Haley and the Cartoonish Credibility Argument

The credibility argument is the stupid hawkish person’s idea of a sophisticated theory of international relations.

Nikki Haley wants to remind us how little she knows about the world:

Without the Afghanistan debacle, Iran would have thought twice before letting Hamas attack Israel. For that matter, Russia likely would not have invaded Ukraine.

Haley’s comments are a useful example of how absurd the discredited hawkish credibility argument truly is. There is no evidence to suggest that the withdrawal from Afghanistan had anything to do with either of these later conflicts. It is a ridiculous claim on its face. There is no connection between these events, and it is hard to see how they could be connected. The credibility argument is the stupid hawkish person’s idea of a sophisticated theory of international relations.