Rubio Calls US Withdrawal From Afghanistan a Dark Stain on History
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan during Joe Biden’s presidency as “catastrophic,” calling it a “dark stain” on America’s history.
He made the remarks in a statement marking the fifth anniversary of the suicide attack at Kabul airport, an incident in which, he said, 13 US service members and more than 160 Afghan civilians were killed and 45 other US troops were wounded.
In the statement, Rubio expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said Donald Trump’s administration is committed to honoring the memory of those killed in the attack and all those who died during the 20 years of US presence in Afghanistan, and to providing the answers the American people expect.
The US secretary of state also wrote in a separate post on the social media platform X that the United States will not forget those killed in the attack and will not allow, in his words, “such betrayal” to be committed again against US troops.
The suicide bombing at Kabul airport on Aug. 26, 2021, was one of the deadliest incidents during the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. At the time, thousands of Afghan and foreign nationals, after the Taliban retook control of Kabul, were trying to leave the country through the emergency evacuation process, and the Islamic State Khorasan Province group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal has faced widespread criticism in recent years from Republicans and members of the US Congress. In the final days of August 2021, Kabul airport had become the main hub for the evacuation of civilians and foreign forces from Afghanistan.
