Reports have come in that the last C-17 Globemaster departed Afghanistan at 11:59 p.m. local time on Aug. 30, effectively abandoning hundreds of Americans stranded in the country.
MOOSE94 a C17, and the last US military aircraft out of Afghanistan, departed 11:59 local time.
— Naveed Jamali (@NaveedAJamali) August 30, 2021
Commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie announced Monday that the last American planes had left Afghanistan, ending 20 years of American military occupation, and leaving the country completely in the hands of the Taliban. According to the commander, there are still hundreds of Americans in Afghanistan.
CENTCOM Commander says there are "hundreds" of American citizens still in Afghanistan after the last C-17 departed Kabul.
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) August 30, 2021
“We did not get everybody out that we wanted to get out,” he said.
After a hasty, disorganized evacuation effort — and an ISIS-fueled attack at the Kabul airport that claimed 13 American service members’ lives — the Biden administration announced the end of its troop withdrawal in the country. Although 122,000 people, including Americans and Afghans, have been evacuated from Afghanistan since July, the Biden administration left hundreds of Americans in the Taliban-controlled war zone.
Many, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, are demanding answers from Biden, railing against the administration for knowingly leaving American citizens on the ground.
INBOX: Gov. DeSantis Demands Transparency from Biden Admin on Afghanistan: pic.twitter.com/qY2Y5vtpVw
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) August 30, 2021
Although Biden remained committed to his Aug. 31st deadline of withdrawing all troops, he also previously promised to stay in Afghanistan until every American was evacuated.
“That’s what we’re doing now, that’s the path we’re on. And I think we’ll get there,” he said on Aug. 18. “If there’s American citizens left, we’re gonna stay to get them all out.”
One week ago, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki insisted Americans in Afghanistan were not “stranded.”
“It’s irresponsible to say Americans are stranded. They are not. We are committed to bringing Americans who want to come home, home,” she said.
