Number of Americans Trapped in Afghanistan Exceeds Biden Admin Claims, GOP Lawmaker Says
At least 200 Americans are still stranded in Afghanistan, double the Biden administration's public claim of around 100, according to Rep. Darrell Issa's (R., Calif.) office.
Issa’s office has to date communicated with 68 GOP offices, barely a third of the total caucus, and told the Washington Free Beacon it is aware of at least 201 Americans seeking to return home. Issa’s team worked over the past weeks to free more than 35 individuals from Afghanistan, and says that it is in contact with "several more." Issa's office believes there are far more than 200 still waiting to be rescued.
The information collected by the lawmaker’s office is leading them to conclude that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and senior Biden administration officials are "lowballing" the total number of Americans trapped in Afghanistan after the botched withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country. Blinken testified before Congress earlier this week that he is aware of around 100 Americans who are in contact with the State Department about returning home—a number the administration has repeated for the past weeks.
"This is the number nobody in the White House wants you to know," Issa told the Free Beacon. "State has been intentionally vague, even though they have more information than anyone. That’s why we’re making sure the truth is told. The coverup is over."
Issa and his team disclosed difficulties in dealing with the State Department as they try to free Californians from Afghanistan. Administration officials are said to be overwhelmed by calls and emails from congressional offices on both sides of the aisle that are trying to bring Americans home. After days of back-and-forth, the State Department asked Issa's office in an email to tell Americans: "Do not rely on U.S. government assistance."
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https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/number-of-americans-trapped-in-afghanistan-exceeds-biden-admin-claims-gop-lawmaker-says/