CHICAGO – Vice President Kamala Harris touted her foreign policy record and support of veterans during her Democratic National Convention (DNC) acceptance speech, while leaving out the 13 U.S. service members who were killed during the White House’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
“I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. And I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong Un, who are rooting for Trump. Because they know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors. They know Trump won’t hold autocrats accountable — because he wants to be an autocrat,” Harris touted from the DNC’s stage in Chicago Thursday evening.
“As president, I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals. Because, in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand — and where the United States of America belongs.”
Harris also celebrated her foreign policy record as vice president, including her handling of the yearslong war in Russia.
Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage on Day 4 of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on Aug. 22, 2024. (REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid)
“Five days before Russia attacked Ukraine, I met with President Zelensky to warn him about Russia’s plan to invade. I helped mobilize a global response — over 50 countries — to defend against Putin’s aggression. And as President, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies,” she added.
Harris touting her record on foreign affairs comes years after the Biden administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members defending the Kabul airport during the operation, while hundreds of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan allies were left in the country under Taliban rule. Critics such as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the withdrawal paved the way for adversaries such as Russia to invade Ukraine.
The Taliban claimed control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal.
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During the Republican National Convention last month in Milwaukee, families of those killed during the withdrawal took the stage for 20 minutes in an emotional remembrance of the service members.
A U.S. Marine grabs an infant over a fence of barbed wire during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 19, 2021. (Courtesy of Omar Haidiri/AFP via Getty Images)
“Look at our faces. Look at our pain, and our heartbreak. And look at our rage. [The Afghanistan withdrawal] was not an extraordinary success,” Cheryl Juels, the aunt of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, said. “Joe Biden owes the men and women who served in Afghanistan a debt of gratitude, and an apology.”
Harris previously confirmed that she was the “last person in the room” with Biden before he made the decision to withdraw and also told the media that she was “comfortable” with the operation that ultimately turned deadly and chaotic.
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Taliban fighters celebrate the third anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from Afghanistan in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)
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Harris went on to praise veterans and the military during her DNC speech, without a mention of the Afghanistan withdrawal and those who lost their lives.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on Day 4 of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on Aug. 22, 2024. (REUTERS/Kevin Wurm)
“I stood up for veterans and students being scammed by big, for-profit colleges, for workers who are being cheated out of their wages, the wages they were due for seniors facing elder abuse,” she said.
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Harris rose to the top of the Democratic ticket last month, when Biden dropped out of the race amid mounting concern over his mental acuity and age. Harris accepted the nomination this week, vowing she would serve all Americans, no matter their political party, if she is elected to the Oval Office.
Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage on Day 4 of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on Aug. 22, 2024. (REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid)
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“My entire career, I have only had one client. The People. And so, on behalf of the People, on behalf of every American. Regardless of party. Race. Gender. Or the language your grandmother speaks. On behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey. On behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with. People who work hard. Chase their dreams. And look out for one another. On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth,” she said.
“I accept your nomination for President of the United States of America.”
