A bodyguard dresses in a suit was quick to usher the demonstrated away, but not before pressing the Democratic White House hopeful and failed senate candidate. Beto O’Rourke was confronted by a self-identified Afghanistan veteran on his policy for withdrawing troops at a campaign event in South Carolina.
The former congressman from Texas said that under his administration, there would be an understanding that the U.S. is not capable of determining the internal affairs of another nation and that he would pull out U.S. troops after Afghanistan without hesitation.
“You have the humility of understanding that, as powerful as we are, we cannot determine the internal affairs of other countries,” the candidate said, as a bodyguard stood between him and the questioner with a hand on O’Rourke’s waist.
The veteran wasn’t satisfied and pushed O’Rourke for specifics while holding a beer at the Charleston event.
“Right, but how are you going to get us out of there?” the veteran said.
O’Rourke replied that he would just bring the troops home.
“I understand that. But I served there. It’s not as easy as just ‘time to go home.’ What’s your plan for getting us out and not leaving the country the shitshow it is,” the veteran responded to O’Rourke.
O’Rourke continued speaking but did not give specifics on a plan to withdraw troops from the country.
“I think the longer we stay, the longer we persist in any foreign policy that has no expectation of succeeding. And as hard as that is for us to swallow as Americans, it is in some way accepting that we are not going to achieve every goal we have in that country,” he said.
During the back-and-forth, the bodyguard keeps his back to the veteran and into a more open space. An aide finally interrupted the veteran and O’Rourke and separated them.
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