French populist party leader Marine Le Pen has criticised the Biden administration after the rapid fall of Kabul to Taliban forces, stating it demonstrates the United States’ inability to defend the free world.
Ms Le Pen, who leads the National Rally (RN), published a statement on the Afghanistan situation on Monday, comparing the scenes to those of Saigon in 1975 and of the surrender of Iran to the Islamist regime in 1979.
“The first victim of the Talibanisation of Afghanistan will be the Afghan people, and in particular the Afghan women, who are once again condemned to live in an era of regressive terror,” Le Pen said and added: “There is no doubt that this situation will lead to an increased risk of attacks for our countries and the prospect of new waves of immigration.”
One veteran German humanitarian worker has predicted that as many as three million Afghan asylum seekers could head for Europe after the collapse of the former U.S.-backed government to the Taliban.
Le Pen went on to criticise the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, saying: “The United States under Biden’s administration is demonstrating its inability to defend, and therefore represent the interests of, the free world.”
“NATO, which timidly calls for a ‘political solution’ in Afghanistan, is content to pitifully acknowledge its military impotence and therefore its uselessness, which is now fully proven,” she added.
Le Pen also labelled President Emmanuel Macron as “just an observer of international life” and added that the French leader “is reduced to communicating about his diplomatic non-existence”.
She also claimed that the Taliban victory could spark and encourage a new wave of radical Islamist activity across the world, pointing to ongoing issues in sub-Saharan Africa.
Le Pen’s Italian ally Matteo Salvini, leader of the League, also commented on the Taliban victory in Kabul, saying on Monday: “The cowardice of Western governments helps Islamic terrorists and the enemies of civilisation and freedom. Fight them and annihilate them, everywhere and without respite.”
Brexit leader Nigel Farage also criticised the Biden administration over the Afghanistan situation, saying: “What Biden has done is leave the world in a lurch and I think it is a total failure of his presidency. Leaving is one thing, how you do it is another.”