By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer
Buried in a flurry of news stories last week was another bad decision by the Biden-Harris administration—a shameful one. They attempted to strike a plea deal with the engineers of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America. The deal would have consigned Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi to life in prison, averting a possible death sentence. Mohammed was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and Bin Attash and al-Hawsawi were key facilitators of the tragedy.
Just two days after the agreement was made, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin revoked it. I’m glad Secretary Austin saw reason and shut down this damaging deal. But the fact that the administration crafted the deal in the first place is deeply concerning—and sadly, it’s characteristic of the Biden-Harris administration’s foreign policy. Rather than supporting our allies and standing firm against our adversaries, this administration shrinks in the face of pressure from left-wing radicals who do not represent the interests of the majority of Americans.
That trend began right after President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office. They oversaw a disastrous withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of 13 American service members—including Nebraska’s own Marine Corporal Daegan Page. Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, the president and vice president have waffled in their support for our enduring ally in the Middle East. It’s unfortunate, but it’s no surprise that under their administration prosecutors would strike a deal with the criminals behind the worst terror attack our nation has ever seen.
Prosecutors said this plea deal was arranged to bring “finality and justice” to the case against Mohammed, bin Attash, and al-Hawsawi, but nothing could be further from the truth. The deal coddled terrorists who hate America, and it was an affront to the families of the almost 3,000 people murdered in the 9/11 attacks.
What will bring finality and justice to this case? Not negotiating with terrorists. Not letting them off easy. Instead of catering to foreign extremists, the government must consider the Americans whose children, spouses, and parents were killed by these terrorists. The administration must deliver swift and full justice—with the victims in mind, not the perpetrators.
It’s good that Secretary Austin stopped this deal before it was finalized. But the Biden-Harris administration must reconsider its foreign policy. A presidential administration’s primary responsibility is to defend this nation. President Biden and Vice President Harris have abdicated that responsibility repeatedly and flagrantly—from the southern border, to the Afghanistan withdrawal, to last week’s plea deal. It’s three and a half years past time for a change of course.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.