Risch: Three Years After Biden-Harris Admin’s Hazardous Withdrawal from Afghanistan, America’s Reputation is Still Damaged

BOISE, Idaho - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement ahead of the third anniversary of the fall of Kabul on August 15:

"Three years ago, the Biden-Harris Administration abandoned our allies and partners and haphazardly withdrew from Afghanistan. This shameful and embarrassing exit killed American troops and signaled to our enemies that we are weak. Unfortunately, the Biden-Harris administration has done nothing to repair the damage done to America's reputation, and the world still questions American strength.

"The Taliban continues to hold Americans Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann hostage, Afghan women and girls have lost nearly all of their rights, and Afghanistan has once again become a dangerous terrorist haven. ISIS-K continues to grow unchecked, raising new threats against our homeland at the U.S. southern border, and there are reports of new al Qaeda training camps. Coupled with its efforts to close Guantánamo Bay at any cost, the Biden-Harris Administration clearly has its head in the sand as it relates to terrorism.

"The administration must acknowledge its failures and adapt to prevent a catastrophic event like this from happening again. This includes ensuring US taxpayer-funded assistance does not end up in the hands of the Taliban or other extremists. I intend to introduce legislation that will do just that when Congress returns in September."

Background:

In February 2022, Risch published a report entitled "Left Behind: A Brief Assessment of the Biden Administration's Strategic Failures during the Afghanistan Evacuation," to give an overview of what went wrong in the planning and execution of the Biden Administration's hazardous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In May 2023, Risch and Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) reintroduced a bill to require the U.S. State Department to release a public, unclassified version of the July 13, 2021, internal dissent channel cable that reportedly warned of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the Taliban's ability to capture Kabul.

Also in May 2023, Risch led 18 colleagues in introducing the Taliban Sanctions Act, legislation to hold the Taliban accountable with sanctions for terrorism, human rights abuses, drug trafficking, and more.

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