WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES – Kamala Harris, U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee, has criticized former President Donald Trump for directly negotiating with the Taliban, which she labeled a “terrorist organization.”
During their first presidential debate on Tuesday, September 10, Ms. Harris also criticized the Trump initiated 2020 Doha agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban, which led to the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, describing it as the “weakest deal.”
“When he was president, he negotiated one of the weakest deals you can imagine,” she said. “The negotiation involved the Taliban getting 5,000 terrorists released.”
“He bypassed the Afghan government. He negotiated directly with a terrorist organization called the Taliban. He does not, again, appreciate the role and responsibility of the president of the United States to be commander-in-chief,” she added.
The Democratic nominee also criticized Trump for inviting Taliban representatives to Camp David, a place she described as one where “we honor the importance of American diplomacy by inviting and receiving respected world leaders.”
Her opponent, Mr. Trump, who initiated the Doha process, defended the deal, saying it facilitated the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. However, he argued that the Biden administration allowed the Taliban to violate the agreement.
The Doha Agreement, which facilitated the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, was signed between the U.S. and the Taliban in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, during Trump’s presidency in 2020.
The agreement aimed to address four key issues: the withdrawal of U.S. and other foreign troops from Afghanistan, and the reduction of violence in the country.
Additionally, the agreement sought to start a national peace dialogue and ensure that Afghanistan would not become a safe haven for terrorist groups again.
The agreement also ensured the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters, including several commanders who had been captured during the 20 years of the US-led war in Afghanistan.
Although the Biden administration delayed the implementation of the deal for several months after taking office, it eventually executed the agreement and withdrew U.S. forces from Afghanistan in August 2021. This led to the rapid collapse of the republic government and the Taliban’s return to power.
During the debate last night, Mr. Trump criticized Harris and the Biden administration for the “chaotic” withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it the “most embarrassing moment in U.S. history.”
“These people did the worst withdrawal and, in my opinion, the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country,” Trump said.
Referring to Harris, Trump added: “And by the way, that’s why Russia attacked Ukraine because they saw how incompetent she and her boss are.”
Ms. Harris, however, defended the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying that the decision has saved U.S. taxpayers $300 million daily.
U.S. Republican politicians, particularly those in the Republican-led Congress, have consistently criticized the Biden administration for its handling of Afghanistan, especially the “chaotic” troop withdrawal from the country.
During the withdrawal, a suicide bombing at Kabul Airport on August 26 killed 13 U.S. service members and over 170 Afghan civilians. The regional affiliate of Islamic State, ISIS-K, later claimed responsibility for the attack.
U.S. lawmakers also argue that, contrary to the Biden administration’s claims, the Taliban continue to maintain connections with regional and international terrorist organizations, commit widespread human rights abuses, and misuse humanitarian aid provided by the U.S.
