A group of retired generals is coming to the defense of Vice President Kamala Harris against criticism over the Biden-Harris administration's handling of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan this week.
The group of 10 former generals and admirals includes Navy Adm. Steve Abbott, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, Gen. Lloyd W. Newton and Gen. Larry R. Ellis, who until this week had never endorsed a political candidate.
“Vice President Kamala Harris is the best and only presidential candidate in this race qualified to serve as our Commander in Chief,” the groups wrote in the National Security Leadership Council letter, first obtained by Axios.
“She has demonstrated her ability to tackle some of the toughest national security challenges in the Situation Room and on the global stage, from rallying our allies against Russia's brutal aggression in Ukraine, to standing shoulder to shoulder with allies in the Indo-Pacific against China's provocative actions, to advancing American leadership in space and artificial intelligence,” the letter continued.
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A group of retired generals and admirals say Mr. Harris would be a better commander in chief than Mr.
The group also attacked former President Trump for setting Biden and Harris up for failure in Afghanistan, alleging that the Trump administration negotiated a deal “without involving the Afghan government” and allowed 5,000 Taliban fighters to return to the battlefield.
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“He left President Biden and Vice President Harris with no plan to execute the withdrawal and gave them little time to do so. This disorganized approach severely hindered the Biden-Harris Administration's ability to execute the most orderly withdrawal possible and put our service members and allies at risk. Yet President Biden, with VP Harris' support, ended America's longest war, oversaw the largest airlift in U.S. history, and brought our soldiers home,” the generals wrote.
Biden and Harris have faced sharp criticism over their handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. (Olivier Douryery/AFP via Getty Images)
Harris has faced intense criticism over her involvement in the withdrawal since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee last month, and has often said she was the only person in the room with Biden when the administration was making the decision to withdraw.
“She's in charge,” the CNN panel said in response to Pelosi's revelation that she hasn't spoken to Biden since he withdrew.
The Trump campaign has pushed the issue to the forefront in recent weeks, with parents and relatives of U.S. soldiers killed during the withdrawal attacking Harris and supporting the former president.
The Trump campaign has sought to highlight Harris' involvement in the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan that left 13 U.S. soldiers dead. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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Trump is sure to raise the issue when he and Harris debate for the first time on Tuesday night.
