Senator Mitt Romney, Utah. Stefani Reynolds/The New York Times via AP. Pool
Sen. Mitt Romney attacked President Biden's policies in Afghanistan and the former President Trump.
CNN's Anderson Cooper called the current Afghan situation "a humanitarian tragedy and a foreign policy disaster."
Romney stated that leaving Afghan allies behind would be "moral stain."
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Sunday's statement by Sen. Mitt Romney was a result of President Joe Biden's policy failures and former President Donald Trump's policies in Afghanistan.
When Jake Tapper asked him if the US should continue to assist with evacuations after the Aug. 31 deadline, the Utah Republican said that the rush to withdraw Afghan allies from America was "preventable".
The senator stated that leaving Americans behind and leaving behind Afghan friends who have worked with us would be a moral scourge. This did not have to be. It could have been prevented. It didn't make sense to be caught in this rush-rush situation with terrorists around our necks."
He stressed that "But it's really our responsibility as a prior administration and this administration who caused this crisis to be upon and has led us to what is without doubt a humanitarian- and foreign policy tragedy."
Romney, a senator from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, continued to highlight the serious mistakes made by Trump and Biden in their approaches to ending the war in Afghanistan.
-State of the Union, August 29, 2021 (@CNNSotu).
Continue reading: The Americans who prosecuted the Taliban are now going down a "black hole" to aid their Afghan interpreters
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He said, "If we focus on what should be done right now, we will see that the reason we are in this position right now is due to terrible decisions made two administrations." One, Trump's negotiations directly with Taliban. They were ready to invite them all to Camp David. Then, they opened a prison for 5,000 Taliban and possibly ISIS-K people and let them go. We don't know if some of them were involved with the attack that took place."
He said, "These were the decisions which led to the things you see and the danger at the airport. This shouldn't have happened.
Thursday's terrorist attack at Kabul Airport that left at least 169 Afghans dead and 13 US service personnel wounded was the most tragic day for US military personnel in Afghanistan since 2011.
Romney also criticized Biden's decision not to close Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. This was the US's largest military base but was overthrown by the Taliban.
Before the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the key facility was closed.
Romney continued by stating that the fight against terroristism will continue, even if troops are removed from the country.
He said, "You cannot, as one party end a war." To end a war, it takes two parties. The Taliban and radical violent jihadists around the world aren't stopping fighting. They will continue fighting us. "The war isn't over."
Romney's criticism focused on Trump and Biden, but former President George W. Bush was also responsible for the management of the war. He first sent US troops to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. Former President Barack Obama sent 30,000 more troops to the country in 2009.
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