Joe Biden on Sunday attended the dignified transfer of the American service members killed in a pair of explosions near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
The president flew in Air Force One along with first lady Jill Biden to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware where they met with some of the families of the 13 service members killed in the attack.
“The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others,” Biden said in a written statement earlier Sunday. “Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far. May God protect our troops and all those standing watch in these dangerous days.”
The families of 11 of the service members killed in the attack by the terror group known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province allowed media to document the event while the remains of the other two service members were transferred out of public view.
President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, watch during a casualty return at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, for the 13 service members killed in the suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
“The dignified transfer is not a ceremony; rather, it is a solemn movement of the transfer case by a carry team composed of military personnel from the fallen member’s respective service,” Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations said.
Sunday marked the first time Biden has overseen the return of slain U.S. service members since taking office in January.
“Jill and I are just getting back from Dover Air Force Base in my home state, where we met with the families of 13 fallen heroes in Afghanistan who lost their lives in the service of our country,” Biden told press Sunday.
It's true. Joe Biden checked his watch during the dignified transfer of the servicemembers killing in Afghanistan at the airport. You can see him jerk his left hand to pull the watch out from under his sleeve, then look down at it. pic.twitter.com/M3QVzJbTIm
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 29, 2021
The 13 service members killed included 11 Marines, one Army soldier and one Navy corpsman, ranging in age from 20 to 31.
They were the first U.S. troops killed in hostile action since February 2020.
The U.S. responded to the attack Friday night with a drone strike targeting the planners of the attack.
Biden said in a statement that the strike wouldn’t be the last and U.S. forces “will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay.”
On Sunday, the United States launched a defensive drone strike on a suspected car bomb.
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It doesn’t say what, if anything, was said by the families, but I would have found it to be very hard to bite my tongue. The Three Stooges, along with Biden’s wife, was great optics, however—they’re having to do everything they can to save face.
Hell, i am shocked the parents/families didn’t tell him “STAY THE HELL AWAY, we don’t want you here!”
Hey Biden, Lloyd Austin and Mark Milley, are our dead heroes the “white rage, white supremacists” you clowns talk about? Biden, Austin and Milley, you are a disgrace to America and the American flag.
AND to everyone who’s ever served!
These traitors had no business being there. Their presence detracted from the ceremony. The only way they could have contributed to the ceremony, would be to stand in front of a firing squad with blindfolds and a last cigarette.
IF i was in charge of that squad, i would have NOT GIVEN HIM a blind fold, and to HELL WITH giving him a ‘last cigarette!
I wouldn’t want that Babbling Idiot anywhere near my son’s/daughter’s flag-draped coffin
I think the roles should have been reverseds. Three dead senior politicians of the USA and 13 alive marines and sailor.
+1000000 to that. Start with pelosi, AOC< Omar, Talib, Kamala, Biden, Obama, Eric holder, Bill barr, Jeff sessions and Loretta lynch… That to me would be a great start.
I hope the families of these dead young soldiers at least turned their backs on them if not spit on them. Bite Me isn’t the president, they murdered these soldiers and they’re facilitating Hussein Bozo’s silent coup. What a disgraceful show–Winken, Blinken and Nod with Camel Toe conspicuously absent and living up to her vow not to get blamed for “this **** show”. As an added insult Bite Me checked his watch–wouldn’t want to miss his rendeveax with the daily twelve year old they provide him with when he ends the news briefing. What a POS POTUS.
I would have LOVED TO see them all turn their back on him when he showed up…
You guys have said it all ,it certainly was disgraceful he should have taken his nap .