U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson believes the world is less safe while United States troops have been sent a demoralizing message by the swift fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban.

“As an Army dad and father of a Purple Heart Wounded Warrior, I am deeply concerned about the message an abrupt withdrawal from Afghanistan sends to our brave men and women in uniform, and those Gold Star Families, who have loved ones that made the ultimate sacrifice,” Thompson said in a statement Tuesday.

In July, Thompson said, President Joe Biden gave assurances that a Taliban takeover would not happen.

”A little over a month later, we’re witnessing a total collapse of leadership, an unfolding humanitarian crisis, and a world that is less safe now that terrorist groups will again trying to take a foothold Afghanistan,” the Centre County Republican said.

Thompson’s 15th Congressional District includes McKean, Elk and Cameron counties.

Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators agreed that the Biden administration must focus on getting Americans and endangered allies out of the country.

Sen. Bob Casey Jr., a Democrat, voiced concern for the potential of human rights abuses, particularly aimed at women and girls, as the Taliban reclaims control of the country.

“Now that the Taliban has entered Kabul and has taken control of the government, our allies and defenders of democracy in Afghanistan are in grave danger, particularly women’s rights activists and leaders,” Casey said in a statement. “This is not the time for the usual Washington finger-pointing and pontificating; our immediate priority must be to safely evacuate the Americans, women leaders, activists and human rights defenders who are being targeted by the Taliban.

“Once we have secured a safe evacuation for as many of our allies as possible, Congress should conduct a full review of mistakes made in Afghanistan over the course of 20 years,” Casey added.

He signed a letter from mostly Democratic senators urging the Biden administration to take swift action to protect and support Afghan women leaders following the Taliban seizure of the country.

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, said the situation in Afghanistan “is nothing short of a tragedy.”

“The miscalculation to rapidly withdraw our forces to meet symbolic rather than strategic deadlines has created a rapidly unfolding humanitarian disaster that will lead to only more pain and suffering for the people of Afghanistan,” Toomey said. “It’s incumbent upon the United States to ensure a swift and safe evacuation of American citizens, along with our Afghan partners fleeing the Taliban.”

U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, the Snyder County Republican whose 12th Congressional District includes Potter County, said, “President Biden’s haphazard withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan demonstrates to the American people, our allies, and our adversaries that this decision was made hastily and without a clear plan.

“Now is not the time for President Biden to make excuses,” Keller said, referring to Biden laying at least some of the blame on Afghan government forces who capitulated so easily in the face of the Taliban’s drive on the capital of Kabul.

“This administration must focus on safely evacuating remaining Americans and our allies from the country and develop a plan to triage the national security threat that this shift in power will pose to the U.S. at home and abroad,” Keller said.

Adding on to what Keller called an “unmitigated disaster at the southern border, skyrocketing inflation and rising energy prices, this strategic blunder in Afghanistan is another unfortunate consequence of the Biden administration leading from behind. President Biden is creating crises faster than he is creating solutions.”

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the Taliban have agreed to allow “safe passage” from Afghanistan for civilians hoping to join a U.S.-directed airlift from the capital, according to President Joe Biden’s national security adviser. No timetable for completing the evacuation of Americans, Afghan allies and possibly other civilians has been worked out with the country’s new rulers.

Jake Sullivan acknowledged reports that some civilians were encountering resistance — “being turned away or pushed back or even beaten” — as they tried to reach the Kabul international airport.

The national security adviser said “very large numbers” were reaching the airport and the problem of others was being taken up with the Taliban, whose stunningly swift takeover of the country on Sunday plunged the U.S. evacuation effort into chaos, confusion and violence.