Samuel Case , FISM News
A Group of 25 Republican Senators wrote a letter to the Pentagon demanding answers for missing U.S. weapons, vehicles, and supplies that have fallen into the hands of the Taliban in the midst of America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“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 letter, led by Senator Marco Rubio, read. “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. “
Beyond excoriating the Biden administration’s withdrawal efforts, the senators also requested information on the following items:
1. A full account of military equipment provided to the Afghan Armed Forces in the last year;
2. All military equipment, owned by either the U.S. or Afghan Armed Forces, that was removed or destroyed
prior to the U.S. withdrawal, or is rendered inoperable without U.S. logistics personnel;
3. All U.S. military equipment that remains operational in Afghanistan;
4. A list of what military equipment has been seized by the Taliban;
5. An assessment of how long it will take the Taliban to use each of the captured equipment;
6. An assessment of the likelihood that the Taliban will seek to work with Russia, Pakistan, Iran, or the People’s Republic of China for training, fuel, or infrastructure necessary to utilize the equipment they do not have the capabilities to use on their own; and
7. Any efforts by the administration, planned or underway, to recapture or destroy equipment that remains in Afghanistan and is at risk of being used by terrorist entities.
This comes as more images emerged of Taliban fighters wearing US gear and taking over stockpiles of weapons. According to Reuters, the Taliban has seized billions worth of U.S. assets, including an estimated 600,000 assault rifles, some 2,000 armored vehicles, and 40 aircrafts. As a result the Biden administration is reportedly considering launching airstrikes to destroy larger U.S. equipment to prevent further assets from being taken over by the terrorist group.