Congressman Walz's Speech About Visiting Afghanistan Is Taken Out of Context
The Claim
A video shows Tim Walz claiming, “when I was in Afghanistan”! Tim Walz should resign in disgrace! He was NEVER in Afghanistan!
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Emerging story
Recently, a video circulating on the X platform, which has garnered millions of views, claims that Democratic Representative Tim Walz was involved in combat during his trip to Afghanistan.
An account called Nicholas Kruge shared the video with the comment, "Tim Walz claiming 'when I was in Afghanistan'! Tim Walz should resign in disgrace!"
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral speech and found the claim to be selective.
A thorough reverse image search conducted by Misbar’s team found that the speech was taken out of context.
2012 Washington Conference Footage Taken Out of Context
After fact-checking the 26-second video that surfaced on social media, it was noted that the term 'The American Legion,' a patriotic veterans organization established by Congress in 1919, appeared in the background while Walz was speaking. This led to further investigation.
The video was found to be part of footage from the Washington Conference held on February 28, 2012, where the theme was 'Supporting Our Nation’s Veterans.' This event included Representative Walz addressing the Commanders Call.
To verify, other videos of Walz available on the American Legion’s website were cross-referenced, confirming that his attire and sunglasses matched those in the video from the 2012 conference.
Walz Urges Prioritization of Troops’ Welfare Over Budget Cuts
The full video runs for 15 minutes and 37 seconds, while the excerpt circulating on social media is from 10 minutes and 49 seconds to 11 minutes and 16 seconds.
In his speech, he highlighted that, for many Americans, particularly those serving in the military, these ideals are not abstract concepts but daily realities. Reflecting on his time in Afghanistan, Walz revealed that American soldiers were more worried about their families' healthcare and pensions than anything else, even though they were in a combat zone. He said, 'When I was in Afghanistan, our troops were worried about their families’ healthcare and their pensions.'
Walz emphasized in his statement the significance of giving those who fight on the front lines top priority. ‘We can make tough decisions, but don’t you dare put those on the front lines on the chopping block,’ he requested.
He noted that there are other areas where budget savings may be made without jeopardizing assistance for our courageous men and women in uniform and asked for a balanced approach to budgeting that guarantees the well-being of service members is never compromised.
Congressman Walz’s 2008 Overseas Trip Investigating Military Healthcare
On January 16, 2008, Congressman Tim Walz returned from a nine-day congressional delegation trip to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Germany, which aimed to investigate military healthcare. Accompanied by Representatives Harry Mitchell and Charles Dent, as well as LTG Eric Schoomaker, Army Surgeon General, Walz, a former Army National Guard member, observed the continuum of care from the battlefield to major medical facilities.
Walz, a 24-year Army National Guard veteran, escorted wounded soldiers through the medical care process, from battlefield traumas to major military medical facilities in Germany.
He also observed that medical records should be centralized in one electronic file to streamline care. 'Digital medical records are important because they help soldiers and veterans document their wartime experiences,' he said.
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