Rep. Don Bacon, an Air Force veteran, told Newsmax that the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan was an avoidable "failure."
Appearing Monday on "American Agenda," the Nebraska Republican decried the Biden administration's withdrawal from the region, stating, "This was a colossal failure; it was avoidable."
On Sunday, after establishing control of the entire country within a week, the Taliban entered Kabul, seizing control of the country's presidential palace in Kabul, the capital, in a matter of hours, signifying the end of the 20-year U.S. campaign. As the hours passed, thousands of civilians filled the tarmac of Hamid Karzai International Airport, striving for a chance to board the last departures of the already crowded planes, as video from Saad Mohseni shows.
Mohseni tweeted: "Another Saigon moment: chaotic scenes at Kabul International Airport. No security. None."
Bacon continued: "Frankly, the Biden administration did not have a plan. They announced the withdrawal without having a plan, and they don't have a plan for the interpreters, the 18,000 Iraqis, that were there to help us. This was a colossal failure; it was avoidable."
Bacon described the current state of Afghanistan as a "humpty-dumpty" scenario, "and it's going to be very hard to put this back together."
"We don't have any territory now in Afghanistan to operate from," the congressman added. "I think the grave damage has been done. It's going to be hard to restore where we're at."
Bacon doubts that there would be enough willpower left to reestablish control.
"The fact is, the damage has been done — grave damage. And it would take a huge operation to bring us back into Afghanistan and restore things. And I don't think the willpower is there; a colossal mistake by this administration."
The congressman concluded that the events put a "stain on our credibility" in the region, and will affect U.S. credibility with its allies in the Middle East.
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