Blinken takes heat from Republicans over Afghanistan withdrawal
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushed back Monday against harsh Republican criticism of the handling of the military withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying the Biden administration inherited a deal with the Taliban to end the war, but no plan for carrying it out.
In a sometimes contentious hearing Monday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
Blinken sought to blunt complaints from angry GOP lawmakers about the administration’s response to the quick collapse of the Afghan government and, more specifically, the State Department’s actions to evacuate Americans and others. Blinken echoed White House talking points blaming the Trump administration for the situation that President Joe Biden inherited in Afghanistan. “We inherited a deadline. We did not inherit a plan,” he said, maintaining that the administration had done the right thing in ending 20 years of war.
“We made the right decision in ending America’s longest-running war,” said Blinken, who will testify on Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Republicans savaged the withdrawal process as “a disaster” and “a disgrace.”
And while some Democrats allowed that the operation could have been handled better, many used their questions to heap criticism on former President Donald Trump.
‘COPS’ TV series coming back
NEW YORK — Fox News Media is reviving the long-running TV series “COPS” for its Fox Nation streaming service as part of a pitch to entice police, firefighters and other first responders to sign up for the service.
Fox Nation will debut four episodes of the show’s 33rd season on Oct. 1, with additional episodes appearing weekly on Friday nights.
The series, which once appeared on the Fox broadcast network but moved to the Paramount cable network, was canceled in the wake of the George Floyd killing. The documentary-style program with the “Bad Boys” theme song showed a succession of arrests but received criticism through the years for celebrating questionable police tactics and reinforcing racial stereotypes.
All police officers, firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians are being offered a free one-year subscription to Fox Nation. Fox said it is donating up to $50,000 to Answer the Call, an organization that supports the families of New York City first responders killed in the line of duty.
Jason Klarman, president of Fox Nation, said “COPS” is “one of the most iconic brands on television with an incredibly passionate fan base.”