In the Air Force, I flew combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. After each mission, our team gathered for an after-action debrief that helped identify where we achieved success and where we could do better on the next mission.
Today, I “debriefed” with servicemembers who were part of the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and who want to see those in charge held accountable so this never happens again.
Our botched withdrawal from Afghanistan killed 13 American soldiers, including Cpl. Daegan Page from Red Oak and abandoned hundreds more behind enemy lines.
3 main takeaways from today’s debrief:
- The deaths of 13 U.S. servicemembers, abandonment of hundreds of Americans, and sentencing to death of countless Afghan allies may have been prevented had the Biden Administration not ignored various warnings and advice of military officials.
- Poor planning, ignored intelligence, and an unnecessarily rushed timeline by the Biden Administration made this withdrawal chaotic, deadly, and a complete disaster.
- Despite failures of leadership at the very top levels, we saw patriotism and heroism from so many, including Cpl. Daegan Page who was helping Americans and Afghans escape Afghanistan.
Watch here ⬇️
In addition to addressing the impact on American soldiers and civilians, I’m leading legislation that will help our Afghan allies who assisted the U.S. for years get out of danger. Learn more about this bill.
Bottom line: we must hold those responsible accountable and take corrective action to prevent this from happening again.