U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan took umbrage at a reporter’s claim the U.S. is not proving itself to be a “global leader” because it has not made “sacrifices” in Afghanistan.
“Leadership requires sacrifice. How can you just claim to be a global leader without making sacrifice?” the reporter, whose name and outlet were not announced, asked Tuesday afternoon at the White House daily press briefing.
“The United States made an extraordinary sacrifice in Afghanistan: 2448 Americans lost their lives in Afghanistan. Tens of thousands of Americans were injured in the war in Afghanistan over 20 years, trying to help that country stand up and being able to defend itself,” Sullivan declared, clearly indignant.
“The United States spent more than a trillion dollars of its resources in Afghanistan,” he continued.
“The amount of sacrifice and solidarity and commitment to Afghanistan, to trying to give it a chance, was immense. And it wasn’t just the United States, many other countries joined us and had their own sacrifice –” Sullivan said, until the reporter interrupted him.
“Excuse me, let me, let me just let me just finish answering the question. And so, so, the idea that there was a lack of sacrifice on the on the part of the American people is belied by the rows of headstones over at Arlington National Cemetery, where people have come home.”
The reporter continued to interrupt Sullivan and he moved on to the next reporter.
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