UPDATE: President Joe Biden, under extreme pressure from GOP legislators, former military and many others, addressed the nation this evening about the deadliest day for U.S. troops in Afghanistan in over a decade.
At least 12 U.S. service members were killed and at least 15 injured earlier today in Afghanistan at the airport during ongoing evacuation efforts.
Following the President’s remarks, Biden’s Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki was asked about calls for the President’s resignation. She responded, “This is a day 12 service members were killed by terrorists. This is not a day for politics and we would expect any American, whether elected or not, to stand with us in our commitment to going after and fighting and killing those terrorists … and honoring the memory of service members.”
During his half-hour press conference, Biden said, “We will not be deterred by terrorists, not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuation,” because it was “time to end a 20-year war.”
To the terrorists who launched today’s coordinated attack at the Afghanistan airport, Biden said, “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay. I’ll defend our interests and our people with every measure at my command.”
Following his remarks, the President was challenged by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy.
“There had not been a US service member killed in combat in Afghanistan since February of 2020. You set a deadline, you pulled troops out. You sent troops back in and now, twelve Marines are dead. You said the buck stops with you. Do you bear any responsibility for the way that things have unfolded in the last two weeks?” Doocy asked.
Biden responded, “I bear responsibility for fundamentally all that happened.”
He then said he was following the recommendations of his military leaders to fulfill an inherited agreement between former President Trump and the Taliban.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A U.S. Congresswoman from Florida is calling for an emergency session of Congress and for the U.S. President to resign immediately in the aftermath of the deadliest day for U.S. troops in over a decade.
Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) said in a statement, “There are no words to describe what we’re watching unfold before us. We need accountability now. The sheer lack of leadership, utter incompetence, and silence from the Biden administration today shows us just how grossly inept this failure of an administration has become. The deaths of our servicemembers were preventable with a leader who cared about this situation, instead of shifting blame, pointing fingers, and absolving himself of any and all responsibility. Simply put, saying ‘the buck stops with me’ isn’t enough. If President Biden really believes what he says, he’ll resign immediately. Anything less is unacceptable.
“It’s unconscionable to leave American lives up to the mercy of terrorists. We have to ensure their safety and we have to do it now. We must make it clear that these attacks will not be tolerated and will only be met with swift and decisive acts that guarantee this does not happen again.
“I join my colleagues in calling for an emergency session of Congress. No member of Congress or this administration should be on vacation while Americans’ lives are at risk.
“May God continue to bless our troops in Afghanistan and around the world. We will continue doing everything we can to ensure our citizens make it home, regardless of an arbitrary deadline. We will hold this administration fully accountable.”
At least 12 U.S. service members were killed and at least 15 injured earlier today in Afghanistan.