Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, joined her colleagues in writing a letter to President Joe Biden requesting his plan to conduct counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan. In the letter, the members of House Armed Services Committee point out that the crisis unfolding in Afghanistan could have been avoided if Biden had done any planning.
“The crisis in Afghanistan has put President Biden’s weakness and failed leadership on full display for the world,” Stefanik said. “By failing to put a plan in place, he created the largest humanitarian and security failure in a generation. Now, I am demanding the President stop passing the buck, take responsibility for his actions, and send Congress a plan to ensure we can combat terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan. The world is watching.”
View full text of the letter here or below:
Dear President Biden,
For months, we have been asking you for a plan on your withdrawal from Afghanistan. You failed to provide us with one and based on the horrific events currently unfolding in Afghanistan, we are confident that we never received your plan because you never had one. The security and humanitarian crisis now unfolding in Afghanistan could have been avoided if you had done any planning. Pretending this isn’t your problem will only make things worse.
We remain gravely concerned the void left in Afghanistan will be rapidly filled by terror groups. The Taliban now control the country. Al Qaeda used Afghanistan to plot and execute the 9/11 attacks and other acts of terrorism. You cannot let this happen again. As such, we request that you immediately provide Congress with your plan to prevent terror groups from using Afghanistan as a safe haven to recruit and train the next generation of terrorists. We demand to know how and from where will our ISR, counterterrorism, and conventional forces will be used to disrupt the formation for terrorist operations?
Mr. President, this crisis is happening on your watch. We are simply asking: what is your plan for Afghanistan?
