Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., said Thursday on Newsmax that President Donald Trump's push to regain Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan is a strategically sound move, citing both U.S. security interests and China's growing threat.
Appearing on "Carl Higbie FRONTLINE," Moore said the airfield's location and past U.S. investment make its recovery important.
"No, there's no doubt that that absolutely makes strategic sense," Moore said. "And you know what a tragedy that we actually don't have eyes and ears there right now, considering the billions of dollars and lives that were lost, to be able to even have that location to begin with."
Bagram Air Base, once the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan, has been under Taliban control since the American withdrawal in 2021. Trump, speaking Thursday, said he is actively pursuing its return.
"We gave it to them for nothing. We're trying to get it back, by the way. That could be a little breaking news, we're trying to get it back because they need things from us," Trump said.
Trump added that the base's proximity to China factored heavily into his plans. "We want that base back but one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it's an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons," he said.
Moore echoed that assessment, warning of the challenges posed by Beijing. "Look, China is the near-peer existential threat for the United States. It's certainly something that we need to prioritize and try to deter," Moore said. "And so to me, I think this does make a lot of sense."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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