Staff Reports
It’s been two long years since the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and last Saturday marked the solemn anniversary of the attack on the Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Thirteen brave American servicemembers lost their lives in that tragic event, yet President Joe Biden’s response was underwhelming, to say the least. In his statement, he failed to even mention their names, showing a complete lack of respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It seems the Biden administration would rather sweep this tragedy under the rug than acknowledge the heroes we lost.
Nothing to See Here: KJP Casually Mentions WH Released Statement on Afghanistan
https://t.co/Y08xSv86UE— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 31, 2023
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s response during the press briefing was equally disappointing. She offered nothing more than a few empty words, reading an excerpt from the president’s statement and claiming that he and the First Lady, along with the entire nation, support the families of the fallen. But actions speak louder than words, and the administration’s actions have shown little support or concern for these grieving families.
"The Afghanistan withdrawal ended two years ago this week. Does President Biden plan to commemorate the event and the people who were killed and left behind as that happened?"
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: "The president had a statement recently" pic.twitter.com/6VTd5ZYHGe
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 30, 2023
KJP Gives Unsettling Answer on ISIS Smuggling People Into the Country
https://t.co/4YCNd8i2dS— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 29, 2023
The White House released a statement around 5:00pm, but it’s not featured on the WH homepage and Biden didn’t tweet it out. Why doesn’t he prominently honor the sacrifice of the 13 fallen heroes of Kabul? https://t.co/7jIsmNM08l pic.twitter.com/3di6ua0OAM
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) August 27, 2023
The statement was not posted to @JoeBiden’s Twitter feed, which is what I said.
Why did it take until nearly 5pm for a WH statement to be released at all? And why isn’t it on the WH home page where other statements, such as the one for Ukraine Independence Day, are posted? https://t.co/8ludpzcxTB
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) August 27, 2023
The Biden White House homepage has room for:
-student loans
-Ukraine Independence Day
-extreme weatherBut not the statement on the anniversary of the Kabul bombing that killed 13 American service members. pic.twitter.com/j7yZ9NVTN1
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) August 27, 2023
Biden had time on Saturday to post about his work to preserve the ability of Americans to kill their unborn offspring — but not to post a tribute to 13 U.S. service members killed in Kabul on this day in 2021 during his withdrawal from Afghanistan. https://t.co/90OFWgInbV
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) August 27, 2023
Remembering the 13 Fallen Heroes of Kabulhttps://t.co/Uhx9mI38qW
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) August 26, 2023
Jean-Pierre went on to defend Biden’s decision to end the war, repeating tired talking points about not wanting to send another generation of Americans into harm’s way. While it’s admirable to want to bring our troops home, the chaos and turmoil that have followed the hasty withdrawal make it clear that this decision was a grave mistake. It’s possible that another generation of Americans may have to go back to Afghanistan to clean up the mess Biden created.
The Biden administration’s incompetence doesn’t stop there. Jean-Pierre stumbled her way through attempting to address the issue of ISIS-sympathizers illegally entering the country. It’s apparent that the administration’s lax border policies have allowed for potential terrorists to slip through the cracks. The southern border crisis is a real and present danger to our national security, and it’s time for the administration to take action and protect our country.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan remains in the hands of al-Qaeda, and the country is facing an economic decline and a humanitarian crisis. The gains made in women’s rights since the fall of the Taliban have been completely erased, and Afghanistan is once again regarded as the most repressive country for women. It’s heartbreaking to think that the sacrifices made by our servicemembers were in vain and that the Afghan people are suffering under the cruel rule of the Taliban once again.
While Jean-Pierre may have brought up the statement from last Saturday, it’s telling that it hasn’t been shared on any of the official White House Twitter accounts. It seems the administration would rather focus on other issues and rhetoric than acknowledge the solemn anniversary of the attack on our servicemembers.
Even Biden’s own statement on Wednesday failed to give the fallen servicemembers the recognition they deserve. Instead, he lumped them in with other lives lost and spent considerable time trying to spin the disastrous withdrawal as a positive achievement. This is a slap in the face to the families who lost their loved ones and a blatant attempt to rewrite history.
Polls may show that Americans wanted to end the war, but that’s not the issue here. It’s about how the withdrawal was handled and the lack of respect and accountability from the Biden administration. Polls also indicate that Biden’s handling of the withdrawal received low marks, and it’s clear why. This lack of care and compassion for our servicemembers and their families is unacceptable.
We must never forget the names of the thirteen courageous servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice: Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss. Their sacrifice should never be forgotten, and we must take action to ensure that their deaths were not in vain. The Biden administration needs to be held accountable for their disastrous handling of the withdrawal and their lack of respect for our fallen heroes.
