The Biden administration has faced widespread criticism for its chaotic execution of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The fundamentalist Taliban regime retook the region faster than any officials predicted, resulting in thousands gathering at the Kabul International Airport to escape Taliban rule and retaliation.
Despite a deadly terrorist attack that killed more than a hundred Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, more than 100 thousand people were evacuated from the region in the month of August.
And on August 30, the last American troops left Afghanistan, ending 20 years of war that cost more than a trillion dollars and stole hundreds of thousands of lives.
Republican elected officials and media personalities have sharply condemned the handling of the withdrawal, but the administration got praise from a surprising source: far-right pundit Ann Coulter.
Throughout her career, Coulter has demonstrated a repeated apathy, and even aversion, to basic human rights.
In 2001, Coulter said as the U.S. was entering Afghanistan:
"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity,"
Now, Coulter—who emerged as a critic of former President Donald Trump because his policies supposedly weren't cruel enough to immigrants—is singing a much different tune.
Coulter praised Biden at Trump's expense for finally getting the U.S. out of the war.
Thank you, President Biden, for keeping a promise Trump made, but then abandoned when he got to office.https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1432797424154779666\u00a0\u2026— Ann Coulter (@Ann Coulter) 1630441240
Trump REPEATEDLY demanded that we bring our soldiers home, but only President Biden had the balls to do it. \n\nHere are a few of Trump's wuss, B.S. - I mean "masterful" - tweets:pic.twitter.com/4iLD02Pn0G— Ann Coulter (@Ann Coulter) 1630441587
People were stunned, even horrified, to find themselves agreeing with the likes of Coulter.
Hell: you are cleared to freeze over now. I completely agree with Ann Coulter.https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/1432801983786795017\u00a0\u2026— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid \ud83d\ude37 (@Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid \ud83d\ude37) 1630462707
Is agreeing with Ann Coulter one of the signs of the Apocalypse?— The USA Singers (@The USA Singers) 1630448888
Guys. I retweeted ann coulter. \nI know I said that would be the signal that I\u2019d been abducted but I assure you I\u2019m fine. \n@NotHoodlum said it\u2019s ok.— John Ales AF (@John Ales AF) 1630446566
Ann Coulter is criticizing Trump and defending President Biden, we are truly living in the upside down.— Secret Agent Number Six (@Secret Agent Number Six) 1630450740
Did someone hack Ann Coulter's phone?\nDid an unpaid intern swipe it and post this?\nSurely this is a prank?\n\nIf not, I...... I think..... I AGREE with her??\n\n(I'm scared...)pic.twitter.com/L0RgjuwG0I— The Dude (@The Dude) 1630452052
Others had a more sobering response.
Every once in awhile Ann Coulter says something reasonable and people are all \u201cI can\u2019t believe I\u2019m agreeing with Ann Coulter!\u201d and then the next day she inevitably says something like \u201cWomen shouldn\u2019t have the right to vote and Hitler made some very valid points.\u201d— The Volatile Mermaid (@The Volatile Mermaid) 1630460491
I wasn't aware we needed Ann Coulter to validate Biden on Afghanistan, but here we are.pic.twitter.com/7hUKI2AHBM— Bruce Coleridge-Taylor Wright (@Bruce Coleridge-Taylor Wright) 1630448003
Lmfao at praising Ann Coulter for tweeting the bare minimum.— Frederick Joseph (@Frederick Joseph) 1630456399
Never forget, Ann Coulter would\u2019ve preferred Kyle Rittenhousepic.twitter.com/5agNeOqV6Q— Anti-Fascist Abolitionist AWK (@Anti-Fascist Abolitionist AWK) 1630453095
Somehow we find it unlikely that Biden considered Coulter's opinion on the decision to withdraw.