Former Vice President expresses guilt and opposition to troop surge
In a newly released report, it has been revealed that former Vice President Joe Biden kept a “Af/Pak” notebook during National Security Council meetings in 2009, where he expressed his fateful decision regarding Afghanistan.
Biden wrote in his notebook, “Tomorrow the President is going to make a fateful decision regarding Afghanistan – as I sat looking out the window at the sea – thinking I should resign in protest over what will bring his administration down.”
The report highlights Biden’s belief that the administration’s plans to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan were “disastrous.” He strongly opposed the troop surge and even called the request for more troops “f—ing outrageous.”
Furthermore, the report reveals that Biden retained marked classified documents about Afghanistan and unmarked classified handwritten notes in his notebooks, which were stored in unsecured places in his home. This revelation raises serious concerns about national security.
It is evident that Biden wanted to prove that he was right about Afghanistan and that his critics were wrong. The report suggests that his motive behind keeping these classified documents was to protect his reputation and legacy.
Biden’s Opposition to the Troop Surge
Biden’s strong opposition to the troop surge in Afghanistan is evident in various entries in his notebook, as well as in a memo he sent to President Obama. The memo, found alongside the marked classified documents at his Delaware home, contains his advice to the former president.
His concerns and beliefs about the troop surge parallel the sentiments of Kennedy and Johnson during the early days of the Vietnam War. Biden even compared his guilt and feeling of being boxed in to those of his predecessors.
The report states that Biden felt guilty for not being more successful in convincing the President and for not resigning in protest. However, he believed that his resignation would only harden the President’s position, leaving him with one less voice.
Implications for National Security
The retention of classified documents and the disclosure of classified information from his notebooks to his ghostwriter pose a serious risk to America’s national security. Biden had no legal authority to hold onto these materials, yet he knowingly kept them in unsecured places in his home.
The report concludes that Biden wanted the record to show that he was right and his critics were wrong about Afghanistan. However, his actions have raised concerns about the potential damage caused to America’s national security.
As of now, representatives of President Obama have not responded to requests for comment on the matter. It remains to be seen how this revelation will impact Biden’s political career and public perception.
It is important to note that the report does not recommend criminal charges against Biden, as the Attorney General has announced that he will not pursue legal action in this case.
Contributions to this report were made by Joe Schoffstall and Brooke Singman from Fox News.
