” His comments came as thousands of US troops were ordered to return to Kabul to evacuate embassy personnel amid the Taliban’s rapid territorial gains.
On Friday, the Taliban confirmed it had taken control of Herat, Afghanistan’s third-largest city, and Qala-e-Naw in the northwest, further demonstrating their growing dominance. Social media quickly circulated images reminiscent of the iconic photograph from Vietnam, showing evacuees fleeing the US embassy rooftop in Saigon.
McConnell sharply criticized President Biden’s plan to withdraw US troops by September 11, marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. While Donald Trump had previously signaled the pullout, McConnell described the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal as a disastrous misstep. “The latest developments seem like preparations for the fall of Kabul,” he added, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
