Blinken depends his government decision says two choices on table to continues war or ending it
ISLAMABAD, September 14, (AsiaFreePress): US lawmakers slammed President Biden administration for humiliation in Afghanistan as Taliban swiftly captured capital Kabul.
According to the Washington Post report, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken clashed with Republican lawmakers on Monday over the Biden administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in his first hearing before Congress since the Taliban’s takeover of the country.
“I never thought in my lifetime that I would see an unconditional surrender to the Taliban,” Washington Post quoted the Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee as saying.
“The American people don’t like to lose, especially to the terrorists.”
“The majority of Americans wanted to leave Afghanistan, but not like this,” added Rep. Steve Chabot remarked.
However, Blinken depended Biden administration decision to withdraw its forces before the deadline of August 31, and said there were two choices to continue war or ending it.
“President Biden immediately faced the choice between ending the war or escalating it,” said Blinken, noting President Donald Trump’s 2020 agreement with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. forces.
Republicans are criticising Biden for hasty withdrawal despite the agreement was signed by President Donald Trump in February 2020 in Doha, capital of Qatar.
Blinken also informed the committee that Washington has pledge of $64 million as assistance for Afghanistan but the aid will directly go to the NGOs and UN aid agencies.
On Monday, the U.N. donors pledge more than $1 billion for Afghanistan during a conference in Geneva.
According to Brown University latest report, US spent $290 million every day during its history longest 20 year war in Afghanistan.
