Obama Suspends Instagram Comments Amid Afghanistan Collapse

Former President Barack Obama briefly suspended comments on his
Instagram page on Monday after it was overwhelmed with followers
demanding he do something to help the Afghan people following the
Taliban’s sudden takeover of their country.

Visitors to Barack Obama’s Instagram together with his wife
Michelle’s page for about two hours were greeted with the message:
‘Comments on this post have been limited’.

Obama has not yet issued a public statement about the
deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.

His most recent social media clip was concerning voting
boundaries in various constituencies.

‘Afghanistan needs your help. Please please help Afghanistan,’
one commenter wrote.

‘The blood of the #Afghan people is on the hands of those who
have remained silent in the face of oppression and have made
friends with the Taliban,’ wrote another. ‘History will not forget
your crime.’

‘What did we accomplish in Afghanistan if we turn tail and run
now?’ asked another. ‘They need us! That is not the American way!
We do not surrender and run! We stay and fight and until the issues
are resolved which is true independence!’

Those posting comments added hashtags #help_afghanistan and
#afghanistanisbleeding, among others, but they were soon cut
off.

A similar suspension of comments was also noted on former first
lady Michelle Obama’s Instagram page.

A spokesperson for the Obamas told Fox News there was ‘no
intentionality on our side’, nor was any explanation provided as to
why it happened.

The spokesperson added the former president had ‘no further
comment’ on Afghanistan and noted his remarks in April praising
Biden ‘bold leadership’ in his decision to withdraw.

‘It has been a long and arduous struggle in Afghanistan, rooted
in our response to the deadliest terrorist attack on the U.S.
homeland in our history,’ Obama said, adding that troops and
diplomatic workers ‘can take pride in their efforts to deliver
justice for 9/11, destroy al Qaeda’s safe-haven, train Afghan
Security Forces, and support the people of Afghanistan.’

In an address on Monday, President Biden said he stands by his
decision to pull out American troops and cast blame on the Afghan
government for failing to defend the country.

The Taliban’s siege leaves Afghan women and girls in a
vulnerable position with the possibility of losing hard-won rights
to education, employment and everyday freedoms.

The Biden administration has faced sharp criticism over its
response to the rapid collapse and the US’s chaotic evacuation
effort.

President Biden criticized Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during
his address to the nation on Monday, stating Ghani was ‘wrong’ in
his assessment of Afghan forces’ ability to fight the Taliban.

‘When I hosted the president Ghani and chairman of Abdullah at
the White House in June, and again when I spoke by phone to Ghani
in July, we had very frank conversations. We talked about how
Afghanistan should prepare to fight their civil wars after the U.S.
military departed, to clean up the corruption in government so the
government could function for the Afghan people. We talked
extensively about the need for Afghan leaders to unite politically.
They failed to do any of that,’ Biden said.

‘I also urged them to engage in diplomacy, to seek a political
settlement with the Taliban. This advice was flatly refused. Mr.
Ghani insisted that the Afghan forces would fight. But obviously he
was wrong,’ Biden added.

Former President Barack Obama briefly suspended comments on his
Instagram page on Monday after it was overwhelmed with followers
demanding he do something to help the Afghan people following the
Taliban’s sudden takeover of their country.

Visitors to Barack Obama’s Instagram together with his wife
Michelle’s page for about two hours were greeted with the message:
‘Comments on this post have been limited’.

Obama has not yet issued a public statement about the
deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.

His most recent social media clip was concerning voting
boundaries in various constituencies.

‘Afghanistan needs your help. Please please help Afghanistan,’
one commenter wrote.

‘The blood of the #Afghan people is on the hands of those who
have remained silent in the face of oppression and have made
friends with the Taliban,’ wrote another. ‘History will not forget
your crime.’

‘What did we accomplish in Afghanistan if we turn tail and run
now?’ asked another. ‘They need us! That is not the American way!
We do not surrender and run! We stay and fight and until the issues
are resolved which is true independence!’

Those posting comments added hashtags #help_afghanistan and
#afghanistanisbleeding, among others, but they were soon cut
off.

A similar suspension of comments was also noted on former first
lady Michelle Obama’s Instagram page.

A spokesperson for the Obamas told Fox News there was ‘no
intentionality on our side’, nor was any explanation provided as to
why it happened.

The spokesperson added the former president had ‘no further
comment’ on Afghanistan and noted his remarks in April praising
Biden ‘bold leadership’ in his decision to withdraw.

‘It has been a long and arduous struggle in Afghanistan, rooted
in our response to the deadliest terrorist attack on the U.S.
homeland in our history,’ Obama said, adding that troops and
diplomatic workers ‘can take pride in their efforts to deliver
justice for 9/11, destroy al Qaeda’s safe-haven, train Afghan
Security Forces, and support the people of Afghanistan.’

In an address on Monday, President Biden said he stands by his
decision to pull out American troops and cast blame on the Afghan
government for failing to defend the country.

The Taliban’s siege leaves Afghan women and girls in a
vulnerable position with the possibility of losing hard-won rights
to education, employment and everyday freedoms.

The Biden administration has faced sharp criticism over its
response to the rapid collapse and the US’s chaotic evacuation
effort.

President Biden criticized Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during
his address to the nation on Monday, stating Ghani was ‘wrong’ in
his assessment of Afghan forces’ ability to fight the Taliban.

‘When I hosted the president Ghani and chairman of Abdullah at
the White House in June, and again when I spoke by phone to Ghani
in July, we had very frank conversations. We talked about how
Afghanistan should prepare to fight their civil wars after the U.S.
military departed, to clean up the corruption in government so the
government could function for the Afghan people. We talked
extensively about the need for Afghan leaders to unite politically.
They failed to do any of that,’ Biden said.

‘I also urged them to engage in diplomacy, to seek a political
settlement with the Taliban. This advice was flatly refused. Mr.
Ghani insisted that the Afghan forces would fight. But obviously he
was wrong,’ Biden added.