Two US military veterans who now serve as U.S. congressmen flew unannounced into Afghanistan to monitor the on going evacuation efforts as they called on Joe Biden to extend the US withdrawal deadline past August 31. This from dailymail.co.uk.
Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Rep. Peter Meijer, a Republican from Michigan, flew in and out of Kabul airport on Tuesday, with both men adding that they boarded return flights with empty seats so as not to take away space from fleeing Americans and Afghans.
They appeared to condemn Joe Biden over his chaotic withdrawal from the war-torn country, and predicted the US would not be able to airlift everyone eligible to leave Afghanistan on time.
‘As veterans, we care deeply about the situation on the ground at Hamid Karzai International Airport. America has a moral obligation to our citizens and loyal allies, and we must make sure that obligation is being kept.’
US Reps. Peter Meijer, left, and Seth Moulton, who both served in Iraq, went on a secret trip to Afghanistan to monitor the evacuation efforts.
Peter Meijer served in the US Army and went on to do humanitarian work in Afghanistan.
Seth Moulton served in the Marine Corps and went on to host a TV show in Iraq.
Later on, they added: ‘It’s obvious that because we started the evacuation so late, that no matter what we do, we won’t get everyone out on time, even by September 11.
Nancy Pelosi was among lawmakers who condemned the trip, although they have continued to defend it.
In a letter seen by Politico, she wrote: ‘Given the urgency of this situation, the desire of some Members to travel to Afghanistan and the surrounding areas is understandable and reflective of the high priority that we place on the lives of those on the ground.
‘Member travel to Afghanistan and the surrounding countries would unnecessarily divert needed resources from the priority mission of safely and expeditiously evacuating America and Afghans at risk from Afghanistan.’
Both Congressmen insisted their trip was meant to help ensure the US was upholding its promises to evacuate Afghan people who’d aided its fight against the Taliban.
They paid for their own tickets to the United Arab Emirates, then boarded a US military plane bound for Kabul. Further details on how the men managed to get on board that aircraft have not been disclosed.
But the move left the State Department, Defense Department, and White House officials furious, the Associated Press reported, as it was done without coordination with diplomats or military commanders directing the evacuation.
Officials said they also had to divert resources away from the evacuation effort to provide security and information for the congressmen.
Moulton shared a tweet of the ongoing evacuation at the airport, calling the desperate scramble at Kabul ‘raw and visceral.’
Afghan passengers board a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III during the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai Airport.
‘After talking with commanders on the ground and seeing the situation here, it is obvious that because we started the evacuation so late, that no matter what we do, we won’t get everyone out on time, even by September 11,’ both congressmen said.
‘Sadly and frustratingly, getting our people out depends on maintaining the current bizarre relationship with the Taliban.’
Biden has repeatedly said that the US will stick to the August 31 deadline to completely withdraw all US citizens and their allies out of Afghanistan.
John Hudson, of the Washington Post, tweeted that anger against the representatives were mounting for their unauthorized trip, with one official calling the move ‘as moronic as it is selfish.’
Fellow representative Ilhan Omar also criticized the trip, tweeting, ‘What they thought could be gained by pulling this stunt is beyond me.’
John Hudson, of the Washington Post, tweeted about State and Pentagon officials’ anger over Moulton and Meijer’s secret trip to Afghanistan.
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar criticized her fellow representative’s actions.
Afghans are being evacuated from Kabul airport at a ‘war footing’ pace with satellite images showing thousands queueing to leave the country as the August 31 deadline for flights to stop looms large.
The US said some 12,700 people boarded mercy flights in the last 24 hours bringing the total evacuated since August 14 to almost 60,000, while Britain managed to air-lift 2,000 in the last 24 hours bringing its total to 8,500.
But France, the UK and Spain have warned that – even at the current pace – some of those promised sanctuary will be left behind unless the August 31 deadline is extended.
Graph showing the number of people evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, by country as of August 23, 2021 at 1700 GMT.
The US said some 16,000 people were flown out of Kabul between Sunday morning and Monday afternoon, with thousands more due to leave the country today (pictured, a satellite image shows people boarding a military plane).
Diplomats insist that the situation on the ground has improved since the weekend with more people being allowed into the airport, but satellite images showed huge crowds continuing to mass.
A satellite image reveals thousands of people standing in huge queues trying to get into Kabul airport with just a week left until evacuation flights out of Afghanistan are due to stop.
Democratic U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, told reporters after a briefing on Afghanistan by intelligence officials that he did not believe the evacuation could be completed in the eight remaining days.
‘I think it’s possible but I think it’s very unlikely given the number of Americans who still need to be evacuated,’ Schiff said.
A Taliban official said on Monday an extension would not be granted, though he said foreign forces had not sought one. Washington said negotiations were continuing.
CIA Director William Burns is thought to have travelled to Kabul on Monday to meet with Taliban leaders, the Washington Post reported, in what would be the highest-level meeting between the Islamists and the Biden administration to date.
Sources told the paper that discussion topics included the troop withdrawal deadline, but the CIA refused to comment when asked.
A US Marine comforts an infant while they wait for the mother during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
U.S. Marines provides sunscreen to a child during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan.
People disembark at the arrival of a chartered Air Belgium airplane carrying evacuated people from Afghanistan, at the military airport in Melsbroek.
“Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to f*ck things up.”
This is an understatement of epic proportions. Thank you Reps. Moulton and Meijer. Your efforts greatly assist the dissemination of the truth. The left stream media and the leadership of the democrat party will put forth every effort to cover-up this information. Their intention is to blame those who will be abandoned for being left behind. The stories will state they chose not to leave or they were negligent in some way for not getting to the airport. We who are on the side of right and good MUST NOT let that happen.
