Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, rebuked President Obama yesterday for “giv[ing] in to terrorists” by negotiating with the Taliban, which Gohmert characterized as an election year decision that will vindicate Osama bin Laden’s contempt for the United States and risk another terrorist attack on this country.
“This administration is so intent on getting out of Afghanistan and turning things over to the Taliban, we’re going to be right back where we were 20 years ago as the Taliban was working toward the ultimate 9/11,” Gohmert said on the House floor yesterday. “Everything Osama bin Laden said about Americans being too weak, not being up to the fight — that eventually they’ll cave in and start helping us destroy them — that’s what appears to be happening.”
Gohmert pointed out that the Taliban recently killed several members of Team Seal Six, adding that the Taliban is also killing American allies in Afghanistan. “This administration is looking at an election year, [but] this is no time to give in to terrorists,” he added.
“The elimination of the Taliban is not the issue here,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Monday when asked about the negotiations, explaining that “the conditions for reconciliation for the Taliban are very clear. But reconciliation has to be a part of the long-term process in Afghanistan if Afghanistan is going to evolve into a peaceful country.”
