Host but did they treat you with respect . One of them complained the did not respect them but a lot did not complain about that. Host what do you think needs to happen at this point . These women are obviously the 40 women we are talking about it is such an obvious case. But there are many others who dont fall neatly into a category, what are you hearing from the community from the afghan families, and how are they getting by right now . I think a lot of frustration and disappointment. Because keep in mind i think post 9 11, the u. S. Arrival in afghanistan was extremely welcomed. We still call on the u. S. As our allies and i do say i am not the ambassador, as part of my job but i still care regardless to keep the ties between the two nations of peoples. Because i know how warm everything had been in terms of when individuals like you all reached out and try to make sure to bring those who were in danger to the u. S. Now we are stuck in this chaos of paperwork and processes. And processes are usually made to create safe and easier facilities not to make things more challenging and difficult. It is a unique situation, it is a difficult situation and a different situation. For most of the afghans who have arrived, i think there was an article that came out not even 10 made it to their final cases. It is painful. And keep in mind this is the generation that came to the u. S. Out of choice and really the bread and butter of society. It was the best in our country, these were the younger educated ones the Civil Society activists. Teachers. The judges. And you mentioned a comparison of how the u. S. Is treating its allies, but also a comparison of how other countries treated the afghan refugees who had recently left the country post august 15. In germany, the u. K. And canada and any other country. I think except the u. S. They were really struggling. Host could you explain that a little more why are you struggling in the u. S. What is the comparison from the community . No other country put them on permanent parole situation. Those were welcomed as an immigrant to their countries, and i am not talking about the third countries which is usually pakistan, india or iran or the uae. Or turkey. I am really talking the west. In europe. And here i think it is the pathway to permanent status in a country. Because once you have a pathway to permanent status than that is where hope is greater. Correct . That is where you are easily integrated into society and you have a future for your children as well. There is no clarity how long this extension of two years or another two years. Then there is one more risk to this. I dont know if anybody has noticed but a new narrative is coming in the media and outside as well, in regards to how good taliban are as our partners and the second narrative is coming which is the taliban is telling us. And we are listening to it which is the taliban is more safe. It really creates a complicated question in immigration status because as soon as your country is termed safe your status could be expired and you could be deported. None of them can go back, it is not only them it is their families and it is the most risky job any of them have. I feel like the afghan adjustment act is caught into the domestic politics of two parties and i speak as nobody in between. Both parties have good intentions, and i think sometimes i have heard who did what. But here we are. Where we really have to make a decision about the lives of more than 60,000 afghans who live in the u. S. And they want to have a Brighter Future and be like everyone else. I promise you, they will prosper, and then they will grow. Host how would you describe the Mental Health issues facing this community right now . I think we have talked about that in general, it does not mean ftps or separate from other people. Most of the afghans that are here maybe a small percentage of them they want to be american and they are for human rights and womens rights. They suffered from the u. S. Mission in afghanistan for 20 years. And then they came here and they have hope of maybe getting permanent status here. They could have a Bright Future here and most of us have left family and afghanistan or colleagues and it is really hard. That you work for the u. S. For more than 10 or 20 years but you dont have any permanent status here. Because of these problems, we cannot focus on anything because we dont have permanent status. Or they want to join the military but they cant. Or we cannot get a job because we dont have permanent status. Or we cant bring our family here because we dont have permanent status. Afghans that are here including citizens, it is really hard for us. At some point with the afghan adjustment act, something that is important for me regarding the afghan adjustment act is because it expands the eligibility. My colleague, my female colleague in my male colleague, they are back in afghanistan and they cant come here. One of them, they are hiding from the taliban, they dont have jobs or food. They will receive messages from their colleagues that what happened, does the u. S. Government have a path for us . We worked for more than 10 years or 12 years, what happened . And there is a bill called the afghan adjustment act, it just got past and you will become legitimate. And then you can have a path. That is really important to remember, while we are talking about the 70,000 or 40 or here, there are many who served u. S. Government who were commanders, highly trained who are left in afghanistan and they are in hiding and they are fighting for their lives. This afghan adjustment act would create a pathway for them to apply legally through that program. I want to give everyone a chance to come and speak with our incredible guests who are here. The ftps and before we finish our panel i would like to give tom and mary a chance, a call to action of what you would like to see come up from this evening. I think we need people to let the members of Congress Know this is important. Members of Congress Respond when their voters start telling them what is important to them. For too long you had 20 years were america or the Parliament Defense was at war. For too long americans have not paid attention, americans have neglected this. It is well past time that more american citizens became engaged and more american citizens started engaging in the political process and letting the representatives know that this is an important issue and that they are paying attention and this is a priority for them. Host for me i encourage you tonight, we have five members of the female tactical platoon here. Talk to them, hear about their stories, it is empowering for them to tell their stories and believe me you will never hear more interesting stories in your life. We could use help in so many different ways, advocacy, helping us find a voice in spreading the message of how incredible these women are and what kind of help they need. Funding the foundation has been incredible in helping us out and helping us provide rental assistance. Helping us provide education opportunities, and just giving us an opportunity to fund raise and to help these women. Finding organizations like them and we also recognize like you heard tonight, amanda said it wonderfully. These ladies, we have been able to stand beside them and there are a lot of afghan refugees. I know people have flown in from all over. Find refugees in your communities and hear their stories and stand by them. That is one of the biggest things we can ask for tonight. There is a website called sisters yes we can definitely provide that come talk to me afterward. There is also sisters of Service Website which will or at of service. Org sisters of service. Org. If you reach out we will be more than happy to help provide addresses where they are in different ways to help. Show for amanda, i would like to ask about the challenges that ftps were facing in afghanistan. One thing that really bothered me during these 10 years, females in afghanistan, they had a lot of opportunities and a lot of scholarship. They could go and get educated, they cannot go to school or college for free and asking for english courses or classes for females in the military. But these things that are bothering me, when they joined the ftp unit, they sacrificed their lives. They sacrifice their time. And they did not have time to go to school, they were so young when they joined. And they came to the ftp but they did not have time to go to school, they did not have time to go to college or study english or take classes or whatever. And i think now is the time for them. Show less to educate these women . Yes. [applause] i want to thank everyone for being here tonight, and want to shadow a friend of ours who cannot be here tonight but has been a key mover behind all of this mary boyd. [applause] she has worked closely with us to make sure that these women not only got to america but are being financially supported. I think we have a reception, and i know all of the women would love to answer your questions in person. And also andrea is going to come up. Oh excuse me. Andrea. [applause] i am so proud of you. I am andrea the new president of this foundation. [applause] and a recovering journalist. So i so appreciate the high caliber of journalism, you jennifer and amanda are what makes journalism great. So thank you. [applause] ok i will be brief. Lets please all be inspired by what we heard tonight and act. We need to act. I need every single one of you to help educate the public. Contact your member of congress to echo what tom and mary said. But we need to educate the public about this injustice. We need every single one of you to advocate for the female tactical platoon, i am proud that the chairman of our board is here tonight. Ed cody. He just said that having a conversation with me is like hanging onto a rocketship. [laughter] i am hoping that was a compliment ed. I promise you, our guests and 40 other female tactical platoon members across the country, i will use every ounce of my energy to fight for you as you fought for this country and my family. Thank you. [applause] and one last thing, can i count on you for your advocacy, for your outreach, please stand up. [applause] with that thank you and good night. [applause] [indiscernible] thursday a look at the middle east and this years afghan cap security forum. Topics include Reform Institute in saudi arabia, how irans Younger Generation is challenging its government in the arrests palestinian conflict. Watch on cspan, cspan now or online at cspan. Org. American history tv, exploring the people and events that tell the american story. Watch the second part of a Calvin Coolidge centennial Conference Marking the centennial of the 30th president s to the white house. Follow the presidency, pete souza former white house photographer for reagan and obama talk about the daytoday workings of the presidency, including the history making moments he witnessed. Explore the american story, watch American History tv every weekend and find a fullule of your Program Guide or watch online anytime at cspan. Org. This yearbook tv celebrates 25 years presenting nonfiction books and authors. 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Cox support cspans a Public Service along with these other television providers. Giving you a front row seat to democracy. Current and retired military officials gave lawmakers their assessment of what went wrong during the u. S. Withdrawal from afghanistan in august of 2021. During the operation 13 u. S. Service members were killed by a suicide bomber at kabul airport from a Foreign Affairs subcommittee this is about three hours 15 minutes. Subcommittee on oversight and accountability will come to order. The purpose of this hearing is to examine the bided administrations preparation for the afghanistan withdrawal, before we begin i want to recognize some that are with usa subcommittee. By i want to begin by recognizing christy champlain. If you would mind standing would love for everyone to see. Alicia lopez. The mother of hunter low pass. Killed in action at the abbey gate. Coral were seeing now. And allen do a little. Parents of Corporal Humberto sanchez, also killed in action. Thank you for joining us and raising patriots, im sorry for your loss. I am never going to recognize for an opening statement. Im not going to begin by belabouring this point. They president s withdraw was a complete and other catastrophe. The images of people hanging off of planes and handing their babies over two airport malls are seared into our country. Collective conscience. Yesterday, every member of this committee and this a reported to require the state departments come up with a plan for reimbursing the numerous outside groups getting involved to rescue americans. From afghanistan. I can guarantee that private citizens by some of those miles across the world to rescue americans that worked alongside america for 20 years was not a product of the state department. Good planning and order. It was the product of chaos and a failure to plan. Witnesses here today that will give specific pictures of what was happening on the ground. That will be a clearer and more accurate than a news report that i have seen. Frankly i believe that is because the white house and his mouthpieces were lying to the American People. As they were narrating what was taking place for the withdrawal of afghanistan. Ive no doubt there i witness testimonies will gentleman straight a clear failure to predict or plan for the worstcase scenario. And we do, when we planned military operations, im grateful to each of you for appearing here today. Mans major jake smith specifically is here in his personal capacity. He is an active Duty Service Members i would ask members of the committee to refrain from engaging in political questions. The purpose of todays hearing is to examine the failure to plan and the major repercussions that it had on diplomatic efforts and National Security. This administration said time and time again that afghanistan was not a war that could be won militarily. That is the administrations words. We only do one diplomatically. If this could only be one diplomatically, there was no other conclusion, then they withdraw was a complete and total loss because that is what we lost all diplomatic options. The literal failure to plan was completely erased the potential for on the ground diplomacy and created a black eye for the United States standing abroad in nashville security. I wrote black eye and my comment when i wrote this. This is not a black guy. Black eyed does not come close to constituting what took place and what it is for america to withdraw from afghanistan. I dont know the appropriate word to say what exactly that is. Black eye is not the right one. In the words of the Administration Spokesperson jennifer psaki, the mouthpiece, the president asked for a review from his National Security team. He asked them not to sugarcoat it. He was provided with a clear assessment about the best pass for. These are the words of jennifer psaki. She said the president was the ultimate decisionmaker. He was the decisionmaker who chose september 11th as the initial drawdown date. He was the decisionmaker which pulls the people with the guns out before the people without the guns. The decisionmaker who collapse the operations and is a guy airport. President joe biden, the ultimate decisionmaker. He decided to make the decision and none of those decisions in that process, they were not made in the doha in agreement. Thats not when they were made. They were made by these ultimate Decision Makers joe biden. Americans ask after they withdraw, how could the intelligence have gotten them so wrong. But i find it to be clear each and every day. That the intelligence did not get as wrong as americans thought. It was the ultimate Decision Maker that was refusing to listen. To the intelligence being given. Again, in the words of a white house spokesperson jennifer psaki, the president believes there is not a military solution. This will require a diplomatic solution. These are the present is clear from the beginning that we anticipate planned to have a diplomatic presence on the grounds. Moving forward. Why then did we see a repeat of saigon with diplomatic personnel being evacuated off of the roof of an embassy . That is exactly what President Biden said would never happen. Because of a failure to plan for mercy. It failure to plan for a situation when things dont go exactly perfectly. Exactly as you planned this. Basic military. A failure to plan the security of the high personnel cannot be guaranteed. As a result there is no diplomatic presence on the ground today. I get in the words of the administration, a spokesperson for the for sake, United States will retain significant absence in the region as the president talk about over the horizon capability. To counter the potential reemergence of a terrorist threat. That is garbage. Any over the horizon c