“The rapid fall of Kabul to the Taliban, a deadly bombing, and the aftermath have left President Biden facing intense scrutiny.”
On August 26, 2021, President Joe Biden confronted one of the most challenging moments of his presidency following a deadly terrorist attack at Kabul’s international airport. The bombing killed 13 U.S. troops, over a hundred Afghan civilians, and two British nationals, causing a wave of grief and anger back in the United States and internationally.
As he stood at the lectern, Biden appeared visibly affected by the tragic loss of life, knowing that American service members who perished in the attack were now part of the tragic toll under his command. With a card in his pocket tracking the casualties from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Biden acknowledged that these deaths were now his responsibility.
In his address, the President expressed heartfelt sympathy for the fallen, calling them “heroes” who had been on a “selfless mission.” However, his speech quickly shifted to a grim warning for those responsible. “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden declared, echoing language reminiscent of his predecessor, President George W. Bush.
The very next day, Biden ordered a drone strike in Nangarhar province, which U.S. officials said took out two high-ranking Islamic State leaders involved in planning the attack. Biden reiterated that this action would not be the last, signaling the continuation of military strikes in retaliation.
The Kabul bombing, combined with the Taliban’s swift takeover and the chaotic evacuation efforts, presented a serious challenge to Biden’s presidency. These events placed his leadership under intense scrutiny, with many questioning whether the administration was fully prepared for the scale of the crisis.
