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Rep. Elise Stefanik, Chairwoman
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Press Releases

Biden Broke His Promise to Evacuate All Americans From Afghanistan Before the Final Withdrawal of Forces

Washington, DC, August 18, 2022
One year ago today, Joe Biden promised to evacuate every single American in Afghanistan before the final withdrawal of forces. In reality, he left over a thousand American citizens along with BILLIONS of dollars’ worth of American military equipment behind enemy lines for the Taliban. MAKE NO MISTAKE: President Biden’s catastrophic failure in leadership is to blame for the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. In a new Republican House majority, we will leave no stone unturned in our effort to provide oversight on this deadly withdrawal and honor the 13 brave service members who lost their lives serving our country. THE FACTS ABOUT BIDEN’S FAILED WITHDRAWAL: 
  • President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has led to:
    • On July 8th, 2021, Joe Biden said: “There’s going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy of the United States from Afghanistan.” 
    • Over 1,000 Americans were abandoned behind enemy lines in Afghanistan for months at the mercy of the Taliban – roughly 800 were evacuated following the withdrawal, leaving many still in danger.
      • The administration admitted initially that they did not know how many Americans remained in Afghanistan.
      • The Biden administration then estimated there were only a hundred Americans left following the withdrawal – they were WRONG.
      • The truth is, Biden promised to get every single American out on August 18, 2021 – and he broke that promise.
    • The deadliest attack on Americans in Afghanistan since August 2011 occurred because of Biden’s failed leadership.
    • OVER $7 BILLION in U.S. military equipment is now in the hands of the Taliban.
  • Terrorists are now emboldened to attack Americans.
  • The botched withdrawal rightfully proved to be a flashpoint for President Biden’s approval among the American people as it sank to a new record low. 
TIMELINE FLASHBACK:
  • Biden is the one who decided to pull out U.S. forces by the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
  • Joe Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan was NOT conditions-based.
    • The conditions of President Trump’s agreement were continuously violated by the Taliban and the Biden administration did not hold them accountable.
    • The Biden administration had been warned that the Taliban would stop at nothing until they retook the country. Now, the Taliban is back and the United States is less safe.
  • The decision by the Biden Administration to abandon Bagram Air Base early and leave only a few hundred troops at Hamid Karzai International Airport opened the door to the Taliban’s rapid takeover.
    • Former Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, John Kirby, joined CNN where he ADMITTED the Administration had NO PLANS to help Americans get out of Afghanistan.
    • Former White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, refused to admit that Americans are stranded in Afghanistan, despite an abundance of evidence to the contrary.
  • Earlier this year, leaked documents from the Biden White House confirmed that those outside of the administration felt Biden “lacked urgency” as the administration was still scrambling to prepare an evacuation and relocation plan for civilians and Afghan embassy staff the afternoon before Taliban forces took over the capital city of Kabul.