Brooks: ‘Betraying’ Those Who Helped Us in Afghanistan Is ‘What National Decline Looks Like’ to Many

On Friday’s “PBS NewsHour,” New York Times columnist David Brooks stated the U.S. is “betraying” those who helped us in Afghanistan “in the most shambolic way.” And that many view America’s handling of the situation as “what national decline looks like.”

Brooks said Biden is handling the situation “very poorly. I thought the decision to leave was a mistake. I thought we had achieved some level of stability, and we could manage the problem. And I think we just invited the downfall. And the sad thing to me is, one of the good things that has happened in the Middle East over the last several years is that people have taken a look at the Taliban, and they hate it. A survey of eleven countries, Muslim countries, only 13% have positive views about the Taliban. In country after country, people are sickening of religious theocracy. Because they just find it doesn’t work, and that’s in Iran. That’s across the region. And so, at a time when liberal democracy is beginning to have a little momentum, and theocracy is taking some blows, we now have a period where we’re seen to be brutally abandoning Muslims, not living up to our allies, betraying our — the people who helped us. And we’re doing it in the most shambolic way. And so, I think a lot of people take a look at this week, and, certainly, a lot of the people I’ve been reading think it’s — this is what national decline looks like.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett