Condolences, calls for resignation: Pa. politicians react to Kabul attacks
In the hours after at least 13 American service members were killed in a terrorist attack in Afghanistan, Pennsylvania politicians reacted with sadness and horror, with a bipartisan push to safely withdraw remaining Americans and Afghan allies while going after the perpetrators.
While Democrats offered condolences and pledged to get answers, Republicans more directly stoked a sharp partisan divide over President Joe Biden’s execution of the U.S. troop pullout in a chaotic situation that has engulfed the White House in a political nightmare. Some Republicans quickly called for Mr. Biden to resign over the matter.
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, DMt. Lebanon, a Marine Corps veteran who is pursuing the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, said he’s “crushed by the loss of fellow Marines.”
“There are a lot of questions that need to be answered about how this operation has unfolded and what lies ahead,” Mr. Lamb wrote on Twitter. “But right now we all must be laser-focused on doing whatever it takes to get all of our people to safety.”
Mr. Lamb signed a bipartisan letter dated Aug. 20 that called for all troops to stay in Afghanistan until all Americans and allies are safely evacuated.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Lamb did not return a request for an interview on what he believes should happen next.
Meanwhile, Sean Parnell, an Army veteran who is vying for the Republican nomination for Senate, put the blame squarely on Mr. Biden’s shoulders.
Mr. Parnell, a Purple Heart recipient who served a deployment along the Afghan-Pakistan border starting in 2006, said in a video posted to his social media a “competent president” would have been able to safely withdraw U.S. troops and protect American citizens.
“He needs to be removed as commander-in-chief, and this is heartbreaking because it did not have to be this way,” Mr. Parnell said.
John Fetterman — Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor and a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate running against Mr. Lamb — said he grieves over the “senseless and tragic deaths of our heroic service members” and the U.S. must complete its mission of evacuating Americans and their allies.
“Today’s tragic events and senseless deaths underscore how critical it is for us to end this 20-year war and finally end American bloodshed in Afghanistan,” Mr. Fetterman said.
Jeff Bartos, a small business owner and real estate developer who is running as a Republican for the Senate, said he is absolutely “heartbroken,” Mr. Biden and his administration have “blood on their hands” and the U.S. must find and punish whoever orchestrated the attack.
“Joe Biden has failed our troops. He has failed our country,” Mr. Bartos said. “Enough is enough. Joe Biden must resign or be removed from office.”
Asked to respond to Republicans’ calls for Mr. Biden to resign over the killings, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said it was “not a day for politics.”
“This is a day where U.S. service members — 12 of them — lost their lives at the hands of terrorism,” Ms. Psaki said.
“We would expect that any American, whether they’re elected or not, would stand with us and our commitment to going after and fighting and killing those terrorists wherever they live.”
U. S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters, who served in Iraq as a U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General officer, said the attack “should be met with an immediate military response to protect Americans from ongoing threats.”
Mr. Reschenthaler said he was against withdrawing from Afghanistan.
“As an Iraq War veteran, I am appalled by the Biden administration’s failed withdrawal and evacuation,” he said. “When America retreats, it creates a vacuum for our enemies. ISIS-K and al-Qaida will grow stronger in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and develop the capabilities to launch attacks against Americans and our allies.
“If Biden is determined to surrender, then we should not leave until the last American citizen and Afghan partner leaves the country,” he added.