US Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has expressed strong criticism of President Biden’s approach to the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
In a statement on Friday, Senator Risch described the withdrawal as “poorly planned and tragically executed,” asserting that it has resulted in the erosion of the rights of women and minorities in Afghanistan.
“President Biden continues to deflect blame for his hazardous and disastrously unplanned Afghanistan withdrawal. The reality is that President Biden’s botched withdrawal created one of the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophes,” the statement reads.
The Senator emphasized that Afghanistan has once again become a perilous haven for terrorism, with the leadership of al Qaeda now situated in Kabul. Moreover, he highlighted the plight of individuals who assisted the United States during its operations in Afghanistan, now left to confront the Taliban without any support.
Senator Risch further stressed that the withdrawal has significantly tarnished America’s standing on the global stage and had adverse effects on US interests in global strategic competition.
“One of the hallmarks of leadership is to learn from mistakes and take accountability. President Biden has done neither. We owe it to our troops, diplomats, and security partners to do better,” he added.
In May 2023, Senator Jim Risch introduced the Taliban Sanctions Act, which aims to impose sanctions on the Taliban for their acts of terrorism, human rights abuses, drug trafficking, and other violations.
