Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) on Tuesday condemned the Biden administration’s self-imposed deadline to completely withdraw military forces from Afghanistan.
However, it remains unclear if Biden’s deadline will allow enough time for all United States citizens to be evacuated from the country.
Further, Biden reiterated his promise to leave by August 31 after a spokesperson for the Taliban warned of “consequences” if U.S. and U.K. forces stayed longer.
“The American people have to ask themselves: who is in charge, Joe Biden or the Taliban? Instead of owning the mantle of commander-in-chief and adequately responding to changing events on the ground in Afghanistan, President Biden continues to focus on a self-congratulatory press release and may have now damned all American citizens and our allies who remain in the country after Biden retreats,” Hagerty said in the statement.
Biden’s withdrawal has seemingly been composed of mixed messages and chaos for many U.S. citizens and Afghan allies attempting to leave the country.
According to White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday, over 37,000 people have been evacuated from the Kabul airport since August 14.
“This is humiliating for the United States and our allies. And it’s weak. We have a duty to ensure every American is evacuated safely,” Hagerty, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, continued.
Hagerty also criticized Biden for his lack of transparency. Throughout the process, Biden has remained hesitant to address concerns and answer questions surrounding his decision. During multiple press conferences, the president has refused to allow the media to ask questions.
“President Biden, the American people, including my Tennessee constituents and those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, deserve straight answers to this question,” the Tennessee senator added in a tweet.
President Biden, the American people, including my Tennessee constituents and those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, deserve straight answers to this question. https://t.co/LO4Zuc3Hu4
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) August 25, 2021
— — —
Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Bill Hagerty” by United States Senate. CC BY-SA 4.0. Background Photo “Patrol in Afghanistan by The U.S. Army. CC BY 2.0.
