Claiming that the US is now 'not at war' for the first time in 20 years pulls Twitter anger down on Vox journo that did it

Ending America’s longest military engagement is a remarkable event that can be welcomed. But a claim that now that the United States is out of Afghanistan is no longer at war seemed too great a stretch for many readers of a Vox journalist.

President Joe Biden took a lot of flak in the American media to pull the plug on Afghan military presence, both for making the decision in the first place and for the way it was executed. But despite all the shortcomings, the extract remains widely supported by the American public, including some members of the mainstream press, who were generally very critical of the president about it.

One of the journalists celebrating the end of the Afghan war seems to have gone too hyperbolic with his praise for Biden and put himself in the crosshairs of Twitter. Ian Millhiser, a senior Vox correspondent, said Tuesday that he was “the first full day in almost 20 years where my country is not at war," contrasts his attitude to “many other journalists."

Today is the first full day in almost 20 years where my country is not at war. I am grateful that President Biden had the vision to make this a reality, even though the end of the Afghanistan war makes many other journalists sad.

- Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) August 31, 2021

To say that the United States is no longer at war after leaving Afghanistan is, to say the least, a stretch. US troops remain deployed in Iraq despite a call from the country’s parliament to leave. They are stationed in Syria without a mandate, and with the aim of preventing the government of Damascus from taking back control - some call it “illegal occupation." They are involved in counter-insurgency operations in many African countries, such as Niger - and do so in such a shadow that even lawmakers tasked with overseeing the armed forces can be blinded. And these are just a few examples of American boots on the ground.

Millhiser’s assessment angered many readers, who rushed to mock him for overlooking the many other conflict zones in which the United States plays a role. Even those who share his view on the benefits of the draw did not like the recording.

Senior correspondent for Vox does not understand that the 120+ military bases and dozens of operations were carried out across the globe - and people are wondering why there is no longer any trust in the media.

- Karl Havoc (@LeviHarris) August 31, 2021

This is blatantly false. But the second part is true

- Send more Toblerones 🧢 (@dstenroos) August 31, 2021

this year, the United States and its directly supported allies have dropped bombs or fired missiles at Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Somalia, as well as operating around 700 bases abroad in more than 70 countries with 200,000 troops.

- The Original Mr. Good Post (@thispostisgood) August 31, 2021

There were also positive reactions to Millhiser’s withdrawal problems, some comparing him positively to NBC News war correspondent Richard Engel. Angel belongs to the crowd of journalists that Millhiser described in his tweet as being “sad” about the development.

I’m glad you do not suffer from what I call the Angel Syndrome. Get well, friend.

- Reinvented (@ Miss_Anthrope46) August 31, 2021

Richard Engel inconsolable.

- Grand Wear a Mask Get a Damn Vax Moff 🦄 (@GrandMoffJoseph) August 31, 2021

Ironically, Engel is notorious for misunderstanding things in favor of a favorite tale. In 2012, his news team was abducted in Syria by people posing as government loyalists. Engel was later forced to admit that the kidnappers were probably an anti-government militia — one of many allegedly “moderate” groups that the US government supported in the hope that they would overthrow the government. That Parent false flag was undoubtedly an example of several future attempts by jihadists to provoke a stronger US military engagement in Syria.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan triggered a collision of the Western-backed government in Kabul and landed the country in the hands of the Taliban. Over a hundred thousand people were aired out of the Afghan city before the August 31 deadline.

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