World

President Joe Biden Blames Trump For Afghanistan’s Govt Collapse To Taliban

Published

3 years ago

August 16, 2021 11:43 am

BodexNG

US President, Joe Biden has blamed his predecessor Donald Trump for the collapse of the Afghanistan government to Taliban militants.

The Taliban has taken control of the government of the country after overpowering Afghan security forces in different parts of the country, with some surrendering without even putting up a fight.

With Kabul now in sights of being conquered by the Taliban, Biden, who is facing an inflation crisis, border immigration crises, covid-19 delta wave crisis and an infrastructure spending bill delay in the house floor, has now blamed Trump for the collapse of Afghanistan, saying Trump’s agreement with the Taliban last year to withdraw US forces left him with no choice than to follow through or risk more US lives.

Biden’s has ordered additional military forces to go to Kabul as the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates.

The US is drawing down its embassy and is removing personnel from the central Asian country, but more help is needed as the Taliban tightens its grip.

Biden’s speech as published on the White House website reads;

“Over the past several days, I have been in close contact with my national security team to give them direction on how to protect our interests and values as we end our military mission in Afghanistan.

First, based on the recommendations of our diplomatic, military, and intelligence teams, I have authorized the deployment of approximately 5,000 U.S. troops to make sure we can have an orderly and safe drawdown of U.S. personnel and other allied personnel, and an orderly and safe evacuation of Afghans who helped our troops during our mission and those at special risk from the Taliban advance.

Second, I have ordered our Armed Forces and our Intelligence Community to ensure that we will maintain the capability and the vigilance to address future terrorist threats from Afghanistan.

Third, I have directed the Secretary of State to support President Ghani and other Afghan leaders as they seek to prevent further bloodshed and pursue a political settlement. Secretary Blinken will also engage with key regional stakeholders.

Fourth, we have conveyed to the Taliban representatives in Doha, via our Combatant Commander, that any action on their part on the ground in Afghanistan, that puts U.S. personnel or our mission at risk there, will be met with a swift and strong U.S. military response.

Fifth, I have placed Ambassador Tracey Jacobson in charge of a whole-of-government effort to process, transport, and relocate Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants and other Afghan allies.

Our hearts go out to the brave Afghan men and women who are now at risk. We are working to evacuate thousands of those who helped our cause and their families.

That is what we are going to do. Now let me be clear about how we got here.

America went to Afghanistan 20 years ago to defeat the forces that attacked this country on September 11th.

That mission resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden over a decade ago and the degradation of al Qaeda.

And yet, 10 years later, when I became President, a small number of U.S. troops still remained on the ground, in harm’s way, with a looming deadline to withdraw them or go back to open combat.

Over our country’s 20 years at war in Afghanistan, America has sent its finest young men and women, invested nearly $1 trillion dollars, trained over 300,000 Afghan soldiers and police, equipped them with state-of-the-art military equipment, and maintained their air force as part of the longest war in U.S. history.

One more year, or five more years, of U.S. 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.

When I came to office, I inherited a deal cut by my predecessor—which he invited the Taliban to discuss at Camp David on the eve of 9/11 of 2019—that left the Taliban in the strongest position militarily since 2001 and imposed a May 1, 2021 deadline on U.S. Forces.

Shortly before he left office, he also drew U.S. Forces down to a bare minimum of 2,500.

Therefore, when I became President, I faced a choice—follow through on the deal, with a brief extension to get our Forces and our allies’ Forces out safely, or ramp up our presence and send more American troops to fight once again in another country’s civil conflict.

I was the fourth President to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan—two Republicans, two Democrats. I would not, and will not, pass this war onto a fifth.

World

Trump appoints Elon Musk to lead department of government efficiency

Published

6 days ago

November 13, 2024 3:33 pm

BodexNG

US President-Elect Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk, chief executive officer (CEO) of Tesla and SpaceX, to lead a soon-to-be-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Musk, owner of X, the microblogging platform previously known as Twitter, was an avid supporter of Trump during the electioneering leading up to the November 5 presidential election.

The former president defeated Vice-President Kamala Harris after securing more than 270 of the electoral college votes required to win the poll.

A statement on Tuesday said Musk would run DOGE alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, a politician and entrepreneur.

It said the duo “will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement’.

“I look forward to Elon and Vivek making changes to the Federal Bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency and, at the same time, making life better for all Americans,” the statement quoted the president-elect as saying.

“Importantly, we will drive out the massive waste and fraud which exists throughout our annual $6.5 Trillion Dollars of Government Spending.”

Trump will take office for a second and final term on January 25, 2025.

World

French newspapers sue X for using content without paying

Published

6 days ago

November 13, 2024 2:46 pm

BodexNG

Major French news organisations say they are suing X, a micro-blogging platform, for allegedly using their content without paying.

According to Reuters, the newspapers, which are Le Monde, Le Figaro and Le Parisien, announced in a statement on Tuesday.

The media platforms said they were due payment under their ancillary rights, which allow payment to news outlets by digital platforms, for the distribution of their content.

They said X, formerly known as Twitter, and owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has never agreed to open negotiations with French news publishers, unlike Alphabet Inc, Google and Meta Platforms Inc.

The publication also said the media organisations claimed that X has not complied with an order issued by the Paris Court of Justice in May to release information required to calculate the amount owed.

“The revenue from these rights, with the investment that it would enable its beneficiaries to make, is a boost to the plurality, independence and quality of the media, which are essential for freedom of expression and the right to information in our democratic society,” the newspapers said.

A spokesperson for the Paris tribunal also confirmed the case to Reuters and said a hearing has been scheduled for May 15, 2025.

World

Trump sentencing in hush-money case delayed again until November 19

Published

6 days ago

November 13, 2024 8:17 am

BodexNG

A New York judge, Juan Merchan, has postponed the decision on Donald Trump’s sentencing in his high-profile hush-money case, delaying it until November 19.

This delay could extend the impact of the conviction into his upcoming administration.

This update, confirmed by a court statement on Tuesday, adds another layer of delay to Trump’s legal battle over alleged hush-money payments.

“The joint application for a stay of the current deadlines… until November 19, is granted,” the court said in an email seen by AFP.

The decision comes amid multiple delays in a case that could see Trump sentenced on 34 felony counts.

According to The Guardian, the delay reflects the Trump defence team’s numerous motions over the past year, each requesting more time or challenging aspects of the proceedings.

Protracted Legal Battle
The case originates from Trump’s April 2024 court appearance—the first time a former president has faced criminal charges.

As reported by PUNCH Online, Trump, 77, was accused of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign.

This hush-money case is just one of four criminal cases Trump is grappling with as he campaigns for the White House.

In May, a New York jury found him guilty on all counts in an unprecedented verdict that jolted U.S. political circles.

The case was adjourned to September and then delayed again.

This was the first conviction of a former president for business fraud, setting off waves across media outlets from PUNCH to CBS.

Trump’s team had anticipated that a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity might offer him a shield, leading Judge Juan Merchan to delay sentencing until September and, subsequently, November.

According to a statement released at the time by Biden’s campaign, the conviction underscored that “no one is above the law.”

Biden’s communications director, Michael Tyler, said, “Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain.”

Trump’s Legal Strategy
Trump’s defence argues that the payments to Daniels were legal expenses and that the claims of falsified business records violate neither state nor federal laws.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office disputes this, arguing that the payments were structured to bypass New York’s election laws, amounting to an illegal campaign contribution.

These funds, prosecutors allege, were intended to influence the election in Trump’s favour — a point highlighted by The New York Times.

The Supreme Court’s July 1 ruling, granting sitting presidents immunity for actions taken in office, added complexity to Trump’s case, as his defence team invoked this ruling to argue for dismissal.

As Merchan reviews these arguments, he has warned of the “fraught complexities” involved and emphasised a desire to prevent the legal proceedings from impacting the election.

Despite his legal battles, Trump won the November 5 election against Kamala Harris, buoyed by steady support among his base.

Yet, his win has stirred fresh complications for his other cases.
Special prosecutor Jack Smith is reportedly scaling down federal probes into Trump’s role in election interference and the classified documents case, which could be deferred.

Meanwhile, the Fulton County election interference case in Georgia has been put on hold following a new appeal, with prospects for prosecution uncertain due to recent revelations regarding District Attorney Fani Willis’s office.

As January 25, 2025, approaches—the date Trump is set to assume office as the 47th president—the implications of these pending cases remain unresolved.

Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others