'Biden has blood on his hands': Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers slam US president after Kabul blasts
Joe Biden and Donald Trump
Former US president Donald Trump and other Republican lawmakers have lashed out at Joe Biden after deadly bomb blasts rocked Afghanistan's capital Kabul, killing at least 13 US soldiers among others on Thursday (August 26).
"This tragedy should never have been allowed to happen, which makes our grief even deeper and more difficult to understand," said Trump, who is a staunch critic of Biden over the Afghan crisis.
Soon after the explosions, Biden addressed the media at the White House. He condemned the attacks and paid tributes to the US soldiers who lost their lives in the suicide bomb blasts outside Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport.
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Several Republicans also slammed Biden.
"Joe Biden is responsible," said Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. "It is now clear beyond all doubt that he has neither the capacity nor the will to lead. He must resign."
"Joe Biden has blood on his hands," tweeted Representative Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking Republican in the House. "The buck stops with the President of the United States," Stefanik said.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks as more than 60 people have lost their lives; Biden has promised to avenge the fallen soldiers, who according to the President were engaged "in a dangerous mission to save the lives of others" and said that the United States will "hunt down" the attackers and "make them pay".
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"It is time for Congress to act quickly to save lives," Representative Kevin McCarthy said. "Our enemies have taken advantage of the chaotic nature of the withdrawal."
McCarthy said House speaker Nancy Pelosi "must bring Congress back into session before August 31 so that we can be briefed thoroughly and comprehensively by the Biden administration."
McCarthy also called on Biden to "take decisive action to protect our troops, our citizens, and our allies without regard for an arbitrary deadline."
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell called the Kabul attack "enraging" and said, "we need to redouble our global efforts to confront these barbarian enemies who want to kill our Americans and attack our homeland."
As he concluded the media interview, Biden informed that he has asked the Pentagon to develop plans to strike back at Islamist militants. He said, "I've also ordered my commanders to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities."