Rep. Jason Crow blasts Biden on Afghanistan "mistakes"

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow on Monday said President Joe Biden botched the evacuation of Afghanistan and urged the administration to send in troops to evacuate allies still in the country.

Crow — a former Army Ranger who served two combat tours in Afghanistan — said the "mistakes" in recent days and weeks led to a "tragic scene" at the Kabul airport as Afghans tried to flee the country amid the Taliban's takeover.

• "We didn't need to be in this position," he said in an online briefing. "We should have started this evacuation months ago. ... It could have been done deliberately and methodically."

The Aurora Democrat traveled to Afghanistan in October 2019 and supports pulling troops from the country. But he previously said it must be done "in a way that ensures lasting peace" and a "more secure world order."

• Now with the Taliban in control of the capital city, Crow said the U.S. has the ability to evacuate thousands of Afghans, but "we must have the will."

The other side: In an address from the White House, Biden said he didn't evacuate the country earlier because it would have created "a crisis of confidence" in Afghanistan.

• The reaction to Biden's remarks came swiftly. Kristi Burton Brown, the leader of the Colorado Republican Party, issued a statement that blamed Biden's "inept planning" for hurting the nation's security.

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