Trump tries to tie rival Harris to ‘catastrophic’ US withdrawal from Afghanistan

WASHINGTON – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump used the third anniversary on Aug 26 of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan to try to pin the chaotic pullout on his Democratic rival for the White House, Ms Kamala Harris. 

Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery honouring the 13 service members killed during the US exit, then later, in Detroit, blamed US Vice-President Harris and US President Joe Biden for what he termed a “catastrophic” withdrawal.

“Caused by Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all over the world,” Trump said in an address to the National Guard Association of the United States.

It was the latest attempt by Trump and his campaign to raise doubts about Ms Harris’ fitness to serve as commander-in-chief as the Nov 5 election draws near and came after Ms Harris last week proclaimed herself ready to lead the nation’s armed forces.

The

US troop pullout, and evacuation of US and allied officials,

citizens and Afghans at risk of Taliban retribution saw crowds of

desperate Afghans trying to enter Kabul airport and men clinging to aircraft

as the planes taxied down runways in August 2021.

An Islamic State suicide bomber killed 13 US service members and more than 150 Afghans outside an airport gate.

Ms Harris’ campaign said the fault lay with Trump’s tenure as US president.

“The Biden-Harris administration inherited a mess from Donald Trump,” said Mr Ammar Moussa, a Harris spokesman. “Trump wants America to forget that he had four years to get out of Afghanistan, but failed to do it.”

A review released by the US State Department in 2023 found fault with both the Trump and Biden administrations in the run-up to the withdrawal. 

In recent weeks,

Trump and his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance,

have also sought to turn Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz’s decades of service into a political vulnerability. Former military service is often a key selling point for candidates in US political campaigns.

The Republicans have accused Mr Walz of exaggerating his rank in the Army National Guard, where he served for 24 years. Mr Walz has described himself as a retired command sergeant major, one of the highest non-commissioned officer positions in the army. While he achieved that rank, he did not meet the requirements to retire with that title. 

The Harris campaign deleted a reference in August to Mr Walz’s rank as a “command sergeant major” on its website. The campaign also now says Mr Walz “misspoke” in 2018 during his gubernatorial campaign in Minnesota when he referred to “weapons of war, that I carried in war”. Mr Walz was never deployed to a war zone.

Trump, 78, never served in the military. Though he was of draft age during the Vietnam War, he received four student deferments and a health-related one after he received a diagnosis for bone spurs in his feet. 

Mr Vance served in the Marine Corps for four years as a combat correspondent and was deployed to Iraq for roughly seven months. His position mainly involved writing reports of military activity for public dissemination and at times interacting with the media.

The Harris campaign has zeroed in on remarks Trump made in August at a press conference in which he stated the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a civilian award, is superior to the Medal of Honour, which is given to the military by Congress.

“Everyone (who) gets the congressional Medal of Honour, they’re soldiers,” Trump said. “They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead.”

A spokesperson for Ms Harris said the remarks by Trump, who has a history of statements casting doubt on the valour of soldiers killed, wounded or captured in action, were an “insult” to the recipients of the award. 

Ms Harris told CNN in 2021 that she was the last person in the room with Mr Biden when he decided to pull US forces from Afghanistan and end America’s longest war. She also said that she was comfortable with Mr Biden’s decision, but it remains unclear what role she played in the discussion.

Both Mr Biden and Ms Harris released statements marking the anniversary on Aug 26.

“These 13 devoted patriots represent the best of America, putting our beloved nation and their fellow Americans above themselves and deploying into danger to keep their fellow citizens safe,” Ms Harris said.

During her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last week, Ms Harris said she was ready to assume the role of commander-in-chief.

“I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world,” Ms Harris said. REUTERS