WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Congressman Peter Meijer supports the troop pullout. In a statement yesterday, the freshman Republican said.
"For two decades we have believed our own propaganda that victory was in sight... while thousands of American service members and tens of thousands of Afghan civilians died. I'm encouraged that the Biden Administration has chosen to put strategy and efficacy over short-sighted attempts to manipulate our foreign policy with emotional plays." We spoke with Representative Meijer earlier today.
"I will work with our allies, I will work with the administration to make sure this is being done in a thoughtful and strategic way. I firmly support putting the onus back on regional players, and - frankly - extricating the United States from the middle of a civil war. And this is not going to be ideal. There's no good solution here. But prolonging the inevitable will only result in more death, will only result in putting more Americans in danger, and will not achieve a better outcome ultimately."
13 On Your Side anchor Nick LaFave said, "The Taliban have said they will not negotiate until after all US troops are gone. Are you worried about what's going to happen to Afghanistan after we leave?"
Meijer responded, "I'm of course worried about what's going to happen to Afghanistan. We're not going to be able to completely deal with and shape that conflict. But, I'm also very aware that as we stay there, the more money we spend; a lot of that is not just going to support our allies. But, it's getting siphoned off to attack our forces, to attack our allies as well. So, I don't think it's nearly as clean cut. And just because the Taliban say publicly they're not going to negotiate, does not mean the Taliban are not negotiating."
We reached out for a statement from West Michigan's other congressman, Bill Huizenga. We've not heard back.
On the topic of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause Congressman Meijer is not happy with the CDC. He has advocated vaccinations. He shared photos when he got his. In speaking with us today, he basically said this could do more harm than good.
"The voluntary pause has resulted in cascading stoppages of the J and J vaccine. And now we're able to continue with the Moderna, with the Pfizer, which are currently under FDA emergency use authorization. But the reality is that we are still dealing - and especially in Michigan - with soaring case rates. The top ten highest metropolitan areas - populations over 50-thousand in the country - nine of them are in Michigan. The UK variant is spreading like wildfire. And now we are creating more reasons to be doubtful. Because, if the FDA today at their meeting says, "You know we studied and we recommend people take it again," the damage has been done. There's going to be far more headlines talking about the risk and promoting fear, than ones that are actually communicating that one in a million, one in 1.2 million risk a reaction in a disease that kills, has killed one in 600 Americans."
When asked about his trip to the southern border, Meijer said he didn't understand the magnitude of the problem until he saw it personally. When asked specifically what he'd like to see the Biden Administration do to stem the tide of undocumented immigrants coming to and crossing the border, he said there were no clear solutions. But, he was also critical of Biden's rhetoric, which he sees and encouraging more migrants to attempt crossings. Meijer says he's especially worried more people will die attempting cross when rivers along the border rise as summer months approach.
FULL INTERVIEW:
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