EXPOSED: GOP Hypocrisy on Afghanistan

August 17, 2021

In a nakedly political about-face, Republicans have spent the last few days attacking the same Afghanistan withdrawal they previously praised. Even worse, House Republicans who had the audacity to vote against visas for Afghans who helped U.S. troops are now shamelessly looking to score political points.

The Republican Party can’t seem to get their message straight but one thing is clear: hypocrisy runs deep in their party from the top down.

Washington Examiner: These prominent Republicans loved Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal plan. Until they didn’t

  • A number of high-profile Republican lawmakers who previously praised President Joe Biden’s plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan quickly changed their tunes as Taliban forces conquered Kabul and large swathes of the country in recent days.
  • Most prominent was former President Donald Trump. In April, the 45th president called Biden’s plan to withdraw a “wonderful and positive thing to do” but insisted that Biden’s original deadline of Sept. 11 be moved up to earlier in 2021.
  • Trump’s former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz both also supported Biden’s original withdrawal timeline but issued scathingly critical attacks against the administration over the past week.

Newsweek: Full List of 16 Republicans Who Voted Against Visas for Afghans Who Helped U.S. Troops

  • On July 22, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to provide 8,000 more visas under the SIV program for Afghan interpreters, contractors and other U.S. allies who may be vulnerable as the Taliban seizes the country.
  • The Republicans who voted against the resolution were: Andy Biggs of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Bob Good of Virginia, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Jody Hice of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Barry Moore of Alabama, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Bill Posey of Florida, Matthew Rosendale of Montana and Chip Roy of Texas.
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