[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 9, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S4001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Foreign Policy

  Mr. President, now on an entirely different matter, I have been 
outspoken on the importance of sustaining America's support for local 
partners who are leading counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan and 
elsewhere, even when doing so has put me at odds with the Presidents, 
actually, of both parties.
  When the previous administration considered precipitous withdrawals 
from Afghanistan and Syria, I sponsored a bipartisan amendment warning 
that doing so could ``allow terrorists to regroup . . . to the 
detriment of United States interests and those of our allies.''
  Dozens of Senate Democrats joined the measure at that point.
  Last year, the Congress overrode veto threats and put explicit 
restrictions and reporting requirements on force drawdowns in the 
annual Defense authorization act. I and others voted to override the 
veto of a Republican President. The goal wasn't to tie the hands of the 
Commander in Chief. It was to force the administration to seriously 
address the risks to U.S. interests posed by any potential withdrawal.
  But this spring, when President Biden announced his intention to 
abandon the battlefield in Afghanistan completely--completely--without 
a plan, there was a bit less outrage, for some reason, on the 
Democratic side of the aisle.
  And yesterday, the President moved to waive the NDAA requirements 
that Senate Democrats themselves had supported in order to proceed with 
this misguided retreat.
  The White House has yet to address the obvious risks of our 
departure: that the Taliban will regain control, al-Qaida will return 
to strength, and the people of Afghanistan--particularly, women and 
girls--will suffer.
  We don't have to wait long for these fears to prove prescient. The 
Taliban has wasted no time in ramping up its campaign to drag more of 
the country back under its oppressive medieval rule--more killing of 
soldiers, journalists, and activists; more oppression of women; and 
more ambitious operational goals.
  As one Taliban commander put it, ``when we arrive in Kabul, we will 
arrive as conquerors.'' Well, they are inching closer every day while 
we withdraw, and this is all happening, as I just indicated, before our 
retreat is even complete.
  Experts are still unsure just how quickly the Taliban's resurgence 
will accelerate as we depart. That is bad news for our partners in 
Kabul. It is bad news for the Afghan military, which is losing its edge 
without coalition support on the ground. And it is especially bad news 
for Afghanistan's women and girls. I know many of my colleagues share 
my concern for our partners in Afghanistan and for the many Afghan 
women who have reclaimed so much of their freedom since 2001. So make 
no mistake, their future will be imperiled under Taliban rule.
  Rhetorical support for Senate resolutions and hollow promises of 
assistance from afar might ease our consciences somewhat, but they 
cannot take the place of the coalition forces in supporting our 
partners and vulnerable populations in Afghanistan. That won't prevent 
the resurgence of al-Qaida, with whom a recent United Nations report 
found Taliban militants ``show no indication of breaking ties.''
  So where is the plan? Where is the plan to deal with these challenges 
as we abandon our partners and leave them to the Taliban?
  How does the administration intend to combat terror or support Afghan 
forces if we are hundreds of miles away? How does it intend to counter 
the negative influence of Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, and others who 
might see our departure as massive opportunity? Have we learned nothing 
from Russia's intervention in Syria?
  So later this week, President Biden will meet in person with leaders 
of our NATO allies, many of whom have expressed concerns about the 
risks of a precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan. But, of course, as 
we withdraw, they will, as well, because without us there won't be a 
NATO presence in Afghanistan.
  So for the sake of American security and the strength of our 
partnerships, it is time for the President to finally offer some clear 
answers to advance our shared interest in combating terrorists who 
still mean us harm and to restore faith in our resolve to finish things 
that we start
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.