TRUMP SPEAKS AGAIN – AT 10:05 P.M. ET:  The former president, moved no doubt by the reaction of crowds and the American debacle in Afghanistan, is growing increasingly assertive.  His visits to police and fire stations in New York on Saturday were perfect imagery.  And the polls, for what they're worth this early in the 2024 presidential game, are with him. 

He is presenting Americans with a contrast between him and President Biden.  That is some contrast.  From Fox: 

Former President Donald Trump blasted the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan and speculated that China and Russia could already be reverse-engineering U.S. military equipment left behind.

Speaking with host Sharyl Attkisson during an interview that aired Sunday on "Full Measure," Trump excoriated the withdrawal as "incompetent" and warned it will likely endanger the United States and benefit its enemies.

Trump also expressed doubt regarding whether the war in Afghanistan is over, noting how many unvetted Afghan refugees are being resettled in the United States and around the world.

"I don't know because you have people going all over the world and being dropped all over the world right now, and nobody knows who the hell they are, Sharyl," Trump said. "These aren't the interpreters that we took. These were people that rushed into the planes, and they were so interested in trying to make it sound like 'Oh, they're doing a good job.' These people, many of these people are going to be terrorists. Okay? They're going to be terrorists. They were very powerful. They were very energetic in getting onto the aircraft."

Trump went on to suggest the nation's adversaries are already taking advantage of the stockpile of weapons, armored vehicles, and aircraft that left U.S. forces left behind.

"Now I'm saying, ‘How can they take this equipment?’ And I guarantee that China and Russia already have our Apache helicopters and they're taking them apart to find out exactly how they're made. They're the best in the world by far. And they're taking them apart so they can make the exact same equipment. They're very good at that. It's a disgrace."

The U.S. offered approximately $83 billion worth of training and equipment to Afghan security forces since 2001.

COMMENT:  Increasingly, Trump is sounding like a 2024 candidate, but it would be foolish for him to announce actual intentions this early.  Then all the incoming political fire would be directed at him.  Also, he's smart enough to know that circumstances could change, and his health could change.   He doesn't want to be known as the man who brought down his party.  Further, Trump will wait until after the 2022 midterms to assess his position.  If Republicans take both houses of Congress, especially if they do it by wide margins, I don't think he'll be able to restrain his enthusiasm.

September 12, 2021