Vets in Congress Decry President Biden's Capitulation to Taliban

WASHINGTON, DC — President Joe Biden announced he will abide by the Taliban's August 31 deadline to remove all U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Doing to means the airlift of U.S. citizens and Afghan SIVs will end that day.

"President Biden’s decision to commit to the Taliban’s dictated August 31st Afghanistan withdrawal deadline means he is signing the death warrants of countless Americans and allies who will be left behind," Congressman August Pfluger said.

"Today, President Biden decided to cave to the Taliban’s deadline to withdraw all American troops out of Afghanistan by August 31st. This is a death warrant to the countless Americans and allies who will be left behind. It is utterly unacceptable that the commander and chief of the greatest military force in the world is allowing the Taliban, a group of terrorist thugs, to order the evacuation of our own citizens," stated Pfluger.

"President Biden has broken two of the most important military codes: the United States does not negotiate with terrorists, and no man left behind," he continued."

"This is the opposite of American strength. This is a forever stain on our country's global reputation. By legitimatizing a brutal regime, he has left the lives of American citizens in the hands of executioners," the Congressional District 11 representative concluded.

This afternoon, Pfluger joined House Republican Whip Steve Scalise and his fellow House Republican military veterans for a press conference highlighting the failed withdrawal from Afghanistan. Many of those representatives served in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Pfluger flew combat sorties over Syria. CD-23 Congressman Tony Gonzales served in the Navy and was on the ground in Afghanistan for five years.

“This is what we should be focusing on: Americans need to come together. We should not be focusing on an arbitrary deadline. The deadline needs to be that the United States doesn't leave Afghanistan until all Americans come home," said Gonzales.

"Afghanistan is roughly the size of Texas and there is only one exit point right now in Kabul. That’s unacceptable in any form or fashion.

"I served 20 years in the military, 20 years in the intelligence community. I served five years in Afghanistan. I flew intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. We, as an intelligence community, have given up our ability to collect intel at the most dangerous point in Afghanistan's history. I would argue right now is more dangerous to Americans than the first day we went in 2001. Why? Because we have no intelligence.

"This administration has given up the high ground on intelligence when we are trying to extract Americans. It is absolutely unacceptable.

"We need to focus on one thing - getting our Americans and Afghan partners home, in any form or fashion. Go to any part of Afghanistan. Do not focus on some arbitrary deadline or one single outlet. Kabul is not going to be enough. We are going to have to go other places.

"This Administration has to be willing to go to wherever Americans are, whether it be in the most rural areas or in the most urban areas. Everything is at stake. During a time of crisis is an opportunity for America to come together, not to divide. And now it's a time of crisis. Now we need to save Americans in Afghanistan,” said Gonzales.

Congressman August Pfluger will join us live in the San Angelo LIVE! studios to talk about Afghanistan on Wednesday, August 25 at 10 a.m.

Watch Gonzales deliver his remarks: