Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks Resume in Florida Amid Ongoing Russia-Ukraine War 
Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks Continue in Florida as Zelenskiy Pushes for Diplomatic Progress 
Iran-Israel War Escalates: Long-Range Missiles, Nuclear Site Strikes, and Global Energy Crisis 
Trump White House Unveils National AI Policy Framework for Congress 
Federal Judge Blocks Pentagon's Restrictive Press Access Policy 
U.S.-Iran War Escalates: Marines Deploy, Strait of Hormuz Closure Drives Global Oil Crisis 
Australian PM Albanese Heckled at Sydney Mosque During Eid al-Fitr Prayers 
Iran Threatens Gulf Infrastructure as U.S.-Israel War Enters Critical 48-Hour Window 
Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks in Florida Target Ceasefire Framework and Defense Cooperation 
Taiwan Strengthens Deterrence Amid Ongoing Chinese Military Threat 
Trump's Shifting War Goals Against Iran: A Timeline of Contradictions 
Palestinian Activist Leqaa Kordia Released from U.S. Immigration Detention After Judge's Order 
Trump Signals U.S. Nearing End of Military Goals in Iran War, Shifts Hormuz Responsibility to Regional Nations 
Federal Reserve Crisis: DOJ Standoff Threatens Powell's Succession and Rate Stability 
S&P 500 Rebounds After Netanyahu's Statements on Iran's Military Setbacks 
U.S. Prosecutors Scrutinize Colombian President Petro in Drug Trafficking Probes 
Robert Mueller, Former FBI Director and Special Counsel, Dies at 81 
The US and President Joe Biden have been taking criticism from many regarding the withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan and the rapid takeover of the Taliban. The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair added on to the criticism, calling the withdrawal “imbecilic.”
Blair wrote a piece that was published on his website, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, criticizing Biden’s decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan. The decision was met with very mixed reactions, mostly from lawmakers and commentators, as many veterans in the US have voiced their support for the withdrawal. Despite the criticism, Biden has defended his stance on the US exit from the war-torn country even as the Taliban took over Afghanistan.
To note, Blair was the prime minister when the UK and the USA started the war in the country and ordered the UK’s invasion of Afghanistan. Biden kept the agreement former President Donald Trump, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made with the insurgent group back in 2020.
“We didn’t need to. We chose to do it. We did it in obedience to an imbecilic political slogan about ending the ‘forever wars.’ We did it with every jihadist group around the world cheering,” wrote Blair.
Blair also criticized the so-called “abandonment” of Afghans as acting opposite from the interests of both the US and the UK. The former prime minister’s comments follow reports of violence that occurred in Kabul, with seven people getting killed at Kabul airport at the hands of the insurgent group.
Meanwhile, a poll by NBC released Sunday showed that Biden’s job approval ratings have taken a dip in the midst of the criticism over the Afghanistan withdrawal and the rising COVID-19 cases in the country. The poll showed that 49 percent of all adults that took part in the survey approved of Biden’s performance while 48 percent disapprove, a rise in nine percentage points in the latter.
From all the survey participants who are registered voters, 50% have said they approve of Biden’s performance as president, while 48% disapproved. 1000 adults were interviewed by the network, and the survey has a margin of error of either plus or minus 3.10 percent. The survey also took place between August 14 and August 17.
