“Ignore the handful of vets.” John Kirby, the White House National Security Communications Director, believes it’s useless to respond to Afghanistan veterans concerns about the withdrawal.

This just two days after he issued a lengthy and very defensive rebuttal to the House investigative report. 

Mr. Kirby derided what he called the “one-sided partisan nature of this report” and noted that it was not the only one issued by Republicans. “This comes, of course, two years after their first report, and this one says little or nothing new,” he said.

~Snip

“Ending wars is more difficult than starting them,” Mr. Kirby said. “President Biden knew that. He acknowledged that. But it doesn’t mean that the decision to end this one was wrong or that the withdrawal wasn’t conducted as professionally and as bravely as it was humanly possible given the circumstances. It doesn’t mean we don’t grieve and mourn with the families of those whose lives were tragically taken during the withdrawal, especially at Abbey Gate on the 26th of August of that year.”

~Snip

Mr. Kirby rejected the report’s criticism, saying that planning for the withdrawal started in the spring of 2021 and that no one had anticipated how quickly the Taliban would take over the country. He noted that Mr. Trump’s agreement resulted in the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters held in Afghan prisons and that U.S. equipment left in the country was given to the Afghan government, not to the Taliban, and wound up in enemy hands only when the government collapsed.

A. The Taliban broke the Doha Agreement and the Biden Administration knew they could kick it to the curb.

B. There was absolutely ZERO reason for Joe and Kamala’s decision to shut down Bagram Air Base and leave millions in military equipment behind. THEY made that decision. Not Trump.

C. They HAD actionable intelligence that the Taliban was moving to take over.

D. They ALSO had actionable intelligence that there were some very bad terrorists near Abbey Gate. 

And yet, did nothing. Which resulted in thirteen of our soldiers getting killed and many more wounded. Which also led to Joe’s incredibly shameful actions of comparing his son dead from cancer to the soldiers who were actually killed in action and checking his watch multiple times at Dover. 

And today on 9/11 of all days, John Kirby steps in it big time. Like really stepped in it. In response to a letter from Congressmen who are ACTUAL Afghanistan and Iraq veterans, he responded thusly. 

On the anniversary of 9/11, White House National Security Council communications adviser John Kirby dismissed the concerns of military veterans critical of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, writing in response to a Fox News Digital press inquiry that there’s “no use” weighing in on the veterans’ views.

“Obviously no use in responding. A ‘handful’ of vets indeed and all of one stripe,” Kirby said in a “reply all” email chain Wednesday afternoon that appeared to be intended for White House staffers, but which also included Fox News Digital.

The one stripe comment was both a direct slam given these are Republicans he’s talking about, AND it’s a complete dismissal of their very honorable military service.

To date, no one and I mean no one has faced any consequences for their failures over the Afghanistan withdrawal. It was a failure of epic proportions that ended with American soldiers killed, and injured at Abbey Gate, while too many others were left behind. 

#AHandfulOfVets died during the failed Harris/Biden Afghanistan withdrawal. https://t.co/hZiFQoVoXz

— TheMorningSpew2 (@TheMorningSpew2) September 11, 2024

This morning, John Kirby said one of the quiet parts very loudly. The Biden Administration has no love for our military and most definitely believes that any veteran who speaks out against the Biden Harris cabal should be disrespected and dismissed out of hand. 

https://twitter.com/RepMillsPress/status/1833574388584620063

The rest of his X post reads: 

– NO one has been impeached.

It’s time the Biden-Harris administration takes responsibility for abandoning thousands of Americans and allies, for handing over billions in U.S. military weapons and cash to the Taliban, for leaving women and children to suffer under Taliban rule, and for the 13 brave heroes who sacrificed two lives, the one they were living and the life they could have lived.

The bottom line is the facts have been laid out and we have obtained the truth for the American people, but none of it matters until this administration owns up to its failures.

Afghanistan and Abbey Gate were barely touched upon during last night’s debate, and that was on purpose.  Why? Because no matter the spin, no matter how they tap dance to make this issue disappear, and no matter the condescending arrogance, the Biden Administration will and should forever own responsibility for this debacle. 

Memo to John Kirby: That handful of vets stood at the tip of the spear and worked to keep us safe. They have EARNED your respect and WE ALL deserve answers.

Welcome Instapundit Readers!

Feature Photo Credit: Kirby at a 2021 press conference via Wikimedia, cropped and modified