Student activists blame Joe Biden govt over handling of Afghan withdrawal and COVID

A student activist organisation has blamed US President Joe Biden administration for using the crisis unfolding in Afghanistan and the COVID-19 pandemic to score political points instead of handling the situation. Russian news agency Sputnik cited a statement by Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) published on September 15 which stated that the Taliban is holding more than 100 Americans hostage to “gain recognition from the outside world.” The YAL statement also accused Biden of covering up the hostage crisis for re-election and using the COVID-19 vaccine mandate to distract the US citizens “from the developing situation on the ground.”

The student activist group has blamed the Biden administration for America’s complete mishandling of the situation in Afghanistan while also claiming that the Taliban is using Americans as ‘leverage’ in the talks with US State Department. As per the report, YAL senior spokesperson Eric Barkey said that US citizens deserve leadership and accountability but the White House has instead chosen to “distract from its failures abroad by instituting sweeping, unconstitutional vaccine mandates at home.” The student activist organisation, YAL was founded in 2008 at the end of Congressman Ron Paul’s first presidential campaign. 

Every second American disapproves Biden’s handling: Poll

YAL’s remarks came after on Wednesday, Quinnipiac University released the results of a poll stating that every second American disapproved of the way Biden handled his presidency after starting US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. On September 14, the statement read, “Americans' views have dimmed on the way President Joe Biden is handling his job as president, with 42% approving and 50 per cent disapproving, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll.”

Notably, regarding Afghanistan, the poll results revealed that over half of US citizens, 54-41%, say they approve of Biden’s decision to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan. The University stated that nearly 7 in 10 Americans, 69-24%, say it was the right thing to do to end the war in Afghanistan. However, it added, “Americans give Biden a negative 31 - 65% score for the way he handled withdrawing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan.”

IMAGE: AP