U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs

05/04/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/04/2021 15:50

ICYMI: Rep. McCaul and Amb. Crocker: Here’s What Biden Must Do Before We Leave Afghanistan

Rep. McCaul and Amb. Crocker: Here's What Biden Must Do Before We Leave Afghanistan

By: House Foreign Affairs Lead Republican Michael McCauland Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker

The New York Times

May 4, 2021

A complete withdrawal based on an arbitrary deadline, rather than conditions on the ground, threatens our long-term national security. After all, it was the decision to rapidly pull out of Iraq, creating a power vacuum that allowed the Islamic State to grow, that ultimately forced our return to Iraq, prolonging the war.

We cannot allow history to repeat itself.

Yet so far they have offered no clarity on what counterterrorism agreements, if any, have been reached with other countries. They have provided only minimal assurances for how they will secure the safety of our embassy and personnel. They appear to have no plans for protecting Afghan women. And they have announced no strategy to address the visa backlog that could endanger thousands of our Afghan partners' lives.

When America pulls out of a conflict zone at the wrong time, it creates a vacuum in which the terrorist threat grows again. That, in turn, eventually requires a re-entry of forces to keep Americans safe. So begins yet another forever war.

Read the full op-ed here.

This op-ed comes as the Taliban increases aggression in the country following the withdrawal announcement.

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