IOWA SENATOR JONI ERNST SAYS PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS DOUBLED DOWN ON FINGER POINTING — BLAMING PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OTHERS FOR THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN.
BOTCH1 OC….ANGRY ABOUT IT :09
IN A SPEECH FROM THE WHITE HOUSE MONDAY, BIDEN SUGGESTED THE SWIFT COLLAPSE OF AFGHANISTAN’S GOVERNMENT AND THE SURRENDER OF ITS MILITARY PROVED FURTHER U-S INVOLVEMENT WAS FRUITLESS IF AFGHANS THEMSELVES WEREN’T WILLING TO FIGHT.
ERNST SAYS AT SOME POINT, THE U-S NEEDED TO WITHDRAW, BUT AFTER BRUTAL AFGHANISTAN WINTERS, THIS IS THE PEAK OF THE SO-CALLED TALIBAN FIGHTING SEASON AND SHE SAYS THE 25-HUNDRED U-S SOLDIERS THERE HAD BEEN A STABILIZING FORCE FOR THE AFGHAN MILITARY.
BOTCH2 OC….ON THEIR OWN :08
ERNST ALSO FAULTS BIDEN FOR FAILING TO GIVE ANY SPECIFICS ON HOW THE U.S. INTENDS TO EVACUATE AFGHANS WHO WERE OUR ALLIES OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES.
BOTCH3 OC….THAT PODIUM :18
ERNST WORKED WITH OTHER VETERANS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE ON LEGISLATION TO SPEED UP THE STATE DEPARTMENT’S PROCESSING OF SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICATIONS FROM AFGHANS. AND ERNST SAYS IT’S CLEAR IT WOULD BE A DEATH SENTENCE IF U-S IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS DEPORT ZALMAY NIAZY — THE AFGHAN INTERPRETER FOR U-S TROOPS WHO’S LIVED IN IOWA FALLS SINCE 2015.
NIAZY HAS BEEN SEEKING POLITICAL ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES.
STAFF FOR GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SAY 94 OTHER AFGHANS AND IRAQIS WITH SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS HAVE BEEN RESETTLED IN IOWA SINCE MID-2016.
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