U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI-03) joined Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06) and traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan, the center of evacuation efforts carried out by the United States.
In a joint statement after the trip, the two military veterans criticized the ongoing efforts and detailed that there would be no way to complete evacuations by August 31, contradicting a direct claim by President Joe Biden.
“We came into this visit wanting, like most veterans, to push the president to extend the August 31st deadline. 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. Sadly and frustratingly, getting our people out depends on maintaining the current, bizarre relationship with the Taliban,” the two said.
Statement from @RepMeijer and @sethmoulton on their secret trip to Afghanistan (h/t @NikolenDC): pic.twitter.com/8xUk2t8kxU
— jake rosen (@JakeMRosen) August 25, 2021
When explaining the reason for the surprise visit, they argued that they “have a duty to provide oversight on the executive branch.” Biden has received immense backlash for his handling of the delicate situation.
“Washington should be ashamed of the position we put our service members in, but they represent the best in America. These men and women have been run ragged and are still running strong. Their empathy and dedication to duty are truly inspiring. The acts of heroism and selflessness we witnessed at HKIA make America proud,” the two continued.
While exposing the current situation, the two lawmakers received criticism from officials in the Biden administration and other Democrats in Congress. After the trip, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a letter to members that urged lawmakers to not travel to the area.
“I write to reiterate that the Departments of Defense and State have requested that Members not travel to Afghanistan and the region during this time of danger,” she claimed.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Peter Meijer” by Peter Meijer. Background Photo “Kabul Downtown” by Brian Hillegas. CC BY 2.0.
