Biden's handling of Afghanistan 'unprecedented' and totally irresponsible: Former George H. W. Bush staffer
Robert Charles argues U.S. credibility 'at risk now,' could remain at risk for years
Robert Charles, former assistant secretary of state for George W. Bush, argues President Biden's 'total irresponsibility' in Afghanistan will have a 'big time impact all over the world.'
Robert Charles, former assistant secretary of state under George W. Bush who also served in the Bush 41 White House, warned the Biden administration’s "unprecedented" handling of Afghanistan will have a "long-term, big-time impact all over the world."
"This is a complete miscarriage of operational, moral and legal authority," Charles told "Cavuto: Coast to Coast" Wednesday, noting that he has been receiving "real time intelligence" from "people who are talking to those on the ground."
He said he had learned that as of Wednesday, more than 15,000 Americans are trying to get out of Afghanistan.
Charles also noted that the Taliban is currently "more organized than they were historically."
"They took Kabul last," he said. "They set up checkpoints so that people can’t get out of these various locations."
Charles pointed out that the checkpoints are in cities including Kandahar and Kunduz.
"The problem we’ve got right now is you’ve got about 15,000 Americans at risk that they [the Taliban] may or may not let out of the country," he stressed.
"You’ve got some 40,000 who helped us and helped our allies over there, who are desperate. They believed us," he added.
"We need to get in and get our friends out of there now," Charles warned.
Robert Charles, former assistant secretary of state for George W. Bush, who also served in the Bush 41 White House, argues Afghanistan Taliban takeover is the result of a 'breathtaking lapse' of 'responsible' and 'moral decision' making.
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The White House is depending on the Taliban to give evacuating Americans "safe passage" to the Kabul airport just six weeks after President Biden said he doesn't trust the terrorist organization.
On Tuesday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan joined White House press secretary Jen Psaki at the podium for a news conference where they took questions about the fallout from the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, which gave way to a swift Taliban takeover of the country.
Sullivan told reporters the administration expects the Taliban "will have to be watched and observed over time" on whether it is "prepared to meet their obligations to the basic human rights and human dignity of people, to the safe passage of people, to the airport."
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"The Taliban have informed us that they are prepared to provide the safe passage of civilians to the airport, and we intend to hold them to that commitment," Sullivan also said. He added the administration was "in contact with the Taliban to ensure the safe passage of people to the airport."
"I read this morning that the president said he hopes the Taliban will help," Charles told host Neil Cavuto on Wednesday. "Hope is not a strategy and hoping on a terrorist organization is about the worst strategy I can think of."
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He also argued that someone "needs to be accountable" for "the downstream effects on Taiwan, on Israel, on Eastern Europe, and on other parts of the world where people begin to get more forward-leaning because they think we’re weak."
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
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Fox News’ Houston Keane contributed to this report.