Staff Reports
Three years have passed since the Abbey Gate suicide bombing outside Kabul Airport took the lives of 13 American soldiers, a tragic end to President Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal. This event was a seismic failure in the realm of foreign policy and has left scars that still fester, indicating just how poorly this administration handled the situation. The fallout continues, not just for our service members but for their families, who are left struggling with the lack of acknowledgment from the current administration.
Recently, the Biden White House decided it was time to honor the fallen by officially naming the service members who died that fateful day. This is quite the turnaround, given that during a debate, Biden shamelessly claimed that no soldiers had died on his watch. This misrepresentation was glaringly evident, especially when one of the grieving fathers made his displeasure known during the State of the Union address—an act predictably ignored by the President. The lack of genuine empathy or outreach from the Biden administration has been an ongoing tragedy in its own right.
President Trump is honoring our fallen. Biden/Harris could care less. They approved this massacre. If Joe was there, he would be checking his watch to make sure he made it back to Delaware for his much "needed" vacation. Harris wasn't there because she just doesn't care. pic.twitter.com/yyMXdfjvBO
— Tania M Banks (@Taniabanks24) August 26, 2024
Enter former President Donald Trump, who attended a memorial event at Arlington Cemetery with the families of these fallen heroes. The presence of Trump at such a solemn occasion has drawn ire from the left, who scrambled to paint this heartwarming gathering as a scandal. In true bureaucratic fashion, a staffer at Arlington Cemetery attempted to put a damper on the moment, claiming that Trump’s attendance and subsequent photos were inappropriate. Surprisingly, this same staff member also stated they wouldn’t “press charges,” demonstrating the absurdity of the outrage.
The families of the slain soldiers took the initiative to invite Trump and their appreciation for his attendance was made known in a public statement. But, as expected, leftist commentators tried to spin this into a political controversy. Their shrieks about Trump’s photo opportunities stand in stark hypocrisy, considering that a quick scroll through Biden’s social media archives reveals a treasure trove of his campaign stops at these hallowed grounds. Apparently, visual autographs are only acceptable if they bear the right party label.
Even more shocking is the complete silence from Biden and Vice President Harris regarding the families’ grief. The relatives of these young soldiers reported that they had never received a single message of comfort from either leader. One grieving aunt bluntly expressed her frustration with the administration’s aloof stance, noting that while they clamored to take credit for ending the war, they have failed to take responsibility for the deaths caused by their poor execution of that withdrawal. Another Gold Star family member asserted that there was nothing political about inviting Trump—just a heartfelt remembrance of their loved ones.
Biden’s failure to reach out to these families underscores a grievous disconnect between the administration and everyday Americans. Instead of extending condolences, Biden’s administration has spent more time crafting narratives to distance themselves from their blunders. The insistence from Democrats that Trump’s memorial attendance is a political stunt only serves to highlight their political motivations, not those of the grieving families. The choice to ignore the sacrifices made during the Afghanistan pullout lies solely with the Democrats, who have effectively turned what should be a solemn remembrance into a partisan squabble.
The handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal has been so poorly executed that Veterans Affairs felt compelled to issue mental health warnings to veterans as they grappled with the fallout. The arrogance displayed by the Biden administration, demanding praise for a disastrous exit, has left countless veterans feeling devalued. What should have been a unifying moment of remembrance instead reflects a stark reality: the Democrats chose to ignore the heartbreak they created and the heroes who paid the ultimate price.
A simple gesture—reaching out to express sympathy to these families—would have gone a long way. But as we’ve seen, delayed empathy is still a choice, and clearly, it’s one the Biden administration has made. In the end, while these families seek to honor their loved ones, the Democrats seem more interested in preserving their image than addressing the pain caused by their failures. The choice was always theirs, and they’ve certainly chosen poorly.
