Father Of Marine Killed In Kabul: ‘Biden Turned His Back On Him. That’s It.’
The father of one US Marine killed along with 12 other American servicemen during Thursday’s deadly attack at the Kabul Airport has vented his frustration and angst over his son’s death blaming President Joe Biden and saying that the president “turned his back” on his 20-year old son.
As reports continue to come in, the death toll from the deadly terrorist attacks in Kabul has risen from earlier tally — with now more than 200 people estimated to have died in twin suicide bombs near Hamid Karzai International Airport, where American troops are carrying out last-minute evacuation flights out of the country.
The Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility for the incident that caused the death of 10 US Marines, one US Navy medic and two other service members. On the Afghan side, 169 were said to have been killed in the attacks as many others were left wounded.
One of those killed was US Marine Kareem Nikoui, a 20-year old from California deployed to Kabul to help in the efforts of the Biden administration to pull out troops from Afghanistan.
Rest In Peace, Kareem Nikoui.
A young U.S Marine, with a loving and patriotic family, who chose to serve his country honorably.
Biden turned his back on him. pic.twitter.com/zRGCrI7cwh
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) August 27, 2021
Nikoui, was reportedly sent as a “paper pusher” during the ongoing operations at the Hamid Karzai International Airport.
The young Marine’s father, Steve Nikoui, recently spoke to the Daily Beast where he slammed Biden for “turn[ing] his back” on his 20-year old son, Kareem.
“They sent my son over there as a paper pusher and then had the Taliban outside providing security,” the older Nikoui said.
“I blame my own military leaders … Biden turned his back on him. That’s it.”
Nikoui noted that he wants to show “respect to the office” of the President — but what happened to his son is making it “extremely difficult” to do so.
He added that he is still in shock over the unfateful turn of events and hasn’t been able to “grasp everything that’s going on.”
The father told the outlet that all he knew is that his next step is to go to Dover, Delaware to pick up his son’s remains.
Nikoui shared how being a Marine is a dream come true for the young Kareem, noting that his son “loved what he was doing [and] always wanted to be a Marine.”
Father of slain Marine: "Biden turned his back on him" https://t.co/2LpAOMAmbG pic.twitter.com/6Sg0QyMqmo
— The Hill (@thehill) August 28, 2021
US troops more safer under Trump
Nikoui shared how he also felt like his son was more secure when former President Donald Trump was in office when his young son joined the Marines.
“I really believed this guy didn’t want to send people into harm’s way,” the older Nikoui added, referring to former President Trump.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported this month that the Biden administration was aware of the planned Kabul takeover of Taliban forces.
“Democratic President Biden and his top State Department officials were warned that the Taliban would take control of Afghanistan under their plan to withdraw US Armed Forces by August 31,” it said.
The swift takeover of Afghanistan into the hands of the Taliban with little to no resistance came as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said in July that “the Afghan Security Forces have the capacity to sufficiently fight and defend their country.”
But as soon as Biden started pulling out troops in Afghanistan, the Afghan Security Forces and US-backed government — trained by America for 20 years — crumbled in no time, unable to defend Afghanistan.
The US has reportedly spent $2.26 trillion in Afghanistan since 2001 and the unfolding events on the ground were noted by many as a “chaotic, humiliating end” to America’s longest war.
