Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told Newsmax on Wednesday night if a report that Russian President Vladimir Putin is negotiating with the Taliban to secure U.S. weapons left behind after its withdrawal from Afghanistan is accurate, that would be another example of what a "disaster" the Biden administration has become.
The Telegram account of General SVR, widely reported to be run by a former Russian intelligence officer, said Tuesday that Putin is negotiating with the Taliban, which Russia, like the U.S., considers a terrorist group, by offering to recognize the government in exchange for weapons badly needed by the Russian army as it struggles to gain ground in the 11-month war against Ukraine.
"The Taliban possess weapons and equipment that are scarce for the Russian army at the front, including those seized after coming to power in Afghanistan," the post read.
Following its rapid retreat from Afghanistan in August 2021, the U.S. left behind more than $7.1 billion in military equipment, including rifles, machine guns, drones, armored vehicles, and helicopters.
"This hits home very personally for me," Banks, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, told "Rob Schmitt Tonight." "I served in Afghanistan. I was part those efforts of turning military equipment over to the Afghan army, Afghan police so they could fight back against the Taliban. To find out all of those weapons ... are going to end up in the hands of one of our biggest enemies at the same time as we're spending tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine to fight back against the same people we have given inadvertently our own weapons to, it just goes to show what a disaster Joe Biden has been as president, as commander in chief.
"The end of the Biden administration can't come soon enough."
Banks said he was happy to see Germany agree to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine and give the green light for Poland to do the same. The move comes at the same time as Biden promised to send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Banks said Europe needs to play a larger role in the conflict in its backyard.
"It is good to see Europe is finally doing a little bit more, stepping up to the plate," said Banks, who will not seek reelection in 2024 in order to run for Indiana's U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Mike Braun. "... I'm glad to see that Germany is actually doing something and sending tanks of their own.
"But [the Biden] administration has been an absolute debacle and an embarrassment in how [it] has handled Ukraine from the beginning, and even beforehand. I would argue the reason Putin invaded Ukraine to begin with is because of the weak Biden administration and the posture of Joe Biden himself."
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