According to a report by Fox News on August 31 (Tuesday), a number of Democratic lawmakers stated last week that the important task and goal of this Afghan withdrawal is to safely withdraw all Americans stranded in Afghanistan and allies who have fought alongside the US military. . However, this goal cannot be completed before the August 31 deadline insisted by the Biden administration, so they have issued statements last week requesting an extension of the deadline. Among them, Senator Susan Wild, Democrat of Pennsylvania, last week called for accountability for this “failed withdrawal.”
Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Susan Wild issued a statement after the suicide bombing in Kabul last week and the death of 13 American soldiers, stating that Congress must find out the cause of “this disaster” and hold it accountable.
She wrote: “Our country needs to find out the reasons for the series of failures that led us to this catastrophic moment, and hold them accountable. I hope that through my House Foreign Affairs Committee, I will ensure that the Biden administration answers the questions. Our troops deserve a complete and undisguised truth.”
In addition, many Democratic lawmakers have been urging the Biden administration to extend the deadline for withdrawal. However, Biden and senior White House officials rejected this request on the grounds of the progress of the retreat and the potential death threats to the U.S. military.
Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire wrote in a statement last week: “I continue to urge this administration to do everything in its power to ensure the safety of the airport, and to protect all Americans and with me in the war on terrorism. Allies fighting side by side with the army withdraw. We must ignore any arbitrary deadlines and complete our mission.”
Former CIA official and Representative Abigail Spanberger, Democrat of Virginia, also issued a statement through the cross-party problem solver caucus after the House of Representatives briefing last week, calling on Biden to extend the deadline for withdrawal.
The statement read: “From this week’s cross-party briefing, it appears that the August 31 withdrawal deadline set by the government cannot provide enough time for the withdrawal of all American citizens and our partners. We respectfully call on the government to renew Consider its timetable and provide Congress with a clear plan to accomplish our common goals.”
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey earlier this month condemned the Biden administration for implementing “a flawed withdrawal plan that apparently did not clearly assess the impact of a rapid withdrawal.” He also issued a statement criticizing the Biden administration’s decision to “cooperate” with the Taliban in the withdrawal operation.
Nevada Senator Cortez Masto, once considered Biden’s potential running mate in the election, also tweeted last week that she supports extending the deadline for withdrawal.
She tweeted: “The safe evacuation of thousands of Americans and those who support the United States in Afghanistan must be and remains our priority, and delaying the retreat deadline is a necessity (to reach that goal). And important steps.”
The US military has withdrawn from Afghanistan on August 30. US Secretary of State Tony Blinken promised on Tuesday (August 31) that US government officials will continue to provide continuous support to Americans who are stranded in Afghanistan and wish to withdraw.
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