The former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Friday said if President Joe Biden leaves U.S. citizens and allies in Afghanistan, based on the Constitution, he deserves to be impeached.
“We’re duty-bound to get every American citizen out. We’re honor-bound to get those Afghans who fought along our side out,” said Graham during a Friday interview with Fox News, adding, “And here’s what I would say. If we leave any Americans behind, if we leave thousands of those Afghans who fought along our side behind, bravely, Joe Biden deserves to be impeached for a higher crime and misdemeanor, of dereliction of duty.”
Meanwhile, Biden told reporters on Friday that he will evacuate every U.S. citizen who wants to leave the country.
“Any American that wants to come home, we will get you home,” Biden said at the White House in Washington. He made a similar pledge to Afghan allies who helped the United States.
Estimates from the government of how many Americans are stranded in Afghanistan have ranged from 5,000 to 15,000. Officials have said they’re not sure of the number in part because Americans do not have to report to the government when they travel to foreign countries.
The British and French governments have sent troops into the interior of Afghanistan to extract their citizens, while the United States has its troops in and around the airport in Kabul, to protect those who can reach the airport and get out on flights.
Graham told Fox News that the U.S. military should do what countries like the UK and France are doing, and go into Afghanistan for the specific purpose of getting those U.S. citizens out who cannot get to the airport because the Taliban is threatening their lives.
“The French and the British are willing to send their forces inside of Afghanistan to extract the people who helped them and their citizens,” said Graham. “I think the commander in chief owes it to every American citizen and owes it to the Afghans who fought along our side to get them out because if we leave them behind, they’re going to get slaughtered,” Graham said.
By Masooma Haq
