Waltz Urges President Biden to Immediately Provide Air Support in Afghanistan and Recall Special Representative Khalizad

WASHINGTON, D.C. โ€“ On Friday, U.S. Congressman Mike Waltz (FL-6) sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging the Administration to take immediate steps to provide assistance to the Afghan people in their fight against the Taliban and make significant changes to their regional strategy.

In the letter, Congressman Waltz requested President Biden provide military resources to assist the Afghan National Security Forces including air support to blunt the Taliban offensive, immediately cut off aid to Pakistan and consider sanctions, and ask for Special Representative Zalmay Khalizadโ€™s resignation due to his catastrophic diplomatic strategy.

You can read letter below or here:

Dear Mr. President,

As you are undoubtedly aware, our ally, the Government of Afghanistan, is in a desperate fight to defend its country from the clutches of the Taliban and preventing the country from once again becoming a safe-haven for terrorism. Since your withdrawal decision and the subsequent pullout of American military, intelligence, and contractor resources, the situation in Afghanistan has rapidly deteriorated with the Taliban on the move, positioning themselves militarily to seize control. Just this week, the Taliban has launched offensives to capture Afghanistanโ€™s second and third largest cities, Herat and Kandahar, in a clear effort to isolate and seize Kabul.

Mr. President, the Afghan Government and its people desperately need our help and I urge you to reverse course and provide military resources to assist the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). There is still time to prevent complete catastrophe. The United States must respond to the Talibanโ€™s offensive with military force. Continuing to plead with the Taliban to negotiate diplomatically not only is an ill-fated pursuit it bolsters their standing in Jihadi circles and strengthens their narrative of eventual victory. The Taliban only understand strength and leverage.

First, I ask you to commit U.S. air support to blunt the Taliban offensive. Taliban forces are exposed on the ground much as they were in 2001. Air support will give the Government of Afghanistan and ANSF time to regroup and turn the tide of battle. They are doing the fighting and dying on the ground, but American air support will bolster their resolve and change the battlefield psychology.

Second, the United States should leverage our resources to influence Pakistanโ€™s involvement in Afghanistan. Pakistanโ€™s military strategy is dictating the Taliban. At the least, Pakistan is complicit with Taliban advance and is choosing not to coordinate with the ANSF. At worst, the Pakistani military and intelligence services may be directly aiding the Taliban offensive. Accordingly, the United States must immediately cut off all aid to Pakistan. Additionally, I ask that your Administration also consider sanctioning Pakistan unless they change course and make greater efforts to prevent the Taliban from using their border region to regroup between firefights.

Finally, I am baffled by recent statements by the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalizad, that seem detached from reality and sanity. He has claimed the Taliban have made โ€œsubstantial progressโ€ on their counterterrorism commitments, despite being behind bombings targeting innocent civilians in Kabul, the ruthless mass executions of surrendering ANSF, and the brutal reprisals against our Afghans allies, and their families, who supported American forces. Further, the Taliban are taking their abuses against women to new grotesque levels with multiple reports of forced marriages and sex slavery. Ambassador Khalizad has provided you with poor counsel and his diplomatic strategy has failed spectacularly. Ambassador Khalizad has convinced multiple administrations that the Taliban is interested in governing and peace. It is clear that the Taliban is only interested in brutality and power. In light of this catastrophe, Ambassador Khalizad should resign immediately or be relieved from his position.

Mr. President, you have stated that it is the responsibility of the Afghan people to fightthis war. However, the War on Terrorism is a global war with a shared responsibility among the United States and like-minded Western democracies to fight the extremism that threatens our safety and values. Your intelligence officials have repeatedly briefed Congress that Al-Qaeda fully intends to regroup in the wake of Taliban advances and again strike the West. It will be far more costly in blood and treasure to allow Al-Qaeda to establish the same type of caliphate ISIS created in Iraq & Syria, threaten the homeland, and then once again try to defeat terrorism absent local bases and allies.

Mr. President, it is not too late to reverse course to prevent complete Taliban control, Al-Qaeda resurgence, and an unraveling of all our investments from the last twenty years. If you do not course correct now, Afghanistan could implode by the twentieth anniversary of September 11th. That will be a tragedy that will not only devastate the families and those who have sacrificed so much, but the collective conscience of our country. Americaโ€™s national security and credibility are at stake. The world is watching.

###

Read Original Press Release

Congressman Waltz letter requesting President Biden provide military resources to assist the Afghan National Security Forces PDF

2021-8-13_waltz_to_potus-afghanistan_final

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Columns

Viewers like you

There is no constitutional authority for any spending on public broadcasting โ€“ period. Any questions: See Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Trans-wormal

No worm ever said "I am anthropomorphizing, I am a butterfly" to a toad or flock of geese and expected acknowledgement and support.

In Greenlandโ€™s Icy Capital, Past Troubles Haunt Hopes for the Future

As geopolitical realities and ongoing economic growth raise the stakes, U.S. interest in Greenland and the dream of independence may change things in a big way.

How a Chinese Government Statistician Was Forced to Report Fake Data

Chinese local govt employee produced a non-authorized report on bees and was visited by police and threatened with being sent to a mental hospital.

โ€˜This One Time, at Groomer Campโ€™

All Camp Brave Trails programs focus on helping LGBTQ+ youth find what they need most to thrive: their people, their place, and their passion.

News

White House Adviser Gives Update on DOGEโ€™s Future Amid Muskโ€“Trump Spat

A top White House adviser said DOGEโ€™s work will likely continue amid a spat between its former chief, Elon Musk, and President Donald Trump.

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow Dismantling of Education Department

Trump admin asked Supreme Court to allow it to resume dismantling U.S. Dept of Education, following a lower courtโ€™s previous order halting process.

FTC Warns of Rising Student Loan Scams, Says Fraudsters Took Millions From Borrowers

FTC is warning borrowers to steer clear of student loan debt-relief scams, after shutting down group of companies that allegedly charged millions in illegal fees and left customers worse off.

Walmartโ€™s Drone Delivery Coming to 5 More US Cities

Walmart is set to launch its drone delivery service in five more U.S. cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa, the company.

Court Orders Trump Administration to Restore AmeriCorps Funding to States

Federal court ordered Trump admin to restore AmeriCorps funding to states. The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit filed by 24 states and DC.

Tax Deductions You Can Take Without Itemizing

Itโ€™s not always beneficial to itemize. With IRSโ€™s current standard deduction for 2025 most Americans who canโ€™t itemize go with standard deduction.

US Economy Adds 139,000 New Jobs in May, Topping Market Forecasts

U.S. economy added 139,000 new jobs last month, surpassing economistsโ€™ expectations and indicating U.S. labor market remains in a robust position.

Guatemalan Deportee Arrives in US After Judge Orders Trump Admin to Facilitate Return

โ€œAmericaโ€™s asylum system was never intended to be used as a de facto amnesty program or a catch-all, get-out-of-deportation-free card,โ€ McLaughlin said.
spot_img

Related Articles