House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ripped the Biden administration over its handling of the current crisis in Afghanistan by calling for an investigation into how the United States withdrew American forces from the war-torn country.
McCarthy insisted an investigation could be necessary during an interview over the weekend shortly after Taliban militants nearly took over the entire nation following the withdrawal of U.S. forces. He slammed the president’s decision to expedite the hasty exit, which has sparked bipartisan disgust as thousands of Afghans (and Americans) attempt to flee Taliban rule.
Questioning the decision, McCarthy said, “How does the rest of the world look at us? They like that the president doesn’t tweet, but they don’t think America is very tough.” He also warned the exit strategy, or lack thereof, will have repercussions for generations as the United States’ 20-year involvement in the nation comes to a close.
Biden delivered a speech earlier this week standing by his decision to withdraw forces, while also pinning the blame of his blood-stained exit on the Trump administration.
“There was only the cold reality of either following through on the agreement to withdraw our forces or escalating the conflict and sending thousands more American troops back into combat in Afghanistan, lurching into the third decade of conflict,” Biden stated. “I stand squarely behind my decision. After 20 years, I’ve learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw U.S. forces.”
He took no questions from reporters and resumed his vacation at Camp David shortly after delivering remarks.
Despite Biden’s criticism, many Republicans have made it clear the issue lies with how the withdrawal was handled as opposed to the withdrawal itself. The Trump administration ultimately negotiated the exit deal in 2020 with Taliban leaders, however, there were various contingencies that needed to be met to lay the groundwork for a successful and otherwise peaceful departure.
President Trump has been vocal about the humanitarian crisis, which he claims is far more severe than the fall of Saigon in 1975. “Perhaps in World history, there has never been a withdrawal operation that has been handled so disastrously,” Trump said in a statement Tuesday. “A President who has been illegitimately elected has brought great shame, in many ways, to our Country!”
The 45th president has even called on Biden to resign over the ongoing tragedy.
The Taliban secured victory toppling the American-backed Afghan government just days after U.S. troops left the nation. Former President Ashraf Ghani and other government officials fled as insurgents toppled the regime sparking widespread panic among civilians, particularly among women and girls, as Sharia Law is implemented.
There are still thousands of Americans and U.S. allies reportedly trapped in Afghanistan, desperate to leave the nation before the Aug. 31 deadline. American officials are currently in the process of evacuating those individuals, however, it remains unclear what will come next if they are not able to leave in time.