Washington, DC – Many Americans have served our country in Afghanistan, including our military service members, members of our intelligence community, aid workers, and American diplomats. They served with patriotism and courage. We honor their sacrifice and the sacrifices of our Afghan friends and partners who seek a better future for their country.
The return of the Taliban to Kabul and other Afghan cities is a terrible and tragic outcome, which we fear will put an end to the hopes and dreams of many Afghans, particularly women. There will be time in the future to examine the events of the past two weeks, including the failure to implement an orderly drawdown of U.S. troops and the speedy evacuation of our friends and partners. But for now, the immediate task for the U.S. government is to do all we can to limit the bloodshed; to secure the airport and evacuate as many as possible, starting with those who worked bravely alongside U.S. service members, civilians, partner organizations, and our allies; to recommit to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghans who have been displaced from their homes by the fighting; and to ensure meaningful pathways toward resettlement in the U.S.
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