Pentagon officials say the physical withdrawal is proceeding on schedule with little difficulty, but the broader picture is troubling.
Lawmakers of both parties say the administration has yet to answer consequential questions about how it will protect civilian contractors and diplomatic personnel left behind, along with Afghans who worked with the U.S. military as interpreters and in other roles but now are virtually guaranteed to become top targets of the Taliban Islamist insurgency. They also argue that White House optimism about the Afghan military’s ability to fight the Taliban on its own is baseless.
“This has some eerie resemblances” to Vietnam, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Virginia Democrat, said at the hearing. He recalled the rapid fall of Saigon in 1975 as the U.S. frantically evacuated the last of its personnel from its embassy.
Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) The White House on Tuesday continued to insist private, diplomatic conversations were the best way the United States could help broker an end to fighting between Israel and Hamas, and despite saying the day before President Joe Biden supported a cease-fire, it provided no details on what or when the president wanted that to happen and he has yet to say so publicly.
On Monday, in a carefully worded statement, the White House said Biden “expressed his support for a ceasefire” during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
At the same time, the president has repeatedly issued strong and public messages of support for Israel since the current spate of violence dramatically escalated eight days ago.
Top Democrat reverses plan to send letter on Israel arms sale at urging of Biden administration
SYNDICATED 2 days ago Rep. Gregory Meeks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is no longer expected to send a letter to the Biden administration calling for the $735 million arms deal between the US and Israel to be delayed despite plans to do so as of last night, three sources familiar with the situation told CNN Tuesday.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Gregory W. Meeks listens in a chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on March 10, 2021. Photo: KEN CEDENO / POOL / AFP
i24 News – US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Tuesday that US House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Gregory Meeks would not be sending a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to delay $735 million in precision-guided missiles to Israel amid the conflict with Gaza-based terrorist organizations who have fired thousands of rockets aimed at Israeli civilians.
“Chairman Meeks has indicated that he’s going to [instead] pursue discussions with the administration on this,” Hoyer said.
Democrats back off demand that Biden delay U.S. arms sale to Israel Christopher Wilson
Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee backed away on Tuesday from requesting a delay in a planned U.S. arms sale to Israel, but signaled they would continue to pressure the White House on its policy toward the region.
According to multiple reports, Chairman Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., had been expected to request a delay in the sale of $735 million in precision-guided missiles amid ongoing clashes between the Israeli military and Hamas militants that have left hundreds dead.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters Tuesday morning that the committee would not be sending a letter requesting the delay, saying, “Chairman Meeks has indicated that he’s going to pursue discussions with the administration on this.”