A number of local legislators are weighing in on America's withdrawal from Afghanistan after soldiers had been deployed there since the early 2000s.

President Joe Biden defended his decision to pull U.S. forces from the country saying that he stands "squarely behind" his decision.

A number of images, including those of hundreds of people running alongside a U.S. Air Force plane as it went down a runway, have circulated in the last few days as the Taliban continues to takeover.

The Taliban captured Afghanistan's capital Kabul and Afghanistan's president has since left the country.

Local legislators including Tim Ryan and Bill Johnson have released statements on the situation. You can read their take on the events below.

Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH)

Finally, Joe Biden came out today to address the American people about the dire situation in Afghanistan. Instead of taking ownership of his administration's failure in Afghanistan, he chose instead to blame President Trump, the Afghan people, and anyone who isn't named "Joe Biden." As a 26-year veteran of the Air Force, I learned how to take responsibility. Joe Biden's failure to take responsibility for this catastrophe is humiliating for him; but much more importantly, it will have drastic consequences across the globe.

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH)

"As my team and I keep a close eye on the situation in Afghanistan, my heart and gratitude are with the men and women of the U.S. military who have served and sacrificed so much, the American civilians fleeing the country, and the Afghan nationals who served as crucial allies in our mission there.

"The scenes on the ground are heartbreaking and we need to do everything in our power to get those in harm's way to safety. I have grave concerns about intelligence estimates of the strength of the Afghan military, the execution of the withdrawal, and what it means for our national security moving forward. For the safety of our troops, our country, and the Afghan people, it is absolutely critical that we understand where things went wrong so that we can prepare for the new reality on the ground."

"Given the Taliban's history of providing safe haven for terrorist organizations, we must be very aggressive in our counter terrorism activities while also providing safety to the Afghan citizens and resetting our policies to face the many global challenges ahead."

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)

 

Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)