Former President Barack Obama's ethics adviser criticized Biden's administration on Sunday for failing to properly arrange evacuation to save more American allies in Afghanistan.
Taliban Advancement in Afghanistan
In a recently published article in Newsweek, Taliban rebel troops have invaded Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city, strengthening their grip over the country. In less than two weeks, the Taliban have taken control of at least 26 of Afghanistan's 34 provincial capitals, reportedly surprising senior White House advisors.
Only four days ago, the U.S. defense experts projected that Taliban militants would isolate Kabul and take it over in one to three months. As Taliban troops advance to Kabul, a slow-moving U.S. operation to evacuate Afghan allies has devolved into a humanitarian catastrophe, with the Biden administration rushing to save and transfer thousands of at-risk Afghans.
Thousands of people whose applications are still in the early stages are facing increasingly bleak prospects. Given the tightening timeline, many have questioned the administration's capacity to rescue all allies as the Taliban retake area quicker than expected, according to a published article in Global News Lead.
Former Obama Ethics Chief Expresses His Disappointment; Biden Sends Additional Troops
Walter Shaub, who served as director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics between 2013 to 2017, posted on his social media account, "The evacuation of Afghans who supported the US should've cast a wider net and been better planned. That's an inexcusable failure of this administration. When images of executions start spreading, let's also remember that Trump wanted to invite Taliban warlords to Camp David," MSN News reports.
Meanwhile, in response to the situation, Biden boosted the number of soldiers on the ground to 5,000 on Saturday to help with "an orderly and safe withdrawal." According to State Department spokesman Ned Price, approximately 1,200 Afghans have been evacuated to the United States as part of "Operation Allies Refuge," with some going to Virginia and others being transferred straight to American hosts.
The Biden administration has committed to rescuing and transferring 4,000 more Afghans who are awaiting the completion of their visa papers before fleeing. Furthermore, videos of people being decapitated or stoned in public, as well as government troops turning up their guns to the Taliban, are spreading on the internet.
Lawmakers Wrote a Letter to Biden To Evacuate Afghans Before the Taliban Advancement
A bipartisan group of 21 lawmakers wrote to Biden on June 4 urging him to "immediately" evacuate thousands of Afghans who have worked with the U.S. government, saying they were "increasingly concerned" that he had not yet directed the Defense Department to mobilize to protect Afghan partners from Taliban retaliation.
"If we fail to defend our friends in Afghanistan, it will have a long-term effect on our future relationships and worldwide reputation," they wrote. "This would be a major setback for our soldiers and the future of our national security."
Meanwhile, after the government crumbled and the beleaguered Afghan president joined a flight of his fellow countrymen and foreigners, the Taliban stormed into Afghanistan's capital on Sunday, marking the end of a costly two-decade US effort to transform the nation, according to the Associated Press.
