Joe Biden issued a statement on the retaliatory strike against ISIS-K, which we reported on earlier.
This morning, I met with my national security team in Washington and my commanders in the field. We discussed the strike that U.S. forces took last night against the terrorist group ISIS-K in Afghanistan. I said we would go after the group responsible for the attack on our troops and innocent civilians in Kabul, and we have. This strike was not the last. We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay. Whenever anyone seeks to harm the United States or attack our troops, we will respond. That will never be in doubt. I thanked General McKenzie for his leadership of that mission, and for his commitment to the safety of our troops in Afghanistan.
The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours. I directed them to take every possible measure to prioritize force protection, and ensured that they have all the authorities, resources and plans to protect our men and women on the ground. They assured me that they did, and that they could take these measures while completing the mission and safely retrograding our personnel.
Despite the treacherous situation in Kabul, we are continuing to evacuate civilians. Yesterday, we brought out another 6,800 people, including hundreds of Americans. And today, we discussed the ongoing preparations to help people continue to leave Afghanistan after our military departs.
The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far. May God protect our troops and all those standing watch in these dangerous days.
He allegedly took out two random ISIS members, who he refused to name, and provided no greater details on the action? As I previously said, how do we know these aren’t just some random night watchmen at an aspirin factory, when you can’t even provide their names. Also, not sure that’s particularly proportionate to the attack — with so many injured and killed.
The problem with this is that he’s the guy who created this situation, making the members of the military sitting ducks. In addition to the 13 killed, many others were wounded and at least 170 Afghan civilians were killed. That translates to a huge bomb, something that you couldn’t smuggle through a Taliban checkpoint unless they were blind. Or in on it. It’s Joe Biden who put us at the mercy of the Taliban, who still has us at their mercy, even after the attack, even after warning them.
Now he’s warning that it’s “highly likely” that there will be another attack. What have you done to change the situation on the ground to stop it?
The problem? You’ve put all the forces in one obvious, not easy to defend place, with thousands of people still having to enter. And as I wrote in the piece linked up top, you’re still outsourcing our security to Taliban terrorists who let the first bomb through.
That’s what’s so indefensible here, and that’s why this was able to happen. Unfortunately, because Biden is still in charge, it might happen again.
