California Democrat Adam Schiff called for an investigation into President Joe Biden’s failed airstrike in Afghanistan that resulted in the death of an innocent Afghan aid worker, as well as nine other victims, seven of whom were children.
Schiff, known as one of the most radical Democrats on the House, has betrayed Biden completely with this call to an investigation.
“We must take every precaution when it comes to protecting civilian lives, and hold ourselves accountable when we fail. While there is no overstating the chaotic and dangerous situation in Kabul following the fall of the Afghan government and the attack on our forces by ISIS-K, it is clear that the August 29 strike was a mistake with horrific consequences,” he stated.
“In acknowledging that error, the Department of Defense has taken the first step towards transparency and accountability. And after such a devastating failure – one that, by the Department’s estimate, killed 10 civilians, at least 7 of them children – it cannot be the last step. We need to know what went wrong in the hours and minutes leading up to the strike to prevent similar tragedies in the future,” Schiff continued to add.
“I am also concerned about the accuracy and completeness of public statements made in the immediate aftermath of the strike, and whether those accounted for all of the information possessed by the government at the time,” he continued. “We must assure that the Department examines its actions carefully and objectively, even in the absence of press reports, such as here, which brought this critical mistake to light.”
“This is an area deserving of additional oversight, and along with my colleagues in Congress, the House Intelligence Committee will continue to press for answers,” Schiff said. “My prayers today are with the victims and their families.”
After Commander of United States Central Command Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie declared that the strike was a “tragic error”, Schiff’s announcement confirmed previous reports that the target wasn’t an ISIS-K member.
“Our investigation now concludes that our strike was a tragic mistake,” McKenzie said.
“We now assess that it is unlikely that the vehicle and those who died were associated with ISIS-K or a direct threat to US forces,” McKenzie stated.
Here Is What The New York Times Previously Reported:
Times reporting has identified the driver as Zemari Ahmadi, a longtime worker for a U.S. aid group. The evidence, including extensive interviews with family members, co-workers and witnesses, suggests that his travels that day actually involved transporting colleagues to and from work. And an analysis of video feeds showed that what the military may have seen was Mr. Ahmadi and a colleague loading canisters of water into his trunk to bring home to his family. While the U.S. military said the drone strike might have killed three civilians, Times reporting shows that it killed 10, including seven children, in a dense residential block.
