CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As the US officials withdraws from Afghanistan, a local congressman is calling for resignations.
While talking at Tuesday morning's Veterans Round Table at Del Mar College Center for Economic Development, U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Tx. 27) praised the military on the ground while saying that high-level officials involved in the United States' exit from Afghanistan are to blame for what he basically referred to as a botched operation.
"Who didn't do well is the State Department, the head of the DOD, Joint Chiefs and the Commander in Chief," he said exclusively to KRIS 6 News. "When you talk to people on the ground, the stories that are going on, if it's not criminal, it's certainly been utter incompetence."
“They should have resigned already.” @RepCloudTX aims strong comments at top ranking US military leaders who he believes failed in Afghanistan exit. Oversight committee hearing? He is pushing for it. @KRIS6News
— Pat Simon (@PatSimonTV) August 31, 2021
President Joe Biden also spoke to the nation on Tuesday, defending the United States' exit from Afghanistan.
“I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever exit," he said. "The decision to end the military lift operation at Kabul airport was based on the unanimous recommendation of my civilian and military advisers.”
Biden said about 200 Americans were left in Afghanistan, and that his adminstration would pursue diplomatic avenues to get them home.
"There are definitely American citizens left, and we promised they wouldn't be left," Cloud said.
Cloud went as far as to accuse the American government of actively interfering with rescue efforts.
"Once we realize the State Department wasn't really gonna help us in getting people out, we had to work with NGOs and other groups to get people out," he said. "The State Department was, actually, working against them to help us to get people out."
He could not confirm, however, whether any of those people are Texans.
Cloud said that not only were Americans left behind, but also highly sensitive American military equipment in what he called the "incompetent" withdrawal.
“It’s extremely disturbing.”@RepCloudTX confirms that highly sensitive American military technology/ equipment was left behind in Afghanistan.
— Pat Simon (@PatSimonTV) August 31, 2021
Night vision devices.
Helicopters.
Drones.“If it’s not in China’s hands to reverse engineer then, it will be soon.” @KRIS6News pic.twitter.com/P6HoyN7pPv
While Cloud stopped short of saying he is calling for Biden's impeachment, he said the better solution, currently, would be to assemble the Cabinet to "see what needs to be done there."
"I think it's behavior worthy of a resignation, but I think that would be a better route at this point," he said.
Digital Content Producer Ryan Garza and Scripps National contributed to this story.
