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Back in 1976, I had my first swimming lessons at the U.S. Embassy swimming pool in Niamey, Niger. Little did I know, that experience would shape my career as a U.S. Navy diver.
It wasn’t the pool parties or picnics, or even the movies at the Recreation Center that led me to my 25-year career as a special operations officer. It was the Marines from the Security Guard Detachment who stood watch at the embassy day in and day out.
Though they were often the life of the party, dressing up as elves for Christmas or joking around during picnics, these Marines were true warriors. It was their dedication to protecting us, even at the risk of their own lives, that inspired me to follow in their footsteps and stand watch over the country that had given my family a second chance.
During a press conference following a terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26, 2021, President Biden expressed his frustration, as captured in this Getty Images photo. (Getty Images)
U.S. embassies are considered sovereign U.S. territory. Even local police officers require authorization from the U.S. ambassador, the direct representative of the President of the United States, to enter. I learned this firsthand when my family fled Vietnam a year prior.
US EMBASSY IN NIGER PARTIALLY EVACUATED AFTER MILITARY TAKEOVER, BLINKEN SAYS
My older sister, who was born in the U.S. after my parents married in Ithaca and attended Cornell University, had protected status that enabled us to narrowly escape the communists. Had we remained, my father would have faced imprisonment or execution. The embassy provided a sanctuary and a beacon of hope during our darkest moments.
President Biden has now abandoned his sixth U.S. embassy in less than three years. The first was the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, which occurred just months after my last combat deployment there.
At that time, Afghanistan was relatively stable, and the Afghan National Defense Security Forces were making progress. Our plan was to leave 2,500 special operators as a quick reaction force. However, Joe Biden neither approved nor disapproved the plan, resulting in the tragic loss of 11 Marines, a sailor, and a soldier.
As a contingency, if evacuation became necessary, the 75th Ranger Regiment was prepared to secure Bagram Air Base while we conducted the evacuation. However, Biden’s team handed over Bagram to the Taliban before we could implement any backup plan.
The additional evacuations from U.S. embassies in Ukraine, Belarus, Sudan, Haiti, and now Niger are further evidence of Biden’s failed foreign policy and the perception of weakness. While Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen bows multiple times to greet Xi Jinping, and Secretary of State Tony Blinken makes appearances on talk shows, China, Russia, and Iran are gaining diplomatic influence around the world.
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What was Biden’s excuse? Did we lack the necessary forces? What about the Marine Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) company stationed in Rota, Spain, whose mission is precisely to handle such situations? Or better yet, why not call on the special operators in Northern Niger, in Agadez?
When there is a leadership void in the world, other countries are eager to fill it. In less than three years, our absence on the diplomatic stage has left a significant void. Just as the Abraham Accords brought peace to the Middle East, those same countries are now seeking leadership from China. Meanwhile, Iran is causing trouble in the Persian Gulf, and insurgents in Niger are raising Russian flags.
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What we need in Washington, D.C., are true leaders—not mere bureaucrats or career politicians. We need individuals who have served this nation, not for personal gain or fame, but out of a deep sense of honor and patriotism. This is why I am running for the U.S. Senate against lifelong politician Tim Kaine.
Virginia deserves a representative who shares their values of God, family, and country. But more importantly, Virginia deserves someone who will fight for them and not be swayed by special interest groups. We need a strong legislative branch and a strong judicial branch to provide checks and balances on the executive branch. It’s time to stop surrendering.
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