Bipartisan Concern About Afghanistan as Biden Sets Aug. 31 Exit: 'No Detailed Plan of Action'
President Biden's plan to leave Afghanistan by the end of August is meeting with a skeptical response from members of both parties in Congress.
The president, looking to end the nearly 20-year war, said Thursday it's time to end the nation's longest war.
More than 2,400 Americans have been killed, and more than 20,000 have been injured while overseas.
"So let me ask those who want us to stay, how many more, how many thousands more Americans, daughters and sons are you willing to risk? How long would you have them stay? Already we have members of our military whose parents fought in Afghanistan 20 years ago. Would you send their children and their grandchildren as well? Would you send your own son or daughter?" Biden asked.
The president says continuing to fight a war indefinitely is not in the security interest of the United States.
But after he spoke, Texas Congressman Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee warned that the Taliban is gaining more ground every day, saying the president only offered empty promises and no detailed plan of action.
"The Taliban is gaining more ground by the day & there are targets on the backs of our people and our partners. Rather than taking the opportunity to reassure the American people there are sufficient plans in place to keep our diplomats & Afghan partners safe, @POTUS Biden only offered more empty promises and no detailed plan of action. Shockingly, he even rejected his own intelligence community's assessments on the deteriorating security situation in the country. The time for platitudes and casting blame is over," McCaul said in a tweet.
"The American people deserve answers and concrete solutions – not false hope," he said.
"...@POTUS Biden only offered more empty promises and no detailed plan of action. Shockingly, he even rejected his own intelligence community’s assessments on the deteriorating security situation in the country. The time for platitudes and casting blame is over.
— House Foreign Affairs GOP (@HouseForeignGOP) July 8, 2021
Even Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said she remains "deeply concerned" about the deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan.
MORE: Taliban Triumphant as US Forces Leave and Radical Islamic Takeover of Afghanistan Escalates
