Families of soldiers killed during Afghanistan withdrawal criticize Biden at Republican convention

MILWAUKEE – Relatives of some of the 13 American soldiers killed during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan appeared on stage at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday in an emotional moment that relived one of the low points of President Joe Biden’s presidency.

Many of the Gold Star families have criticized Biden for never publicly revealing the names of their loved ones. Onstage Wednesday, a family member called out the names of all 13 soldiers, and the crowd repeated each name as it was read aloud.

“Joe Biden refused to acknowledge their sacrifice,” Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of Marine Sergeant Nicole Gee, told the crowd. “Donald Trump knew the names of all our children. He knew all their stories.”

The crowd chanted “Never forget!” and “USA!” as Trump and the entire Congressional hall stood.

The appearance on the third day of the RNC was an implicit response to Biden’s repeated accusations against Trump and his allegations that the former president does not respect veterans. Biden has often mentioned a claim by retired Gen. John Kelly, who was Trump’s chief of staff, that Trump called slain World War II soldiers losers and suckers. Trump denies the allegations.

“President Biden cares deeply about our troops, their families, and the immense sacrifices they have made,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement. “That is why the President attended the dignified passing of the 13 brave soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, and the three who lost their lives in Jordan earlier this year. As he said then and believes today, our country owes them a great debt of gratitude and a debt we can never repay, and we will continue to honor their ultimate sacrifice.”

The U.S. soldiers and 60 Afghans were killed in a suicide attack at Kabul airport in August 2021 as the U.S. worked feverishly to evacuate Americans and Afghans who had helped the West during two decades of war.

The parents and relatives of these soldiers have since been in the political spotlight, appearing at congressional hearings and giving news interviews.

Republicans claim that Biden’s decision to withdraw US troops after the two-decade-long war in Afghanistan was a purely political move. But the agreement on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was signed by the Trump administration in February 2020. The agreement called for American troops to leave by May 2021, but Trump left office in January of that year without leaving a plan for the actual troop withdrawal.

Several months before the signing of the peace agreement with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, Trump had considered inviting the Taliban leadership to Camp David to sign an agreement. Those plans met with fierce opposition from senior military officials and were shelved after a Taliban attack that killed a U.S. soldier.

Criticism of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan resonates with voters of all parties. Former Biden supporters, such as former New Hampshire House Speaker Steve Shurtleff, have cited the botched withdrawal as one reason he wants Biden to resign.

___

Cooper reported from Phoenix.