Republicans call for more troops in Afghanistan and to recognise anti-Taliban force as government

Republicans called on the government to send more troops to Afghanistan and to recognise the anti-Taliban resistance as the nation’s legitimate government after the deadly attack in Kabul on Thursday killed 13 US service members.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy seemed to give contradictory remarks about keeping troops in Afghanistan during his press conference on Friday. Initially, Mr McCarthy suggested keeping Bagram Air Force Base open indefinitely.

“I believe we could have maintained it safely,” Mr McCarthy said. “We could have maintained two runways. It’s only 30 nautical miles from Kabul.”

Following his address to the nation on Thursday in the wake of the suicide bombing, President Joe Biden responded to a question about Bagram air base by insisting his military advisers had urged him to close it and focus on Kabul airport for evacuations instead.

Mr McCarthy, asked on Friday whether he would back more troops on the ground if the military said they needed them, said he would.

But he then seemed to reverse himself.

“I don’t think people are arguing about whether we should have left or not in Afghanistan, it’s how,” he said.

CNN’s Ryan Nobles chronicled the seeming contradictions on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Rep Michael Waltz of Florida and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called on the Biden administration to recognise the opposition forces in the Panjshir Valley of Afghanistan as the legitimate government of the nation rather than the Taliban.

“They have established a safe haven in the Panjshir Valley for Americans left behind, our allies, and those seeking freedom from Afghan Taliban rule,” they said. “They will also be on the front lines in the fight against global Islamic Extremism, which will continue to plot attacks against the West in the wake of our withdrawal from the region.”

Similarly, Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska repeated Mr McCarthy and Mr Graham’s calls to retake Bagram Air Force Base.

“Mr President, there is a clear choice before you now: Either rip up the August 31 deadline and defend evacuation routes — by expanding the perimeter around the Kabul airport or by retaking Bagram — or leave our people behind in your retreat,” he said in a statement Thursday. “We simply cannot strand Americans behind enemy lines in the new capital city of global jihad.”