At an emotionally-charged event in Escondido, California, Gold Star family members spoke out about the Afghanistan withdrawal and had stern words for the Biden administration.[Source]
The event, titled “Afghanistan Gold Star Families Public Forum,” was hosted by Mayor Dane White and Rep. Darrel Issa (R-CA). At this gathering, relatives of the thirteen valiant service members who tragically lost their lives in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on August 26, 2021, came together to share their heart-wrenching experiences.
“Did they have to die? Could we have acted differently? I apologize that we didn’t take action sooner,” Issa commented, setting the mood for the forum. [Source]
SSG Taylor Hoover’s mother, with a voice trembling with emotion, was candid in her sentiments. “Incompetent, cowards, evil,” she pronounced, placing the blame firmly on Biden, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. [Source]
Her anguish was mirrored by Hoover’s father, who criticized the Biden administration for not fulfilling “their end of the contract.” With fervor, he proclaimed, “I’m calling out Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin, General Milley… and, ultimately, the president. Our sons and daughters possess more integrity in their little toes than all of them combined.” [Source]
Nicole Gee’s mother provided a touching insight, emphasizing the personal toll of the administration’s actions. “When our leaders, including the secretary of defense and our commander in chief, labeled this a ‘success,’ it felt like a knife in the heart,” she expressed. To her, and many others, deeming the incident a ‘success’ was the epitome of disrespect. [Source]
Dylan Merola’s mother presented another heart-rending account, accusing Biden of seeming “heartless.” “Had they closed the gate, my son would be here today,” she asserted. [Source]
Joining the myriad voices seeking answers was Humberto Sanchez’s mother, who proclaimed, “The commander in chief failed in the oath he took… I will persistently seek the truth until my last breath.” [Source]
As the event concluded with Rep. Issa vowing to unearth the truth, the words of Hunter Lopez’s mother resonated: “As Gold Star families, we are entitled to the truth. We deserved it two years ago, and we demand it now.” [Source]
The poignant statements from the Gold Star families epitomize a shared sentiment: a profound sense of betrayal and disillusionment with the leadership that oversaw the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Their sincere testimonies underscored the gap between the administration’s portrayal of “success” and the grim reality these families endured.