PEORIA, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth said questions about how things deteriorated so quickly in Afghanistan can wait. She said this nation must focus on getting its people and their allies out.
During a trip to Peoria where Duckworth was talking about the Air National Guard unit there, the senator was repeatedly asked about the heartbreaking images from Afghanistan and faulty predictions of what would happen as U.S. forces leave. She insisted now is not the time for such discussions.
Duckworth said we need to get all Americans and the Afghan allies who helped them out of there.
“Right now my focus is getting all Americans out of Afghanistan and getting the thousands of brave Afghani men and women who worked with the United States out of that country,” Duckworth said.
The combat veteran said she also wants to see the safe return of all her constituents including American hostage Mark Frerichs.
Duckworth told reporters the scenes of Afghanistan falling to the Taliban are tragic and hard to watch, especially for the American service members and their families who sacrificed greatly there.
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And Duckworth, a Veteran of the Iraq war, is not reassured by Taliban promises to protect women’s rights, within Islamic law and grant amnesty to those who opposed them.
"I don't trust the Taliban," Duckworth said.
Still, Duckworth said there should be discussions about the authorization to use military force.
But, she said, now is not the time to dissect the withdrawal plans and raise questions.
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