13 troops killed in Afghanistan withdrawal awarded highest honor by Congress

House Speaker Mike Johnson posthumously presented the Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 U.S. service members killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal. The event, attended by both Democrats and Republicans, honored the lives and sacrifices of the fallen troops. The ceremony, however, took place amidst ongoing political debates over the handling of the evacuation. Republicans, including Johnson, blamed the Biden administration for the rushed withdrawal, while Democrats urged for unity in honoring the service members.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee released a critical report on the withdrawal, placing blame on the Biden administration and downplaying Trump’s role in the deal with the Taliban. White House officials criticized the report as partisan and one-sided, emphasizing that evacuation plans had been in progress before the pullout. Despite the Pentagon’s conclusion that the suicide bombing was not preventable, Trump and some families of the fallen soldiers have made the withdrawal a central point in the presidential campaign.
Heading into the upcoming election, Republicans have targeted Vice President Kamala Harris, blaming her and Biden’s national security team for the consequences of the deadly evacuation. Democrats have responded by accusing Republicans of politicizing the issue. While both Trump and Biden share blame for the Afghanistan withdrawal, the focus remains on ensuring accountability and honoring the memory of the 13 service members who lost their lives in the tragic events in Kabul.

Source
Photo credit www.pressherald.com