Real Talk

If you Talk About It, Then You Got to Be 'Bout It

Howdy,

Kate K and I gave you some hopium today. Biden could step aside, hand the baton to Harris, and give her a chance at history. Would it work? Probably not. There’s something surreal about a political party maintaining this type of fiction. It reeks of the very kind of elitism that brought Trump to the foreground to begin with.

I do hope President Biden steps aside and allows anyone else from his party a chance at the crown.

But he’s not going to do that. Maybe I’m wrong. I’ve been wrong many times before. And if I’m wrong here, I will happily eat crow, and I’ll title the article, “Will is a big meanie face who was wrong.”

I don’t think I am.

Joe Biden is 81 years old. He spent nearly his entire adult life running for office and pining to be president. Now, in the waning moments of his long public life, he’s going to voluntarily step aside because he shit the bed on national television?

Whatever you’re smoking, I’d like some now—by the way, I can smoke that stuff now since I’m officially retired! (WOOHOO)

Anyway, moving right along.

Let’s put this another way: Joe Biden, who has yet to hold anyone accountable for Afghanistan, is going to hold himself responsible for that turd of a performance?

I don’t think so. Joe Biden blamed the Afghans for a war his own military failed to win. Thus, right on cue, he blamed his supporters, staff, and the media for his failings. And for those who disagree (they’re trolling Tim Miller as “bedwetter” now)—shut up and color.

I’ve been shutting up and coloring for nearly 20 years so I will pass.

Joe Biden is precisely who I’ve always thought he was: a stubborn old man whose vanity will be his downfall. You can spare me the Uncle Joe routine. Nope. I brought receipts.

He’s a man who said the following about our South Vietnamese allies:

On April 14, 1975, as North Vietnamese divisions raced toward Saigon, the 32-year-old first-term senator from Delaware was summoned to the White House. President Gerald Ford pleaded with him and other senators for funding to evacuate Vietnamese allies. Biden refused. “I feel put-upon,” he said. He would vote for money to bring out the remaining Americans, but not one dollar for the locals. On April 23, as South Vietnam’s collapse accelerated, Biden repeated the point on the Senate floor. “I do not believe the United States has an obligation, moral or otherwise, to evacuate foreign nationals” other than diplomats, he said. That was the job of private organizations. “The United States has no obligation to evacuate one, or 100,001, South Vietnamese.”

Here’s what he told Richard Holbrooke about Afghanistan:

In late 2010, Richard Holbrooke, Obama’s envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, came into Vice President Biden’s office to talk about the situation of Afghan women. According to an audio diary Holbrooke kept, Biden insisted, “I am not sending my boy back there to risk his life on behalf of women’s rights.” (Biden’s son Beau, a member of the Delaware National Guard, had recently been deployed to Iraq for a year.) He wanted every American troop out of Afghanistan, regardless of the consequences for women or anyone else. When Holbrooke asked about the obligation to people who had trusted the U.S. government, Biden said, “Fuck that, we don’t have to worry about that. We did it in Vietnam; Nixon and Kissinger got away with it.” During the 2020 campaign, an interviewer repeated some of these quotes to Biden and asked if he believed he would bear responsibility for harm to Afghan women after a troop withdrawal and the return of the Taliban. Biden bristled and his eyes narrowed. “No, I don’t!” he snapped, and put his thumb and index finger together. “Zero responsibility.”

Let me send a thought out into the universe. I’m not sure if it’s 100% accurate.

Joe Biden isn’t John McCain. And that’s a shame because we could use a little John McCain in our life.

But, alas, nobody is perfect. Life is messy. I’ve sinned many times myself.

But would a really honorable man really lose a war, abandon his allies, and then blame his abandoned allies for losing a war his own military lost? Would an honorable man really partner with the Taliban? The very group that murdered 5K+ Americans (9/11 + Afghan War).

Maybe I’m too biased. I’m happy to own that. No problem. This is a blind sport for me. Perhaps all presidents do this to allies throughout American history, and sorry, Will, but it happens.

But I doubt it. I’m pretty good at sizing people up because the United States government trained me to do it.

Joe Biden is the better choice because he’s a better man than Donald Trump.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s an honorable man. He’s not a bad man. He’s a decent man with significant blind spots.

I ask these questions because when he says Trump is an existential threat. I believe him. I’m on board. But he’s going to flinch. In essence, he can only talk about it, but can’t be about it.

He could step aside, but that’s unlikely, not at his age.

If he stepped down, his legacy would cemented. But to do that, he would have to self-sacrifice. And, alas, his vanity will keep him from doing that.

If you disagree with me, please comment below. Keep it civil. No name-calling. Pretend like my Momma reads the comments—because she does—so no ad hominem attacks.

Happy Monday!

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ISIS Never Went Away

I wrote a little something, something over at the Bulwark about the Jayvee team, the Islamic State.

On June 25, NBC News reported that the Department of Homeland Security identified 400 immigrants from across Central Asia who crossed the southern border using Islamic State-affiliated smuggling networks. While nearly 150 of these individuals have been detained, the location of many others remains unknown.

. .

In the wake of the NBC report, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hastened to reassure the public. During testimony before Congress Wednesday, DHS Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Kenneth Wainstein stated that there “was not information” that any of the 400 immigrants were Islamic State operatives. And Homeland Security Advisor Jen Daskal told reporters Wednesday that DHS had “enhanced our screening and vetting, instituted recurrent vetting of migrants to identify newly uncovered threats and detain those who pose a public safety threat.”

Behind the scenes, however, federal law enforcement is scrambling. According to a mid-level DoD official who asked for anonymity to discuss these cases, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has asked the Department of Defense to provide linguists with Top-Secret clearance to help the FBI translate texts and audio in Philadelphia. The official described the request as “an immense need” and said the FBI needed linguists who could speak Tajik, Russian, Uzbek, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Turkish, and Urdu. The sooner, the better.

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Some News

As I said above, I’m officially retired! Woohoo! I lived. I didn’t think I was going to make it, to be honest. For the first 15 years of my career, I figured at some point I’d get smoked. But, hey, I made it! Miracles happen.

Further, today was my last day as the Military Affairs Fellow at the Bulwark (more on that in a feature article). I’m happy to report that I’m now officially a Contributor at my favorite online magazine. Who says dreams can’t come true?

I also co-host Generation Jihad every Wednesday with the GOAT, Bill Roggio. However, I will be out of pocket for the next few weeks.

I am going to take part in a change of command ceremony down in beautiful Augusta, Georgia. I can’t wait to see all my peeps at the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, which Colonel Matthew Norton has supremely led for the last two years. Without that man’s support, my career with the Bulwark would’ve been delayed. Taking part in his ceremony is very special for me. More to follow.

After that, well, all I can say is that it’s time to see the elephant. I’ll fill you in on that as the week progresses.

Regardless, after the July 4th weekend, I will be out of pocket for a few weeks. The fantastic team at Grumpy Combat Veteran + Friends is going to make some changes to the website.

For example, we have a new logo! Woohoo! Thank you, Skinner! Technical Sergeant Noelle Skinner is about to retire soon, and I cannot think of a person I’m more honored to have on my team. She helped stand up the 451st Intelligence Squadron, so I think she can handle a little ole website.

Technical Sergeant Noelle Skinner

After I get back from my trip, we will have more to announce. But this is my main job, if you will, going forward.

Come with me as I show you what it’s like to go to war. I will give you a peek behind the curtains. I’m big into rituals, so starting tomorrow, I will tell you what I’ve been up to in preparation.

And if you’re in the support a veteran mood—hell, yes, I’m going there—please become a paid subscriber! Paid subscribers keep us moving along. We have more writers in the shoot and more podcasts to come.

And if you’d like to become a founding member, my dog Bucky would love you. (Oh hell yes, I’m going there. I’m leaning into my inner capitalist, who has been dying to come out for 20 years).

Bucky Boy, in his prime, circa 2019

Until Next Time