Biden is slammed for appearing to check his WATCH during ceremony marking the return of 13 US troops killed

[Neferti]

Biden is slammed for appearing to check his WATCH during ceremony marking the return of 13 US troops killed in ISIS-K suicide blast in Kabul

President Joe Biden is under fire after appearing to look at his watch just seconds after a salute honoring the return of the 13 US servicemembers killed in Thursday's ISIS-K suicide bombing in Kabul.

The president made the unannounced trip to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday morning as the caskets of the 13 service members killed in the attack were brought back to the United States.

He stood in silence, his right hand to his chest, as a succession of flag draped transfer coffins were carried past him from a C-17 Globemaster plane.

But during the ceremony, Biden appears to jerk his left arm up and look down at his watch, which sparked backlash from veterans and conservative commentators.

The 13 killed on Thursday were Navy corpsman Max Soviak, Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, and Marines Hunter Lopez, Rylee McCollum, David Lee Espinoza, Kareem Nikoui, Jared Schmitz, Daegan Page, Taylor Hoover, Humberto Sanchez, Johanny Rosario, Dylan Merola and Nicole Gee.

Their remains arrived at Dover Air Force Base, at 8am for a 'dignified transfer,' the solemn moment when fallen troops return to American soil.

Biden's apparent checking of his watch sparked fury among veterans, Republican politicians and commenters online.

'Looks like he was being inconvenienced by having to show some respect for these American Heroes [sic],' wrote Desert Storm Army veteran Samuel Williams.

Submarine veteran J Larry Hanna wrote: 'Biden, as the caskets passed before him, had to glance at his watch. Does he have something more important?'

Another veteran wrote: 'After a fallen soldier goes by, Biden shows his true incredibly disrespectful soul, he checks his watch as if he has somewhere else to be. I’m so mad, this is personal slap to all veterans and active duty.'

Republicans also leapt to criticize the president.

Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson, a retired Navy rear admiral, tweeted: 'Apparently our Commander-in-Chief has better things to do than honor the 13 service members who died on his watch? I’m DISGUSTED! God bless these heroes and their loved ones. They deserved better.'

Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said: 'Many of us remember Pres Bush 41 checking his watch during a debate and how awful it looked (even though we all felt same way about that debate.) But this is shocking and will be remembered.'
'Did Joe Biden just check his watch? All of this avoidable death boring you, Joe?' Ian Haworth, an editor for the Daily Wire tweeted.

'There is nothing more important than paying your respects to America's fallen war heroes, Mr. President,' chided Nile Gardiner, a foreign policy analyst and former aide to Margaret Thatcher.

'@joebiden checking his watch during the dignified transfer of American Heroes killed by his incompetence. Despicable. Resign now,' tweeted Boris Epshteyn, a former special assistant to President Donald Trump.

'Our leaders are mindless and weak, tempting our enemies, this is among the saddest periods in US history,' former Fox News commentator, Lou Dobbs tweeted.

Biden and the first lady spent the first part of the morning meeting privately with the families of the fallen.

On Monday morning, as many as five rockets were fired at Kabul airport, with some being intercepted by the C-RAM missile defense system. An official said initial reports did not indicate any U.S. casualties, but that information could change. It wasn't immediately clear who launched them.

The incident came as it was revealed three children were killed in a US drone strike targeting 'multiple suicide bombers' planning an attack on the Hamid Karzai International airport - just hours after Biden warned of the possibility of another attack following last week's that killed 170, including 13 U.S. personnel.

Witnesses said the a strike blew up two cars parked outside a residential building near the airport to the north of Afghanistan's capital. It is believed the vehicles were going to be used in an 'imminent' attack by ISIS-K militants.

Smoke could be seen rising near the airport today, and the sound of the airport's missile defense system could be heard by local residents, some of whom also reported seeing rockets exploding in the air and shrapnel falling into the street - suggesting at least one rocket had been intercepted.

However, rockets appeared to strike Kabul's Salim Karwan neighborhood on Monday, witnesses told the Associated Press. Gunfire immediately followed the explosions, but it wasn't immediately clear who was firing.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement: 'National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chief of Staff Ron Klain have briefed the President on the rocket attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

'The President was informed that operations continue uninterrupted at HKIA, and has reconfirmed his order that commanders redouble their efforts to prioritize doing whatever is necessary to protect our forces on the ground.'

Some 300 American citizens are still waiting to be evacuated from Afghanistan, Secretary of State Andrew Blinken revealed, as he warned that 'this is the most dangerous time in an already extraordinarily dangerous mission'.

The withdrawal of US forces allowed the Taliban to regain power after an almost 20-year war. The President's allies at home and abroad have openly accused Mr Biden of blindsiding them with his rush to exit by August 31 and slammed his bungled handling of the crisis.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ttack.html

[Bobby]

I hope they can get the rest of the soldiers out before the Taliban attacks the airport?

When there will be only the last aeroplane and no soldiers left on the ground it will be very dangerous.

[Black Orchid]

That idiot Biden couldn't even say their names.

[Texan]

That idiot Biden couldn't even say their names.

He doesn't deserve to speak their names.