Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), referred to by former President Donald Trump as the "most quoted Republican in the history of our country by Democrats," strongly denounced both the Biden and Trump administrations for their handling of Afghanistan during her Sunday appearance on ABC's "This Week."
In an exchange with co-anchor Jonathan Karl, Cheney discussed how this "didn't happen in a vacuum," when it comes to the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Both Pres. Biden and former Pres. Trump bear responsibility for the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan, @RepLizCheney tells @jonkarl.
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 15, 2021
"What we're watching right now in Afghanistan is what happens when America withdraws from the world." https://t.co/vq81FqSvQb pic.twitter.com/SCaABGDvFZ
Cheney's focus was on criticizing the Trump administration in particular. "Look, I think absolutely President Biden bears responsibility for making this decision. But there is no question that President Trump, his administration, Secretary Pompeo, they also bear very significant responsibility for this," she responded when asked who is responsible.
She specifically denounced Pompeo meeting with the Taliban:
CHENEY: Look, I think absolutely President Biden bears responsibility for making this decision. But there is no question that President Trump, his administration, Secretary Pompeo, they also bear very significant responsibility for this.
They walked down this path of legitimizing the Taliban, of perpetuating this fantasy, telling the American people that the Taliban were a partner for peace. President Trump told us that the Taliban was going to fight terror. Secretary Pompeo told us that the Taliban was going to renounce al Qaeda. None of that has happened. None of it has happened.
Today, as we watch, the Taliban, for example, release prisoners across Afghanistan, there’s very real concern that there are not just fighters in those prisons who will join the battle in Afghanistan, but the terrorist groups globally will in fact be fed new soldiers in their war on terror from those prisons.
This is -- it’s a devastating set of circumstances but the delegitimization of the Afghan government, the notion and the Trump administration, the suggestion that at one point they were saying, “We’re going to invite the Taliban to Camp David.” They --
KARL: On September 11th.
CHENEY: Yes. I mean, they -- this disaster certainly began -- and, look, the notion of we’re going to end endless war, that campaign slogan, what we’re watching right now in Afghanistan is what happens when America withdrawals from the world. So everybody who has been saying, “America needs to withdrawal. America needs to retreat,” we are getting a devastating, catastrophic real-time lesson in what that means.
Cheney also tweeted similar points on Saturday in real time as updates were unfolding in Afghanistan.
The Trump/Biden calamity unfolding in Afghanistan began with the Trump administration negotiating with terrorists and pretending they were partners for peace, and is ending with American surrender as Biden abandons the country to our terrorist enemies. https://t.co/PQ1i5W6zZt
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) August 14, 2021
On another Sunday show, "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace asked former Sec. of State Mike Pompeo about his meeting with the Taliban.
Chris Wallace throws Mike Pompeo's past praise for the Taliban back in his face.
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) August 15, 2021
"Do you regret giving the Taliban that legitimacy? Do you regret pressing the Afghan government to release 5,000 prisoners... some of whom are now back on the battlefield fighting with the Taliban?" pic.twitter.com/cfISbYYgTD
Pompeo was firm that "we never trusted the Taliban" and that "we didn't take the word of the Taliban, we watched their actions on the ground. When they did the right thing and they helped us against terror, that was all good and when they didn't, we crushed them."
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