U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) | Facebook
U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) | Facebook
With billions in American-supplied military equipment now reportedly in the hands of Afghan forces, Senate Republicans are demanding a full accounting from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“My colleagues and I are asking the Secretary of Defense to explain to us and the American people how and to what extent we left U.S. military weapons and assets behind in Afghanistan that can, and likely will, be used by the Taliban and terrorists in the aftermath of this disastrous withdrawal,” Sen. John Boozeman (R-AR) posted on Facebook Aug. 19.
Among the equipment now believed to be in the hands of Taliban fighters in the wake of their sudden takeover of the country is ammunition, guns, helicopters and more, ABC News reported.
A U.S. defense official recently confirmed to The Associate Press that the equipment cache lost is “enormous.”
In a letter to Austin signed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and 24 other senators including Boozman, the loss was described as “unconscionable."
“It is unconscionable that high-tech military equipment paid for by U.S. taxpayers has fallen into the hands of the Taliban and their terrorist allies,” the senators wrote. “Securing U.S. assets should have been among the top priorities for the U.S. Department of Defense prior to announcing the withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
Among the pressing demands and questions that senators directed at Austin were calls for an exhaustive list of what was left behind when American troops left the region, what was destroyed before their departure and what is inoperable without U.S. personnel.
Senators also want to know how long it might take the Taliban to use the captured equipment, along with what are the chances the likes of Russia, Pakistan, Iran or China over time may come to aid them in making use of the supplies.
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