According to White House sources, President Biden and his military advisors were hoping for a “better-behaved” Taliban that would conform to international norms. I knew  a guy named Norm in junior high, but he was far from international.

Instead, the Taliban took off like Usain Bolt and are recapturing cities almost daily. That this came as a surprise to our “leaders” says more about them than about the Taliban. Did the Taliban conform to international norms when they harbored Al Qaeda as it plotted 9-11? Does a sneak attack on civilian targets conform to international norms? Does killing .schoolgirls for getting an education conform to international norms? Does beheading political opponents conform to international norms? No? So stop talking utter nonsense.

Biden and his friends wanted to leave Afghanistan suddenly, they way they left Vietnam. So why would anyone expect a different result – a quick takeover by our enemies? Which raises the key question: Is this what Biden and the Democrat leadership intended? At some point, naïveté merges into intent. I think we passed that point some time ago.

In the excellent film “12 Strong,” the Northern Alliance leader tells an American officer: “If you leave we will call you cowards; if you stay we will call you occupiers.” He could have added: “If you stay and then leave precipitously, we will call you both.” And self-destructively stupid as well.

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