Friend,
President Biden's reckless withdrawal from Afghanistan, with no plan to protect American and Afghan lives, and his Administration's subsequent response, has been catastrophic.
Iowans watched in disbelief this week as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban while we heard nothing from our Commander in Chief. And when President Biden finally spoke, he didn't take responsibility for his mistakes. Instead, he shifted the blame to Afghans. He still has not provided a plan to evacuate the estimated 11,000 Americans still in Afghanistan or our eligible Afghan partners safely.
The images and reports we've seen and heard out of Afghanistan this week have been jarring. It has been horrific watching Afghans hang on planes in a desperate attempt to escape, hearing that the Taliban beat Americans as they were trying to reach the airport, and learning that the Taliban has taken high-tech, taxpayer-funded U.S. military equipment. The worst part about this tragedy is that it was preventable. It didn't have to happen this way, but the President ignored both the advice of top military generals and intelligence reports that painted the grim picture we are now seeing unfold in real-time.
My team is doing all we can to help those stuck in Afghanistan. We cannot leave any Americans behind, and we must ensure the safety of our Afghan partners who fought by our side over the past two decades. Our team has heard from Iowa veterans who need help evacuating interpreters they served with before it is too late. We've gotten nearly 100 inquiries from those who need help escaping the Taliban, and we are doing all we can to get them to safety.
As this crisis has unfolded, ensuring our service members, veterans, and Gold Star families feel supported has been a top priority. Those who fought in the War on Terror are heroes--they kept terrorism from our shores and protected our homeland from those who sought to destroy us. We will always be thankful for their service and sacrifice to carry out a worthy mission, even if it does not feel that way right now.
On Friday, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and I visited with veterans and their families in Independence to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and received their unique perspectives. It is an honor to serve Iowans, especially our veterans, in Congress. Learn more about our discussion and my additional work for our district this week below.
Best,
