SIMS: Another Failure of Leadership and Security under Joe Biden

How Biden’s Afghanistan Withdrawal and Lax Vetting Policies Endangered American Lives

On the afternoon of November 26, 2025, two brave National Guard members from West Virginia found themselves in the line of fire near the White House, critically wounded in what law enforcement officials are calling a targeted attack. The suspect, later identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national in the United States, unlawfully and with a deeply troubling background, nearly cost them their lives.

This tragedy is not an isolated incident but the grim culmination of years of reckless policy, systemic failure, and an abdication of responsibility by President Joe Biden and his administration.

The Scene of Tragedy

Around 2:15 p.m., as part of routine patrols in the nation’s capital, the two Guardsmen were ambushed by a gunman who fired approximately 10-15 rounds. Police responded swiftly, and the suspect was subdued and taken into custody, but he critically wounded himself in the process. The officers’ injuries are severe, but stabilize a sobering truth: this is not just a random act of violence but a direct consequence of systemic vulnerabilities introduced by Biden-era policies.

The Suspect: A Symptom of Policy Failures

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, entered the United States as part of the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, a rushed effort launched after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. While designed to resettle Afghan allies and vulnerable civilians, the program went awry. Multiple reports and investigations expose the Biden administration’s inability to vet and monitor these new arrivals properly.

Lakanwal’s background is a stark illustration of this failure. According to congressional investigations and the Center for Immigration Studies, numerous Afghan evacuees—such as Tawhedi, who was seized in a terror plot—arrived in the U.S. with incomplete or falsified records, and some had unexamined ties to terror networks. The DHS Office of Inspector General confirmed that Biden’s DHS had no cohesive plan to effectively screen and identify derogatory information among the roughly 77,000 Afghan parolees admitted under Biden’s watch.​

Efforts by Congress to hold the Biden administration accountable have revealed a fragmented vetting process, with agencies reluctant or unable to fully share critical security information. The FBI, DHS, and USCIS faced obstacles in cross-communicating vital data, resulting in dangerous gaps. One report noted that domestic security agencies even failed to verify whether some Afghan entrants who applied for asylum had undergone any meaningful screening—an unsettling “incompetence or deception,” as critics have argued.

The Role of Biden’s Disastrous Afghanistan Withdrawal

The root of this unfolding crisis traces back to the disastrous American exit from Afghanistan. Biden’s unilateral, hasty withdrawal, launched without sufficient planning or heightened vetting, created a flood of refugees and parolees with questionable backgrounds. GOP lawmakers and security officials publicly warned that such a breakdown in vetting processes would enable terrorists or extremists to infiltrate the homeland under the guise of Afghan allies. Yet the Biden-Harris administration dismissed these concerns, proceeding with urgency at the expense of thorough security checks.

The Biden administration’s cavalier approach to vetting Afghan arrivals is well-documented. Investigations have shown that they relaxed standards, relying heavily on unverified or incomplete biometric data, and rushing Afghan parolees into the U.S. without the stringent security checks customary before. Internal reports from DHS and the Department of Justice reveal that hundreds of thousands of Afghan evacuees did not undergo full vetting, with some entering the country with red flags ignored or unresolved.​

The Human Cost and Political Reckoning

This failure cost two American Guardsmen their health—and, tragically, could have been far worse. As GOP leaders and conservative commentators have pointed out, the attack vividly illustrates how Biden’s open-door, “trust-first” policies in Afghanistan and the subsequent lax immigration enforcement in the U.S. undermine national security and endanger American lives.

Noted voices such as Rep. Green condemned the Biden administration’s failures, demanding transparency and accountability. Congressional hearings have exposed how the fragmented vetting system allowed individuals with potential terror links—like Lakanwal—to slip through the cracks, with officials admitting that the FBI and DHS did not have full access to critical databases. The repeated failure to adapt policies to the realities on the ground has led to an ongoing crisis, now claiming Americans’ blood.

The Biden Admin’s Response: A Half-Hearted Reassessment

In recent weeks, bipartisan critiques have escalated, pressuring the Biden administration to halt further Afghan resettlements pending a full review. The Trump administration, in contrast, has called for a comprehensive, case-by-case re-evaluation of all Afghan arrivals since 2021—a move now reportedly undertaken by the current government under emergency review orders. Yet, these efforts come too late for the Guardsmen who nearly paid the ultimate price.​

A Systemic Failure—Not Just an Individual Mistake

While the media often traces blame to individual actors, the true culpability lies with the systemic failures of an administration that prioritized political optics over national security. The Biden administration’s relaxed vetting, over-reliance on incomplete data, and refusal to push for reform—despite mounting warnings—are the practical causes of this tragedy.

Even after the FBI and DHS identified serious gaps, Biden’s policies persisted, echoing long-standing concerns from congressional oversight. Reports from the DHS Office of Inspector General and the Justice Department confirm that the vetting process was fundamentally flawed, missing red flags, and allowing individuals with potential terrorist ties to enter American communities. Notably, the DHS IG’s 2022 report revealed that many Afghan evacuees had been admitted despite incomplete backgrounds, often with little follow-up or monitoring.​

Holding the former President Accountable—Within Responsible Boundaries

Responsibility, however, must be framed carefully. While it is appropriate and necessary to hold a former president accountable for systemic policy failures that lead to tragedy, direct personal fault—such as criminal intent—must be reserved for authorities who publicly establish such facts. As Op/ed writers, our role is to focus on systemic accountability: the choices made, the policies prioritized, and the consequences borne by Americans.

The president’s duty is to serve as America’s chief protector. The Biden administration’s handling of Afghanistan and subsequent refugee vetting betrayed that trust. Some critics argue that Biden’s “disaster-deflecting” approach—his refusal to tighten vetting or acknowledge the risks—cost lives. As lawmakers and security experts continue to expose these lapses, the American people deserve transparent answers and reforms that prevent future tragedies.

Conclusion

Today, with two Guardsmen fighting for their lives just a couple of blocks from the White House, we are reminded that national security is not a game. It’s a sacred promise to protect Americans. The tragic shooting is a symptom of a deeper root—a former administration headed by Joe Biden that turned a blind eye to the realities of terrorism, lax border controls, and broken vetting processes. The Biden administration was a failure on many levels.

Instead of obfuscation and excuses, what is needed is accountability, transparency, and a firm return to the principles of rigorous screening that keep Americans safe. The blood spilled on Capitol Hill grounds was not an accident; it was a consequence of failed leadership and the dangerous policies that flow from it. If we are serious about “truth, justice, and the American way,” then Biden’s era of recklessness must be scrutinized, and accountability must follow.