Carper Statement on Afghanistan

WILMINGTON, Del. — U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), today released the following statement on the situation in Afghanistan:

“Our military presence in Afghanistan should not have continued indefinitely, but the withdrawal of U.S. troops should have been carefully planned to prevent violence and instability, and to ensure that the hard-fought progress gained over the past two decades—particularly when it comes to Afghan women and girls—would not be lost. I’m thinking of the immense sacrifices made by our military, our diplomats, and our entire nation. We have toiled for a brighter future for Afghanistan, but ultimately, that future could only ever be realized if it was embraced fully by Afghanistan’s government and military, as well.

“Now, we must act swiftly to protect Americans and our Afghan allies and partners on the ground. We cannot abandon those who fought by our side who now face mortal danger from the Taliban’s takeover. We have a moral obligation to act immediately to protect their lives and a national security imperative to ensure that Afghan soil does not again become a source of terrorist attacks on our allies and our homeland.”

##