Chicago – Vice President Kamala Harris touted her foreign policy record and support for veterans in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC), but made no mention of the 13 U.S. soldiers who died during the White House’s failed attempt to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in 2021.
“I will not hesitate to take any action necessary to protect our troops and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. And I will not go near tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong Un who are cheering on Trump because they know he is easily manipulated with flattery and favors. They also know Trump will not hold dictators accountable because he wants to be a dictator,” Harris trumpeted onstage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Thursday night.
“As President, I will never waver in protecting America’s security and ideals. Because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand — and where the United States of America belongs.”
Harris also praised her foreign policy record as vice president, including her handling of the long-running conflict with Russia.
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Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on August 22, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDiarmid)
“Five days before Russia attacked Ukraine, I met with President Zelenskyy to warn him of Russian plans to aggress. I helped rally a global response of more than 50 countries to defend against President Putin’s aggression, and as president, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies,” she added.
Harris’ boasting of her diplomatic record comes years after the Biden administration failed to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan left 13 U.S. troops dead while defending Kabul airport during the operation and left hundreds of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan allies stranded in the Taliban-controlled country. Critics such as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) say the withdrawal paved the way for hostile countries such as Russia to invade Ukraine.
Following their withdrawal, the Taliban claimed control of Afghanistan.
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At last month’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, family members of soldiers who died during the withdrawal took to the stage for a moving 20-minute eulogy for their loved ones.
A U.S. Marine lifts an infant through a barbed wire fence during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, August 19, 2021. (Omar Haidiri/AFP via Getty Images)
“Look at our faces. See our pain, our heartache and our anger. [The Afghanistan withdrawal] “The mission in Afghanistan was less than an exceptional success,” said Cheryl Juelz, aunt of Marine Sergeant Nicole Gee. “Joe Biden owes the men and women who served in Afghanistan a thank you and an apology.”
Harris previously acknowledged that she was “the last person in the room with Biden” before he decided to pull out, and told media that she was “pleased” with the operation that ultimately resulted in deaths and chaos.
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Taliban fighters celebrate the third anniversary of the U.S.-led withdrawal of Afghan troops, in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Wednesday, August 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Sidiqullah Alizai)
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In her speech at the Democratic National Convention, Harris praised veterans and troops without mentioning the withdrawal from Afghanistan or those who have lost their lives.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on August 22, 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Wurm)
“I stood up for veterans and students who are being scammed by big for-profit universities, for workers who are being cheated out of their wages, for seniors who are being cheated out of their wages because of elder abuse,” she said.
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Harris, who rose to the forefront of the Democratic field after Biden dropped out of the race last month amid growing concerns about her mental health and age, accepted the nomination this week and vowed to serve all Americans, regardless of party, if elected president.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on August 22, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDiarmid)
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“In my entire career, I’ve only had one client: the people. So I speak on behalf of the people, on behalf of all Americans. No matter their political party, race, gender or what language your grandma speaks. On behalf of my mother and all the people who have ever been on an impossible journey. On behalf of the kind of American I grew up with. People who work hard, chase their dreams and care for each other. All people whose stories can only be told in the greatest country on earth,” she said.
“I accept my nomination for President of the United States.”
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