Reflecting on three years since the Afghanistan withdrawal

By Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks

On Aug. 26, 2021, 13 American service members were killed in a bombing at Kabul airport that sent shockwaves around the world.

As we reflect on this date and, more broadly, on the entire withdrawal from Afghanistan, it’s crucial to clarify this: withdrawing from Afghanistan was absolutely the right decision. Republicans and Democrats agree on that. President Trump was right to negotiate the withdrawal. The issue is not the decision to withdraw but when, if conditions were met and most significantly, how disastrous it was executed by President Biden and Vice President Harris.

The Biden-Harris administration, through a lack of strategy and communication, botched it. As a result, 13 American heroes were killed, we lost Bagram Airbase (which we built and now occupied by the Russians) and counterterrorism surveillance capabilities, billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment was abandoned, and the Taliban was acquired a formidable weapons arsenal—all while embarrassing our country on the world stage.

Vice President Harris prides herself on being “the last person in the room” with President Biden when the decision was made to withdraw. Well, Madam Vice President, there is nothing to be proud of. Instead of a strategic exit, the administration’s approach was rushed and marked by disarray, leaving American personnel in peril and abandoning our Afghan interpreters and other allies. There was an utter lack of communication with our NATO allies, who also had troops in Afghanistan or the Afghan military or government.

Furthermore, the Administration’s failure to plan for the post-withdrawal security situation exacerbated the chaos. The hasty departure left a power vacuum that the Taliban quickly filled, leading to a rapid collapse of the Afghan government and the resurgence of extremist groups. This lack of foresight not only jeopardized the safety of those on the ground but also undermined the stability of the region.

The toll of this mismanagement is not only felt in the immediate loss of life and strategic setbacks, but also in the undermining of American credibility on the global stage. The 2,459 U.S. military personnel and 20,769 wounded in action in Afghanistan did not endure these hardships only for the result we saw three years ago — a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, now a well-equipped state with a history of supporting terrorist acts.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s foreign policy blunders have left an indelible mark on the U.S.’s strategic standing, and the costs of their misguided decisions are apparent for all to see. This administration’s approach to national security has been characterized by naivety, weakness and recklessness, resulting in avoidable tragedies and a dangerous resurgence of global terrorism.

It has been three years since this disaster, and not a single person has been fired or held accountable. Biden and Harris still tout their withdrawal as if it was a victory of some sort.

The American people deserve better. Most importantly, 13 Gold Star families deserve better.