The Biden-Harris administration was accused of “gross incompetence” on Monday by the former president Donald Trump for how it handled its “botched” withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump’s remarks are made on August 26, 2021, the third anniversary of the devastating ISIS bombing attack at Kabul’s Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport. In addition to 170 Afghan civilians, 13 US servicemen were killed in the attack.
“This is the third anniversary of the BOTCHED Afghanistan withdrawal, the most EMBARRASSING moment in the history of our Country. Gross Incompetence — 13 DEAD American soldiers, hundreds of people wounded and dead, AMERICANS and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT LEFT BEHIND,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“You don’t take our soldiers out first, you take them out LAST, when all else is successfully done. Russia then invaded Ukraine, Israel was attacked, and the USA became, and is, a laughing stock all over the World,” Trump continued.
Marine Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Navy Petty Officer Third Class Maxton W. Soviak, and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss were among the soldiers who perished in the bombing.
On the anniversary of the attack, Biden also gave a statement about the deceased soldiers.
“These 13 Americans—and the many more that were wounded—were patriots in the highest sense. Some were born the year the war in Afghanistan started,” he said. “Some were on their second or third tour. But all raised their hand to serve a cause greater than themselves—risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, Allies, and Afghan partners.”
“They embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless. And we owe them and their families a sacred debt we will never be able to fully repay, but will never cease working to fulfill,” he continued.
In June, during his debate with Trump, Biden faced criticism for his untrue statement that he had not let any American troops to die while in charge.
“Truth is, I’m the only president this century that doesn’t have any — this, this decade — that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world,” Biden said.
