Scoop: Generals come to Harris' defense on Afghanistan
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Vice President Harris participates in a wreath laying ceremony the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Ceremony on Nov. 11, 2022. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.
Ten generals and admirals are mobilizing to defend Vice President Kamala Harris from Republican attempts to tie her to the chaotic 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Why it matters: The withdrawal has emerged as a major campaign issue in the lead-up to Tuesday's presidential debate, with Harris coming under fire from former President Trump, House Republicans and parents of victims of the Abbey Gate suicide attack, which killed 13 American service members.
- The push to defend Harris comes from retired military brass, including three with four-stars: Admiral Steve Abbot, who served as deputy homeland security advisor to George W. Bush, Gen. Lloyd W. Newton and Gen. Larry R. Ellis, who has never previously endorsed a political candidate.
- Some of the military officials are also fanning out on TV this week to defend Harris' record, two people familiar with the plans told Axios.
Driving the news: "Without involving the Afghan government, [Trump] and his Administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban that freed 5,000 Taliban fighters," the retired military officials wrote in a National Security Leaders for America letter first obtained by Axios.
- The group accused Trump of leaving Biden and Harris with no plans to execute a withdrawal and little time to do so.
- "This chaotic approach severely hindered the Biden-Harris Administration's ability to execute the most orderly withdrawal possible and put our service members and our allies at risk," they wrote.
- Trump "continually disrespects those who serve in uniform, including wounded warriors, prisoners of war, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice," they added.
The other side: Trump and his Republican allies have sought to elevate the voices of the Gold Star families, laying wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of the bombing.
- Trump has also tried to cleanse his record with veterans, telling podcaster Shawn Ryan last month that he never called Americans who died in war "suckers and losers." — "Who would say that? A stupid person would say that."
What we're watching: On Tuesday, GOP congressional leaders including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will present the Congressional Gold Medal to the families if the 13 U.S. service members killed in the 2021 attack.
- Hours later, Trump and Harris will debate in Philadelphia, their first and only scheduled head-to-head encounter.
Zoom in: The House Foreign Affairs Committee released a report outlining the Biden administration's alleged failures on Afghanistan and highlighting Harris's role in particular.
- The GOP report accuses the Biden administration of ignoring repeated warnings from military officials, national security advisers and U.S. allies about the risks associated with drawing American forces down to zero.
- Harris "appears to have been working in lockstep" with Biden, according to the report.
Catch up quick: In August of 2021, the Biden administration conducted an evacuation of unprecedented scale that saw more than 120,000 people airlifted out of the country after the Taliban swept into Kabul.
- The White House has repeatedly defended Biden's decision to withdraw U.S. troops, while acknowledging that aspects of the evacuation were flawed.
