US Service Members Killed in Afghanistan Honored with Congressional Medal, Reports Reuters

By Patricia Zengerle

In a somber ceremony on Tuesday, U.S. congressional leaders posthumously honored 13 service members who lost their lives in the suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport on August 26, 2021, during the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The event, presided over by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, unfolded amidst ongoing accusations from both parties regarding the politicization of the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal, which is just eight weeks before upcoming U.S. elections.

"While we can never truly measure your loss, we must memorialize the ultimate sacrifice that was made," Johnson expressed to the family members of the fallen troops.

The day prior, House Republicans released a significant report criticizing President Joe Biden’s administration for its handling of the withdrawal process. This ceremony coincided with a pivotal moment in the election cycle, as Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, was scheduled to debate former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, later the same day.

Democrats maintain that some responsibility for the chaotic end of the war—which occurred less than seven months into Biden’s presidency—should also be directed at Trump, who initiated the withdrawal by negotiating a deal with the Taliban in 2020.

Republicans, however, have rejected this argument as mere politicization, asserting that Biden had the option to either disregard Trump’s agreement or enforce it effectively. They have criticized the Biden administration for permitting the Taliban to fail to uphold their commitments and for not being forthcoming with the American public.

Trump has faced backlash for producing a campaign video at Arlington National Cemetery, where he participated in a ceremony honoring troops lost during the evacuation.