United States Representative Peter Meijer of Michigan held a town hall Thursday evening, where the former military veteran criticized President Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
“When I say it was an impossible situation that our armed forces found itself in, it was absolutely impossible,” Meijer said. “I have a lot of issues that the August 31st deadline was put in place to begin with.”
Meijer, R, who represents Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District. spent a considerable portion of the town hall Thursday evening addressing his recent secret visit to Afghanistan and the international airport in Kabul with Democrat and fellow Congressman Seth Moulton. Both lawmakers are former Iraq War Veterans.
“The Marines, who died at the gate, they knew that they were putting themselves at risk,” Meijer said. “Just the most courageous act of selfless service that I have ever seen in my entire life,”
Meijer has faced criticism from other government officials over the unauthorized trip, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who had urged congressmen not to visit Afghanistan before the two had left.
Meijer defended his visit Thursday evening, and said the fact that American tax dollars had seemingly paid for the Taliban, once a militia group, to become a legitimate military because of the United States withdrawal was ‘shameful,” and calling out the current Administration's attitude since August 31st.
“I just want to be very clear, (because) President Biden has taken the equivalent of a victory lap,” Meijer said. “this job is not yet done.”
