Sen. Cruz: President Biden Broke His Promise to Evacuate All Americans From Afghanistan

HOUSTON, Texas - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after President Biden spoke to the nation about his withdrawal from Afghanistan:

"President Biden promised the American people he would pursue an orderly and secure withdrawal from Afghanistan. He promised to get all Americans out, to keep United States military equipment and weapons out of Taliban hands, and to end one of our nation's longest military entanglements from a position of strength and with national honor. Many Americans, including me, had for many years advocated for such an approach, and were prepared to support a realistic plan to achieve it.

"But the Biden-Harris administration had no such plan. Instead, President Biden prioritized political considerations over American lives and national security. He imposed an artificial deadline untethered from conditions on the ground, and refused to adjust or adapt even as the Taliban swept across Afghanistan and catastrophes mounted. He met his artificial deadline but broke all the promises he made to the American people. He left hundreds of Americans trapped behind Taliban lines. He allowed the Taliban to seize billions of dollars of sophisticated American military equipment, including Black Hawk helicopters, C-130 cargo planes, Super Tucano attack planes, and over half a million weapons. And he dragged our nation into a crippling, humiliating defeat that has shaken our allies and emboldened our enemies.

"It will take Congress years to investigate the breadth and depth of these failures. It will take America years to recover and rebuild from them. Both tasks must begin immediately.

"I join all Americans in gratitude for our troops, who have shown unparalleled courage and self-sacrifice across the decades that America has fought in Afghanistan. The world has seen over the last several months-day by day and often hour by hour-how they sought to rescue their fellow citizens and our Afghan allies from the brutality of Taliban rule. America will forever be in the debt of our brave service members."

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