Ex-Obama adviser says Biden should fire his national security adviser over 'botched' Afghanistan withdrawal

As the U.S. withdraws from Afghanistan and the world witnesses the Taliban swiftly taking control in that country, the Biden administration is facing criticism.

Brett Bruen, who served as director of global engagement at the Obama White House, wrote in an opinion piece that national security adviser Jake Sullivan should be fired.

"The disaster that unfolded in Afghanistan is illustrative of other major issues at the White House. The people, plans and processes the president has put in place to keep America safe are not working," Bruen declared.

He contended that Sullivan and others connected with the bungled U.S. military withdrawal should be fired:

Yes, we were always going to pull out. It was a question of how and when. Both of those were decisions that Sullivan had to use his role to carefully guide.

Unfortunately, it seems he allowed the president's push for an end to our involvement in the country ahead of Sept. 11 to drive the American timeline. That was a catastrophic error. Our people were unprepared. We failed to get them out of harm's way. The Afghan government and military clearly were not ready, either.

President Biden needs to fire his national security adviser and several other senior leaders who oversaw the botched execution of our withdrawal from Afghanistan. He has to restructure how and with whom he is making major foreign policy decisions, allowing for more input from career experts.

Ryan Crocker, who has previously served as the ambassador to several countries including Afghanistan, expressed concern about President Biden's leadership capability.

"I'm left with some grave questions in my mind about his [President Biden's] ability to lead our nation as commander-in-chief," Crocker said, according to the Spokesman-Review. "To have read this so wrong – or, even worse, to have understood what was likely to happen and not care."

Many Republican lawmakers have levied criticism against Biden.

"The issue isn't that we left," Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) tweeted. "The issue is how we left," he continued. "On a timetable certain to result in chaos & without a plan in place to prevent the return & resurgence of Al Qaeda."

"The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan is shameful, a sincere tragedy, and a complete leadership failure by this president—and it was all entirely avoidable," Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa said in a statement. "This mishandled and haphazard withdrawal executed by this president caused so much of the collapse and panic we are witnessing now and is an international embarrassment and a black-eye for our country that will put more Americans and allies in harms' way while emboldening our adversaries."

A recent survey found that a significant majority of likely general election voters disapprove of Biden's handling of America's military operations in Afghanistan. A whopping 59.5% strongly disapprove, while 9.8% disapprove, making a total of 69.3% who either disapprove or strongly disapprove.