The Swamp is back — okay, it never really went away

Farewell address

Paul Bradford, American Greatness: Republicans revive Neoconservatism

The Afghanistan withdrawal continues to embarrass the political establishment and woke generals. Republicans see a golden political opportunity in the debacle to attack Joe Biden and his policies. But in the process, they are reviving the dormant neoconservatism of the George W. Bush era. No longer are they concerned with ending the endless wars or stopping mass migration—they want to invade the world and invite the world just to own Biden.

House Republicans issued a resolution condemning Biden’s withdrawal and demanding America stay in Afghanistan “as long as necessary to safely evacuate any United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, and Afghan partner that requests evacuation assistance.” The resolution at first glance isn’t so bad. Most Americans agree that we need to do more to get our citizens out of there and not worry about the Taliban’s deadline for achieving it. Other Republicans, however, are more explicit about what they want.

“President Biden’s responsibility is simple: He should clearly and firmly state that the United States will stay for however long it takes and use whatever force is necessary to ensure we do not abandon our people or our friends,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) saidWednesday. This effectively is a call for an unlimited intervention into Afghanistan with no definite endpoint. McConnell also strongly attacked Donald Trump for daring to consider a withdrawal from Afghanistan.

McConnell’s stance was echoed by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). “President Biden should commit to staying in Afghanistan until we have rescued every American citizen and those Afghans who risked their lives for American troops,” he said in a statement Tuesday. “Instead, he intends to abandon stranded Americans to appease the Taliban and meet his own arbitrary political deadline. Joe Biden’s impotence leaves Americans in harm’s way and dishonors our entire nation.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wants Biden impeached over the Afghanistan withdrawal, declaring it “the most dishonorable thing a commander-in-chief has done in modern times.”

The Afghanistan debacle finds the entire GOP and much of conservative media uniting with vociferous NeverTrumpers to condemn the Biden withdrawal. Many of these critics do make the distinction that they support the withdrawal but simply oppose the way it is conducted. But this distinction gets lost in the growing hawkishness of the party. Party leaders have now given Representatives Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) a way back to the GOP mainstream, thanks to shared foreign policy principles. Neoconservatism is back in a big way.

Got to keep our weapon contractors and intelligence service contented. Plus, there are soon going to be a large number of generals who’ll be looking to retire for jobs at those same companies.

“Clean house” should be a goal not limited to just getting rid of Democrats.