Joni Ernst questioned a completely flummoxed General Austin this week. General Austin didn’t have an answer for the simplest and most critical question.
On one point of questioning, Senator Ernst exposed the sheer lack of any planning whatsoever. Senator Ernst wanted to know how they would complete the promised next phase in Afghanistan which is the transition to a diplomatic mission since there are no diplomats in Afghanistan. Basically, there is NO PLAN.
“But I don’t understand how we fulfill a diplomatic mission after August 31st when there are absolutely no diplomats on the ground in Afghanistan. They’re gone. They’ve been evacuated. Who do we hand that mission off to when there’s nobody there to complete it?” Ernst asked.
“So, can you then say that the president directed you, Secretary Austin, to execute an unconditional withdrawal from Afghanistan? Unconditional. Aug. 31. Done.”
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Austin looked like he was completely off-guard.
“Once he made the decision to withdraw, that was the decision, to leave, and we certainly want to make sure that we, we shaped conditions so that our embassy could maintain a presence there and continue to engage the government of Afghanistan. So protection of the embassy was pretty important,” Austin responded.
“Secretary Austin, you are extremely diplomatic in your answers. I can appreciate that. But this was not a conditions-based withdrawal,” Ernst shot back.
This administration gave no thought to future diplomatic missions. All they did was get out — stupidly.
We are nowhere.
As Joni Ernst said at the hearing, Biden timed his flight from Afghanistan with 9/11 for a “cheap” PR stunt. Watch the questioning:
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