Boris Johnson takes swipe at Biden as MPs hammer Prime Minister on Afghanistan retreat

Boris Johnson opens recalled Parliament

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Boris Johnson has been facing criticism from his own MPs over the management of the evacuation of British nationals and Afghan staff from Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul into the hands of Taliban insurgents. Mr Johnson blamed Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw US troops for the turn of events as he insisted the UK would not have been able to lead a “successful” response without “American might.” The Prime Minister said: “The sacrifice in Afghanistan is seared into our national consciousness, with 150,000 people serving there from across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom – including a number of members on all sides of the House whose voices will be particularly important today.’

“As for our Nato allies and allies around the world, when it came for us to look at the options that this country might have in view of the American decision to withdraw we came up against this hard reality.

“That since 2009, America has deployed 98 percent of all weapons released from Nato aircraft in Afghanistan and at the peak of the operation – where there were 132,000 troops on the ground – 90,000 of them were American.

“The West could not continue this US-led mission, a mission conceived and executed in support of America… without US logistics, without US airpower, and without American might.”

President Biden announced he would pull all US troops from Afghanistan by September 11 but most servicemen had already been redeployed elsewhere by the time the Taliban launched into a swift takeover mission across the country.

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The US leader has been met with increasing criticism’s decision has been met with increasing criticism, with detractors accusing him of abandoning loyal Afghan staff to potential retaliation for collaborating with Western forces.

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat brought the Commons to silence with an electrifying speech in which he brutally condemned Mr Biden for his actions.

Mr Tugendhat said: “To see their Commander-in-Chief call into the question the courage of men I fought with, to claim that they ran is shameful.

“Those who have not fought for the colours they fly should be careful about criticising those who have.

“This is a harsh lesson for all of us and if we’re not careful it could be a very, very difficult lesson for our allies.”

He added: “It doesn’t need to be. We can set out a vision, clearly articulate it, for reinvigorating our European Nato partners, to make sure that we are not dependent on a single ally, on the decision of a single leader, that that we can work together with Japan and Australia, France and Germany, with partners large and small and make sure we hold the line together.”

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