Former Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien spoke for more than an hour with House Republicans on Tuesday, helping them develop their latest political offensive against Afghanistan, Axios reported .
Why it’s important: O’Brien has been working more and more with minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) to help House Republicans in their effort to regain a majority in 2022.
- O’Brien recently joined McCarthy for his annual retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
- He will also appear Wednesday alongside minority leader at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in California, where the two will discuss the House Republican foreign policy agenda with Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
- Aides bills the event as McCarthy’s most important foreign policy address to date before 2022.
What we are hearing: During the call, O’Brien directed members through a series of policy proposals focused on “rebuilding American credibility,” a source with direct knowledge of the call told Axios.
- He said “the perception of weakness is very provocative” and warned that countries such as China and Russia will try to exploit the region after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
- One proposal he supported includes the immediate dispatch of 250 M1 Abrams tanks to Poland to bolster its defense capabilities on Europe’s eastern front with Russia, while Poles wait for previously purchased American tanks to arrive.
- O’Brien and McCarthy defended Rep. Mike Gallagher’s (R-Wis.) Bill, which would ban giving U.S. money to the Taliban and forbid the U.S. from formally recognizing it as a legitimate entity.
- Greg Smith, vice president of American consulting firm O’Brien, American Global Strategies LLC, confirmed some details of the Axios call.
But, but, but: While Republicans in the House hope to hit Democrats for the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration notes that the war was started by one Republican – George W. Bush – and ended by another, Donald Trump.
- In addition, Trump Secretary of State Mike Pompeo negotiated an agreement with the Taliban that prevented attacks on U.S. forces in the country in exchange for a May 1 withdrawal and the release of 5,000 prisoners. talibans.
- Among them were some of the top Taliban war commanders, including those who had just taken control of Afghanistan.
- The deal was cut short while O’Brien was a national security adviser.
President Biden noted this in a speech Tuesday to highlight the Trump / Pompeo offers.
- “And when I came to office, the Taliban were in the strongest military position since 2001, controlling or competing close to half the country,” Biden said.
- “So we were left with a simple decision: either follow the commitment made by the last administration and leave Afghanistan, or say we would not leave and commit tens of thousands of other troops to return to the war.”
In depth: House Republicans are targeting Democrats with Taliban recognition