Lawmakers react to Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Over the weekend, Afghanistan’s government collapsed to the Taliban, just days after the Biden administration oversaw the U.S. troop draw-down after nearly 20 years of war.

The Associated Press reports that at least seven have died as a result of the chaos at the Kabul airport. Now thousands of U.S. troops have been called back for duty in the embattled country, to help remaining U.S. civilians, diplomats and interpreters who assisted American forces flee Afghanistan.

The interpreters and their families now face grave danger, with threats of torture and murder, at the hands of the mujahideen.

President Joe Biden spent a long weekend at Camp David, receiving briefings and video conference calls with military and intelligence officials. He has vowed to keep American interests focused on the homeland, and not to hand down another foreign war to the next commander-in-chief.

President Biden returned to the White House to make remarks Monday afternoon, saying he stands ‘squarely behind’ his decision. However, the commander-in-chief conceded that the Afghanistan government’s collapse was quicker than expected.

The U.S. left Bagram Air Base last month and now prisoners have been released from the sprawling military installation.

Lawmakers weigh in on the next steps in the Middle East and the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan in the clips below:

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