Biden’s botched Afghanistan exit raises questions
President Joe Biden ceded the War on Terror in the most devastating, humiliating way possible. Taliban fighters now patrol the streets of Afghanistan using weapons and military equipment paid for by our tax dollars. Many of our fellow citizens and Afghan allies who served alongside U.S. soldiers for nearly two decades were unable to escape before the final U.S. plane departed. And last week, 13 service members lost their lives on the deadliest day for the U.S. military in more than a decade. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David Espinoza — a fellow Texan — was among the fallen.
Biden tried to play the blame game, saying a Trump administration deal tied his hands. But the same principle didn’t stop this administration from lifting sanctions against Iran, or reversing other Trump administration policies. Despite what the president has said, this outcome wasn’t inevitable. When he announced the troop withdrawal deadline earlier this year, our service members were not in imminent danger, nor were their missions unsuccessful or ill-fated. Our troops drove out the Taliban in 2001 and killed Osama bin Laden in 2011. Over the past decade, they have worked tirelessly to prevent terror cells from reconstituting in Afghanistan and launching further attacks against the U.S.
It’s no coincidence that our country has not experienced another large-scale terror attack since 9/11. If not for the bravery and sacrifice of our troops — including tens of thousands of Texans — I have no doubt the past two decades in America would have looked much different. We owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to the men and women who served in Afghanistan and those who gave their lives to protect our country. Their sacrifices were not in vain, and their heroism will never be forgotten.
Opinions vary on whether this was the appropriate time to leave Afghanistan, but most agree: we did not leave in proper fashion. The Biden administration failed to plan a complete evacuation of American citizens, allied forces and their families. Biden said our troops would stay in Afghanistan until every American was evacuated yet every day, my office receives frantic pleas for help from American families that are still trapped. Despite the clear need for more time to evacuate, the administration marched toward an arbitrary withdrawal date, creating a power vacuum already being filled by jihadists and terrorists.
A series of unforced errors by the Biden administration led to this catastrophic reality, and the question is now, “What’s next?”
In the short term, one of our most critical responsibilities is to support the Afghan refugees who now call America home. I recently visited Fort Bliss in El Paso, which now serves as a temporary home for refugees. I have faith that in the days ahead, communities across Texas will welcome our allies and their families with open arms, and extend gratitude for the sacrifices they have made for our freedoms.
Biden has a big task ahead as he begins damage control — both with the American people and our international allies who have been left in the lurch.
The administration has described a vague “over the horizon” concept to remain engaged from afar, but the unfortunate reality is the lack of boots on the ground will make our counterterrorism missions incredibly difficult. Without even a small, consistent presence in Afghanistan, our ability to gather actionable intelligence will degrade rapidly. We have already seen ISIS-K reassert itself, and we can expect the growth of terror cells to go unchecked by the Taliban. We need more than feel-good phrases and clouded concepts to prevent Afghanistan from reverting to its pre-9/11 status as a terrorist sanctuary.
Now, we need accountability. The administration must provide an accounting for why it did not consult Congress on the manner of withdrawal, and what the plan is to protect America from a Taliban-led Afghanistan. Congress needs to know what the president’s plans are so we can begin to right the wrongs of this debacle.
The administration cannot fall asleep at the wheel once again, and it can’t allow the Taliban to dictate our military strategy. We need a coherent plan to mitigate the grave security risks that may be “over the horizon” today, but could soon land in our own backyard.
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