Tags
Afghan troops, Afghanistan, Afghanistan policy, Afghanistan withdrawal, Biden, Blinken, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Iran, ISAF, McCaul, National Security, NATO, PMC, Putin's chef, Russia, Russian invasion Ukraine, Russian Private Military Company, SIV, Taliban, Texas, Trump, Ukraine, US, US trained Afghan commandos, Wagner Group
“McCaul Slams Admin for Newest National Security Threat Caused by Botched Afghanistan Withdrawal
Press Release 10.26.22
Media Contact 202-225-5021
Houston, TX – House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul released the following statement in response to news that U.S.-trained Afghan commandos are being recruited by the Russian Private Military Company, the Wagner Group, to fight in Russia’s unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. The House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans released a report on the administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, in August, pointing out that failing to evacuate these commandos, posed a major national security threat.
“The Biden administration’s failure to plan for the safe evacuation of the thousands of Afghan commandos who bravely fought alongside U.S. and NATO forces for almost 20 years is a travesty. As a result, hundreds remain trapped in Afghanistan without hope or prospects, and under threat from the Taliban.
It is no surprise to learn that, in addition to being forced to seek refuge in Iran, Afghan commandos are now being recruited by Wagner to fight Russia’s unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. This unfortunate turn of events is even further proof that thorough congressional oversight over the administration’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal is critical” ### https://gop-foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/mccaul-slams-admin-for-newest-national-security-threat-caused-by-botched-afghanistan-withdrawal/
Apparently the Biden administration evacuated a bunch of Afghans to the United States, that should have been left in Afghanistan, while leaving behind many who were supposed to be rescued.
“McCaul Calls on Biden Administration to Take Action to Correct SIV Problems
Press Release 10.27.22
Media Contact 202-225-5021
Houston, TX – House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul has released the following statement in response to an Inspector General report on the State Department’s handling of Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) in Afghanistan. https://www.stateoig.gov/report/aud-mero-23-01
SIVs are issued to Afghans who worked for, or on behalf of, the U.S. government or NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) – work that would often place their lives in jeopardy. Since the Taliban seized back control over the country last year, tens of thousands of vulnerable Afghan allies, who bravely put their lives on the line in support of the U.S. mission, have applied for SIVs to escape the growing threat of Taliban retribution.
Unfortunately, many have faced significant bureaucratic hurdles and endless red tape that has left them stranded in a country controlled by terrorists who consider them an enemy because they assisted America and its NATO allies.
“The Inspector General’s report specifically states the State Department’s ‘deficiencies…may have delayed vulnerable Afghan allies from reaching safety in the United States.’ This makes it clear that urgent action by Secretary Blinken and President Biden to fix the significant problems inside the SIV program is necessary and long overdue. The United States pledged to support those who bravely fought alongside our troops, risking their lives for our country. We owe the thousands of qualified Afghan SIV applicants shamefully left behind in the wake of the Biden administration’s chaotic and haphazard withdrawal to fulfill our promise to grant them a way out of Afghanistan and to freedom in the U.S.”
###” https://gop-foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/mccaul-calls-on-biden-administration-to-take-action-to-correct-siv-problems/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando#US
“PFLUGER PUTS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ON NOTICE: PRESERVE YOUR DOCUMENTS
Washington, November 3, 2022
Tags: National Security , Immigration
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) sent letters directing the Biden Administration’s Homeland Security Officials to preserve documents related to the Administration’s disastrous failures along the U.S.-Mexico border and in its withdrawal from Afghanistan. Specifically, the letters—sent to the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Patrol, and Intelligence and Analysis Office—request all records and data about the 15,000-person Haitian caravan that arrived in Del Rio, Texas in September 2021, as well as the Administration’s failure to properly vet and screen Afghan evacuees who were brought into the United States as a result of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Rep. August Pfluger: “Over the past two years, Democrats in Congress failed to conduct meaningful oversight or deliver accountability for the Biden Administration’s actions that are threatening the safety and security of Americans. Republicans are committed to rooting out those responsible for these failures and requiring the White House to answer for its incompetence at home and abroad. My letters put the Biden Administration on notice: do not destroy any documents that pertain to your failures along the southern border and in the tragic Afghanistan withdrawal.” https://pfluger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=596
Alyssa Farah Griffin @Alyssafarah: “As someone who remains highly critical of Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal, I’d be curious to hear defenses on the Right of Trump’s order for an even hastier withdrawal.” https://web.archive.org/web/20221014024927/https://twitter.com/Alyssafarah/status/1580615565504221184
Trump Memo:
“MEMORANDUM FOR THE ACTING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
NOVEMBER 11, 2020
“I hereby direct you to withdraw all U.S. military forces from the Federal Republic of Somalia no later than 31 December 2020; and from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan no later than 15 January 2021.” https://www.axios.com/2022/10/13/january-6-trump-us-troops-withdrawal
“The one-page memo was delivered by courier to Christopher Miller’s office two days later, on the afternoon of Nov. 11. The order arrived seemingly out of nowhere, and its instructions, signed by Trump, were stunning: All U.S. military forces were to be withdrawn from Somalia by Dec. 31, 2020. All U.S. forces were to be withdrawn from Afghanistan by Jan. 15, 2021. What the fuck is this? Miller wondered. A former Green Beret, Miller had directed the National Counterterrorism Center and was accustomed to following process. Trump had tapped him to run the Pentagon after his unceremonious firing-by-tweet of Mark Esper. It was Miller’s third day on the job…” Read more here: https://www.axios.com/2021/05/16/off-the-rails-trump-military-withdraw-afghanistan
As US Senator Tom Cotton points out, Biden was the Commander in Chief, when the withdrawal occurred, so is responsible for the fiasco:
“Tapper asks GOP senator who is to blame for botched Afghanistan withdrawal CNN’s Jake Tapper talks with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) about who is to blame for the botched US withdrawal from Afghanistan” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/tapper-asks-gop-senator-who-is-to-blame-for-botched-afghanistan-withdrawal
“Trump signed order for immediate ‘large-scale troop withdrawals’ from Afghanistan after election loss” By Nolan D. McCaskill October 13, 2022 https://news.yahoo.com/trump-signed-order-immediate-large-182426010.html
“Jan. 6 panel scrutinizes Trump’s post-election orders to pull all US troops from Afghanistan” By DAN LAMOTHE THE WASHINGTON POST • October 14, 2022 https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2022-10-14/trump-military-orders-afghanistan-7687452.html