Douglas Murray

Even in victory, Joe Biden seems defeated

It took America’s intelligence agencies almost a quarter of a century to find Zawahiri.

"News of the death of Zawahiri soon became a reminder not of American victory but of American defeat. Had President Biden himself not boasted a year ago that the elementary mission of Afghanistan was long accomplished, and that al-Qaeda was no longer in Afghanistan? He did. So why was the decade-long head of al-Qaeda sitting feet away from the British embassy in Kabul until just under a week ago? Because he felt that it was safe to do so — as many of his allies have also doubtless concluded. Zawahiri was the world’s most wanted terrorist and it took quarter of a century to catch up with him. His death is a victory, certainly. But like so many of this president’s victories, it reminds you of an awful lot of defeat."