Michael Waltz: “For me, as well, this is a very personal endeavor and a very personal bill. Speaking as a combat veteran of the Afghan…”

“For me, as well, this is a very personal endeavor and a very personal bill. Speaking as a combat veteran of the Afghan war, the Afghans supporting our troops weren't just interpreters; they became our brothers and our sisters on the battlefield. We depended on each other for survival. They fought with us; they bled with us; and in many cases, they died with us, all for the dream of a better Afghanistan, for a safer world, for prosperity for their families, and for ripping out the dangerous and sick extremist ideology that has tormented their country, taken their society backward, and threatened the United States of America. Unfortunately, the Biden administration's reckless withdrawal is allowing the Taliban to once again seize control of Afghanistan. The urgency of the situation on the ground is not hyperbole. Just yesterday, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said the Taliban appears to have strategic momentum in their offensive, and I hope that this Congress can continue supporting the Afghan security forces to help them halt that advance and, in the wake of it, al-Qaida's and ISIS' inevitable rise. No one is safe from the Taliban reprisal. We have seen in recent weeks the mass execution of surrendering Afghan security forces and the Afghan interpreters who worked with our troops that are now at the top of the Taliban's target list.…”