Ohio lawmakers respond to Biden’s defense of Afghanistan withdrawal

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — Ohio lawmakers responded to President Biden’s remarks about removing troops from Afghanistan as human rights are increasingly threatened amid the Taliban takeover.

Over the last week and a half, the Taliban has moved across Afghanistan and reclaimed control of the country.

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People were seen clinging to a U.S. Military plane taxiing for takeoff at the Kabul Airport after rescuing American people from the country’s chaos.

″Afghanistan political leaders gave up and fled the country,” said President Joe Biden.

The president defended the U.S. withdrawal Monday, arguing that he would not hand this conflict over to a fifth president.

″Our mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to be nation-building.”

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Ohio lawmaker’s reactions were swift following the president’s statements.

Sen. Rob Portman called the decision a poorly planned and disastrous withdrawal.

″What we have seen is an unmitigated disaster,” added Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell

News Center 7′s Sean Cudahy spoke with Cedarville University International Relations expert, Glenn Duerr Monday about the Taliban’s takeover.

″It’s deeply sad, but the other thing is it’s quite predictable in a sense,” Duerr said.

Concerns about human rights are also already playing out with the resurgence of the Taliban. Duerr added that women’s rights have dramatically eroded.

Meanwhile, the scenes the last few days, hitting home for families of those who served in Afghanistan.

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News Center 7′s Gabrielle Enright spoke with the Fairborn family of Army Specialist Jesse Snow, who joined Armed Forces after 9-11, and died in Afghanistan.

The family shared that they feel his mission was not in vain.

”He always felt while he was over there he was doing the right thing,” they said.

We will continue to keep in touch with the base and share any details about a possible deployment if WPAFB crews are requested to Afghanistan.

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