Sunday Morning Status Quo

Secretary of State Blinken on Afghanistan: "That status quo was not sustainable. Like it or not, there was an agreement that forces would come out on May 1. Had we not begun that process... then we would have been back at war with the Taliban... with tens of thousands of troops" pic.twitter.com/HZx8vwTYhA

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 15, 2021

Secretary of State Blinken: "Remaining in Afghanistan for another 1, 5, 10 years is not in the national interest... the Russians were there for a long time in the 20th century. We've now been there twice as long as the Russians, & how that's in our national interest, I don't see" pic.twitter.com/hO0xhc2vTS

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 15, 2021

Collins on DeSantis and other Republicans banning mask mandates in schools: "It's really unfortunate that politics and polarization have gotten in the way of a simple public health measure ... we never should have gone there." pic.twitter.com/1QINISGwOC

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 15, 2021

NIH Director Collins on DeSantis blaming immigrants for Covid spread: "Let nobody try to say that's why the US is in trouble. The rate of infection in Mexico is actually lower than it is right now in places like Texas, Louisiana, and Florida." pic.twitter.com/V4wRxB0nDg

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 15, 2021

But...but...but...brown people!

Rep. Liz Cheney on Afghanistan: "If you look at what it would have taken in terms of maintaining the status quo -- 2,500 forces on the ground conducting counterterrorism -- this disaster, this catastrophe we're watching unfold across Afghanistan, did not have to happen." pic.twitter.com/X7wiokW4M3

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 15, 2021

And white man’s burden.

And on MTP Kristen Soltis Anderson (Washington Examiner columnist; what is she doing here?) makes the argument that we are re-creating the situation where Al Qaeda can attack the U.S. again. The logical result of that argument being either we make Afghanistan the 51st state, or we nuke it ‘til it glows.

Because no other option, aside from permanent occupation, was going to protect us into the ages. Al Qaeda can always potentially find a place on earth from which to reorganize. Without the bin Laden family fortune, however, they don’t seem to be as capable as before. But should we occupy every country where we fear Al Qaeda will find a haven?

Why is she on MTP? Because the lunatic fringe needs a voice?

BIDEN: "One more year, or five more years, of US military presence would not have made a difference if the Afghan military cannot or will not hold its own country. And an endless American presence in the middle of another country’s civil conflict was not acceptable to me."

— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) August 14, 2021