Legislative Topic: Humanitarian Crisis

The long saga of the Russia collusion scandal — during which law enforcement, media, political operatives and intelligence assets manufactured a two-year illusion of a Trump-Russia conspiracy that did not exist — raised questions about a new era of political warfare in which false realities could be foisted upon the American public. The bungled, bloody … Continued

The Biden administration is expected to increasingly rely on drone surveillance and strikes for counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan following Monday’s U.S. exit from the country after 20 years of war. The drone attacks that President Biden authorized – including a Friday strike in Jalalabad near the Pakistan border that killed two militants, and a Sunday … Continued

Despite a catastrophic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and bureaucratic red tape hindering outside rescue efforts along the way, non-government groups have been and are still working to help bring U.S. citizens and stranded Afghan allies to safety. Among those at greatest risk under Taliban rule are women, who make up roughly half the country’s population … Continued

With Kabul’s airport being without air traffic control services as a result of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, U.S. airlines are now barred from flying over much of the country without prior authorization. “Due to both the lack of air traffic services and a functional civil aviation authority in Afghanistan, as well as ongoing … Continued

President Joe Biden again defended his administration’s handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 31, declaring an end to the 20-year-long conflict, but opening up the possibility for future airstrikes against ISIS affiliates in the country. “This is the way the mission was designed,” he said of the often messy and chaotic evacuation that has drawn criticism … Continued

Top White House officials are promising to get an Afghan interpreter who remains in Afghanistan out of the country. The interpreter, who was identified only by his first name of Mohammed, helped rescue then-Sen. Joe Biden and two other U.S. lawmakers when their helicopter made an emergency landing in the Afghanistan mountains in 2008. Mohammed is stuck in the … Continued

We will leave it to the political pundits to critique President Biden’s speech on the Afghanistan withdrawal. The president tried to rebut a number of complaints about his handling of the evacuation. There are reasonable arguments for either side — and in any case, the judgment will be up to history. But there were a number … Continued

On Friday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), ranking member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting information about an alleged incident at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul involving an U.S. military official preventing American citizens and Afghan allies from evacuating Afghanistan. … Continued