Doug Mastriano's campaign has issued the following press release:
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania/August 15, 2022 – Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, Colonel Doug Mastriano (Retired), today issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan:
“Today, I am reflecting upon the one-year anniversary of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. The sadness is still palpable and real. Yet, this pales in comparison to the grief of the families of the 2,312 Americans who lost their lives throughout the war, the anguish of the 20,066 who were wounded, and the 13 marines who were killed during the chaotic exit.
“During my 30-year career in the U.S Army, I had the honor of serving in Afghanistan for three different deployments where I led a NATO unit comprised of about 80 men and women from 18 different nations. One of my most cherished memories was a mission to help Afghan children in orphanages. We delivered pallets of clothing, blankets, food, toys, and toiletries to bring some relief to the kids. Today, I am thinking of those orphans (most who are now adults) now living under the horror of Taliban leadership.
“The end of the mission in Afghanistan should not have occurred this way. The Biden Administration’s chaotic retreat of American forces from Afghanistan during the height of the annual fighting season was the epitome of madness. The cut and run strategy proved to be the greatest failure of American foreign policy since the fall of Saigon in 1975. It’s not a coincidence that Vladimir Putin took notice of our weakness in calculating his decision to invade Ukraine a few months later.
“To my fellow veterans of the Afghanistan War, I thank you for your commitment and sacrifice. You answered the call after our nation was attacked on 9/11. You held back the forces of darkness and gave a generation of Afghans hope.
“You were willing to give your all for our nation and our people. There is no greater love than this.”
To learn more about Mastriano for Governor and his policy plan, please visit www.doug4gov.com/plan. You can follow Mastriano on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
