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Related: About this forumOfficials Rip Congressmen For Impromptu Afghanistan Trip - Rachel Maddow - MSNBC
John Hudson, national security reporter for the Washington Post, talks with Rachel Maddow about the "absolute irate anger" expressed by Biden administration officials at Rep. Seth Moulton and Rep. Peter Meijer for taking it upon themselves to travel to Afghanistan in the midst of extremely intense U.S. operations using all available resources to conduct the largest airlift in history. Aired on 08/24/2021.
2 congressmen secretly visited Kabul during evacuation efforts - CBS News
Two members of Congress secretly traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan, as the U.S. evacuates tens of thousands of Americans and vulnerable Afghans after the country fell to the Taliban.
Representatives Seth Moulton, a Democrat, and Republican Peter Meijer, both Iraq War veterans, made a stealth visit to the Hamid Karzai International Airport on Tuesday "to conduct oversight" on the evacuation, their offices said in a statement after they departed Afghanistan.
"There is no place in the world right now where oversight matters more. We conducted this visit in secret, speaking about it only after our departure, to minimize the risk and disruption to the people on the ground, and because we were there to gather information, not to grandstand," the statement said.
[snip]
Moulton and Meijer faced criticism from other government officials over the unauthorized trip.
"We can confirm that we advise against any Americans, whether elected or not, attempting to travel to Kabul right now," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said late Tuesday. "The focus must continue to be evacuating American citizens and our Afghan partners who fought alongside us for the last twenty years, and that is best left in the hands of our the Department of Defense and the State Department."
"It's selfish, irresponsible, and dangerous for our brave women and men on the ground. They will be occupying seats on their return to the U.S. that should be going to those in need," a U.S. official told CBS News.
A senior administration official also tells CBS News, "Whether intended or not, this is nothing but a distraction at a moment when time is key and every seat on planes leaves should be for someone trying to get out of Afghanistan."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged members of Congress not to travel to Afghanistan or the region, citing a request from the Defense Department and State Department
More: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/seth-moulton-peter-meijer-visit-kabul-afghanistan-airport/
madaboutharry
(40,149 posts)If it wasnt trying to feel important and grandstand then what was it? The message was We dont believe what the Dept. of Defense is telling us so we are going to see for ourselves.
Look at me, arent I great!
Rhiannon12866
(202,970 posts)And you'd think they'd have run this trip by someone, these are precarious times and anything could go wrong. Not to mention they're no longer in uniform. The condemnation seems to have come from all quarters...
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Why are flights into that country allowed to originate from the States?
Rhiannon12866
(202,970 posts)Rebl2
(13,303 posts)RVN VET71
(2,686 posts)Of course that wont pass the smell test.
It was a foolish act which cannot but hurt both of these yokels in future elections. Moulton because his action suggested he was snooping for dirt on Biden, and the other guy because they didnt find any.
Snackshack
(2,540 posts)Should be expelled from congress for this egregious act of show boating and immaturity. WTF were they thinking, the USA is in the process of a major airlift to evacuate all they can by 31 Aug and these two decide to go there for a tour they should be personally charged for the flight expense and any security they took away from the mission of evacuation to watch over their self inflated sense of importance. This is just unphuckingbelievable .
MAJones
(44 posts)Has shown himself previously to have poor judgement and an ambitious nature. Don't like him.
Cassidy
(200 posts)Boston.com Nov 9, 2020:
"Following each of the past two national elections, Rep. Seth Moulton has been at the forefront of efforts to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi as House Democrats leader."
Massachusetts and the rest of the U.S. deserve better.
Wild blueberry
(6,541 posts)and get in the way and deny two people their flight out.