Sen. Lindsey Graham harshly criticized President Joe Biden’s intention to fully withdraw all troops from Afghanistan, saying the move “cancelld an insurance policy against another 9/11.”
The South Carolina Republican issued a statement soon after officials confirmed a report in The Washington Post that Biden is expected to announce that all troops be withdrawn from Afghanistan on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that led to the war, which pushes back the previous deadline of May 1.
“A full withdrawal from Afghanistan is dumber than dirt and devilishly dangerous,” Graham said. “President Biden will have, in essence, canceled an insurance policy against another 9/11,” adding that “wars end when the threat is eliminated.”
The senator emphasized that “a residual counterterrorism force would be an insurance policy against the rise of radical Islam in Afghanistan that could pave the way for another attack against our homeland or our allies.”
Both experts and congressmen have warned that departing from Afghanistan without a peace agreement between the central government and the Taliban could lead the Asian nation into a civil war, according to The Hill.
The Taliban is supposed to adhere to commitments before the U.S. withdraws, but the military has repeatedly said it has not done so.
There are still approximately 2,500 American troops remaining in Afghanistan from when former President Donald Trump started withdrawing them.
Graham said that he finds “it ironic that, given the sacrifices we've made to move Afghanistan forward, prevent another 9/11, and ensure the enduring defeat of Al Qaida and ISIS, that on the 20th anniversary of the attack we're paving the way for another attack.”
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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