Bill Kristol is no fan of President Obama’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. He made it quite clear on CNN’s “Crossfire” during a heated argument with The Atlantic’s Peter Beinart.
“We have sacrified blood and treasure in that country,” Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard, said. “President Obama sent tens of thousands of troops there and now he is making their sacrifice in vain. I find it sickening.”
An argument ensued with the liberal Beinart, who said Obama’s greatest failure as president was deploying more troops to Afghanistan.
“We don’t have enough money in this country to pay people who are unemployed unemployment benefits, according to the Republican Party,” Beinart argued. “And yet we can continue to afford tens of thousands of troops in Afghanistan when we see what’s happening to those troops when they come back.”
Kristol’s responded, “That’s pathetic. You’re talking about the veterans as victims. That’s disgusting.”
Kristol called Obama’s announcement to withdraw nearly all U.S. troops—except for 9,800 to provide training and do counterterrorism work— “unbelievably irresponsible.”
“Presidents are supposed to lead,” Kristol said. “To announce ahead of time you’re going to zero troops—except for the troops guarding the embassy at the end of 2016—is beyond irresponsible. It’s totally crazy. You’re telling them we’re getting out.”
