Photo: WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP via Getty
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN, August 17, 2021 ~ Sunday, Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, was captured by Taliban forces in a culmination of the offensive against the Afghan government, which began earlier this year. Complete control of the capital city came just hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.
“We should have never let it get to that point,” said Congressman Peter Meijer to 760 WJR’s Kevin Dietz. “Again, I supported the withdrawal. I was incredibly disappointed President Biden spent an entire speech defending the idea of withdrawal.”
Five days before the Taliban reached Kabul, experts predicted the city would fall within “30 to 90” days. Two days later, it was predicted Kabul would not last another week.
August 17, 2021 ~ Congressman Peter Meijer shares his thoughts about what is going on in Afghanistan with Kevin Dietz.
August 17, 2021 ~ Congressman Bill Huizenga talks to Paul W. about the last minute evacuation of American citizens in Afghanistan and says it is a leadership and military failure.
“This is what we were warning President Biden about in April and in May, when a bipartisan group of lawmakers, some were military veterans like myself, others were pros who spent time in the region,” Meijer said. “The Administration continued to engage with it as if it was a bureaucratic process rather than the rescue mission that it has very quickly become. Now we are scrambling to keep those who served us, who have a target on their back, because they worked for the United States, we are scrambling to get them before the Taliban does.”
In a speech Monday, President Biden placed blame on Afghan troops for not defending their own country.
“How many more generations of America’s daughters and sons would you have me send to fight Afghanistan’s civil war, when Afghan troops will not? How many more lives, American lives, is it worth? How many endless rows of headstones at Arlington National Cemetery? I’m clear in my answer. I will not repeat the mistakes we’ve made in the past.”
Tuesday, Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahad revealed himself to the public, previously only communicating through phone calls, text messages, emails and internet posts. He vowed that the Taliban would respect the rights of Afghan women, forgive those who fought against them, and said Afghanistan will not become a safe haven for terrorists. He added that the Taliban would not be used as a base for attacking other countries.
However, many are skeptical, as many prisoners, including ISIS and Al-Qaeda members have been freed from Afghan prisons, and US and Afghan armories have been picked clean.
The Pentagon has said the US is communicating with the Taliban as thousands are evacuated from Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport. According to The Pentagon, no hostile actions have been made at the airport by the Taliban.
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