LAKELAND, Fla.—Representative Scott Franklin (FL-15), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a Navy veteran, today issued the following statement in response to reports of the deaths of at least 12 servicemembers in Afghanistan from two ISIS suicide bombers:

“I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were killed in the cowardly terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan today. I am praying for the fallen and for a speedy recovery for the injured.

Today, one of the worst U.S. foreign policy disasters in decades reached a new low with the deaths of at least 12 U.S. servicemembers. Our enemies are taking advantage of the weakened position the Biden Administration has placed America in through its reckless withdrawal from Afghanistan. With this hasty and ill-conceived exit, President Biden emboldened our enemies, placed doubt in the minds of our allies, and betrayed the confidence of the American people.

In response, all military options must be on the table to facilitate the extraction of Americans who now find themselves stranded behind enemy lines. We must make clear to the Taliban and any other adversaries that we will stay as long as it takes to accomplish this mission and we will eliminate anyone who attempts to prevent us.

Our top priority must be to rectify the Biden Administration’s self-inflicted disaster. Once we do that, Congress will engage in a thorough and complete investigation into how and why the failure in Afghanistan was allowed to happen. The American public, our allies who supported us in this cause, and most important, the veterans and families of those who served expect and deserve answers. America’s credibility as a global leader and guardian of freedom has been severely damaged. The path to restoration of faith and trust must begin with the truth.”