GOP rep introduces resolution to impeach Austin over Afghanistan withdrawal
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Far-right lawmaker Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) introduced articles of impeachment Friday against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, accusing the Pentagon chief of ignoring key intelligence and pushing through a chaotic 2021 retreat from Afghanistan that resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members.
Mills formally introduced the resolution to impeach Austin just one day ahead of the two-year anniversary of the deaths of the service members.
"High-level officials in this administration blatantly ignored intel that Americans and our allied partners in Kabul would be left behind in harm's way unless the U.S. corrected course in our withdrawal," Mills said in a statement.
"As a result, nearly 200 people, including 13 American servicemembers, were murdered at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan two years ago," he continued. "Because of this clear dereliction of duty, today I am introducing articles of impeachment for Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin."
The American service members and dozens of Afghans were killed Aug. 26, 2021, when two suicide bombers attacked Abbey Gate at the Kabul airport.
The resolution introduced by Mills says Austin engaged in "high crimes and misdemeanors" for failing to properly plan for the withdrawal despite having at least eight months to prepare. The Florida lawmaker also slammed Austin for "strategic and moral blindness" by forcing a hasty retreat that failed to protect American and Afghan lives.
Mills pointed to a messy U.S. withdrawal from Bagram Airfield in July 2021. The Americans left the Afghan forces in charge of the military installation without notifying the new commander.
When the Taliban took control of the base in August, they released thousands of prisoners, including Abdul Rehman Al-Loghri, one of the Abbey Gate bombers.
It's unclear how much support the resolution will have in the House. Republicans have expressed intense passion over impeaching Biden administration officials but have yet to follow through.
The effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has died down, and a resolution from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to impeach President Biden also went nowhere.
The U.S. began its chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in summer 2021 and completed the retreat by the end of August. The pullout allowed the Taliban to take control of the capitol of Kabul and initially left behind thousands of Americans.
Republicans were enraged by the withdrawal and have held hearings in the House this year spotlighting both the chaos and the deaths of the American troops.
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) is also investigating the withdrawal. However, he has faced numerous delays, clashing with Secretary of State Antony Blinken over retrieving the necessary documents and information.
Mills said Friday it was "not enough for Congress to hold committee hearings," calling for more action.
"We must start taking real action to address the complete failure of this administration," the conservative lawmaker said. "The fact that it has been two entire years without any member of this administration being held accountable is unfathomable."
"That changes today," he added.
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Llyod Austin: yes man
Where was the integrity when it came to protecting the troops?
Political appointment from the get to. I'd like to see the send Milley packing as well.
They forgot what they learned at West Point. They sold their souls for advancement.
Maybe the Tuberville freeze on promotions is a good thing right now.
"Top generals contradict Biden, say they urged him not to withdraw from Afghanistan"
They testified under oath to the Senate of the same.
The really sad part is that even if Austin is removed by impeachment and Milley retires, they will make a fortune on the lecture circuit, talk shows, and writing books. Disgusting!
Milley will retire once the Tuberville ‘Hold’ is resolved.
Nothing like a flurry of impeachments to unite the nation.
That was Biden's promise.
I guess calling half the country "fascist" wasn't a good way to do it.
Nor is calling half the nation "radical leftists". You are as guilty as those you dismiss.
I'M NOT THE PRESIDENT
I DIDN'T PROMISE TO UNITE THE COUNTRY
Neither of those statements should keep you from trying.
I have to run right now, but I do have one question:
How come you aren't part of the boycott?
What boycott? The only things I boycott is my birthday and cheap whiskey.
I’ll drink to that.
Fair enough.
As far as the Biden cabinet goes. They earned impeachment
To paraphrase Schopenhauer, opinions ride pendulums. Yippy-oy-vey!
I prefer Keats:
‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.’
[Deleted]
I still want to know what the Afghan withdrawal would have looked like if the original agreement between The Trump Administration and the Taliban of May 1st, 2021 would have been adhered to.
Biden extended it by 90 days. Those who wished to leave had three months. The prior administration had not installed anything to aid in the withdrawal what so ever because it wanted chaos. And that is what happened.
As somebody who was in Afghanistan working the withdrawal, I'd say you couldn't be further from the truth. But hey, anything to distract from the Biden failure right?
No distraction. Trump Administration installed nor planned anything for the withdrawal.
I ask again. What would the withdrawal looked like had the May 1st, 2021 deadline been kept? Answer that. Biden Administration extended it by 90 days and had to implement everything, logistics, supply and necessary personnel to finish it. Trump did nothing except whine about the election. Hell, Trump didn't even have the balls to brief the incoming administration on the situation in Afghanistan. He didn't care and probably never understood the PDB's anyway. The man you support is an oaf.
And then the Afghan government collapsed before the 90 days were up.
And if you were really there you would know this. Wouldn't you?
Then surely you can provide some evidence to what the Trump administration did to prepare for the withdrawal.
He can't because he can't.
Nothing but distraction. To even speculate "what if" scenario's is nothing more than deflection from who is really to blame.
The botched retreat from Afghanistan can only be placed solely on Biden's shoulders. We won't know the answer you are looking for because of Biden's failure. I DO know the withdrawal was moving smoothly before Biden fucked it up. After Biden's failure decision, the Taliban took over, US Citizens were abandoned, 13 Service members were killed and 170 Afghani were killed.
The final decision come from Biden. That had overridden any prior decisions. As you read this, the person you are looking to blame, like it or not, is right there in the WH.
You are purposely ignoring the question. My question had nothing to do with Biden.
I'll ask again. What action did Trump take in preparation of the Afghanistan withdrawal? You claim it did something. What?
You haven't realized I don't care what your question was? It makes no difference what decisions / plans were put in place. Biden fucked it all up like we knew he would. Unfortunately it cost the lives of 13 US Servicemembers and ~ 170 Afghani.
The date of the withdrawal was set at May 1st, 2021. Trump lost the election in November of '20. Just what the fuck kind of preparation was a "former" president to make? Wasn't his job nor his problem, basically, any longer. Don't be so obtuse FFS.
but the former 'president' claimed he was still 'president' or was cheated out of it due to massive fraud by Democrats which is one of the many lies he spewed on 1/6
He can claim anything he wants. The truth is, it became someone else's problem as of November 4, 2020. That is the day the new president should have started the planning to carry through with a plan that was due on his watch.
“What action did Trump take in preparation of the Afghanistan withdrawal? You claim it did something. What?”
He reduced troop levels from 13,000 to 2,500 by mid-Jan 21,
The state department released an after action report that said:
Senior administration officials also failed to make “clear decisions regarding the universe of at-risk Afghans” to be included in the evacuation by the time it started nor had they determined where Afghan evacuees would be taken, it said.
Preparation and planning “were inhibited” by the Biden administration’s reluctance to take steps that could signal a loss of confidence in the Kabul government “and thus contribute to its collapse”.
The complicated department task force structure that was created when the evacuation began proved confusing to many participants, and knowledge management and communication among and across various lines of effort was problematic”.
It's telling that the left will blather on and on about Trump this and Trump that yet they completely ignore everybody else who has made some of the same claims.
Pathetically looking for a reason to place the clusterfuck of a retreat and over 180 deaths on Trump.
He was too busy signing a record number of executive orders reversing every positive thing Trump was accomplishing.
Unreal, the defense of the indefensible continues.
No, it did not become 'someone else's problem' on 11/4/2020 because the former 'president' is still the problem as well as his supporters/enablers and defenders of the indefensible.
The former 'president' did nothing about anything including Co-Vid. Oh wait, he lowered the taxes of those who didn't need their taxes lowered. Gave massive tax breaks to those who didn't need them.
Yes it did. The baton was passed. Own it.
No it did not. The former 'president' never 'passed the baton'. I do not own it. You need to face reality. Own that.
It turns out he cannot claim 'anything he wants'
Read his fourth indictment.
The American people passed the baton unless you believe Trump. It was Biden’s fucking baby when he took the votes and the oath. You lose again.
January 20, 2021. Prior to that, Trump had all the power and Biden was limited to planning. Also, that time between election and inauguration is typically spent building the executive branch.
Once inaugurated, the new PotUS inherits the good and the bad from the former administration and all problems now become the new PotUS' problems. Thus a responsible PotUS attempts to not leave a mess for the next PotUS to clean up.
Who is 'they'?
Do you understand how partisan politics works?
Party loyalists will typically not give an inch nowadays because their opponents will exploit any weakness.
Therefore you will see D loyalists refusing to acknowledge wrongdoings / failures / weaknesses of Biden and you will see a truly spectacular (arguably surreal) level of intellectual dishonesty (delusion?) with R loyalists who refuse to hold Trump accountable and constantly attempt to defend him through deflection, etc. because they realize he will be their nominee.
This is not good for that nation, right? Should loyalists be honest about the good and bad in their party rather than engage in sophistry?
This is the most thoughtful response you can offer for my comment?
You deflected. No surprise.
There was a pull out plan before Biden took over, it contained assumptions that didn’t prove out;
As conditions on the ground rapidly deteriorated, the plans were slow and developed without clear lines of responsibility and delineation weren’t clear.
The point was regarding when the baton is passed. The baton is passed on inauguration day.
One can easily make the case that Trump left Biden with a mess and that Biden did a poor job cleaning up the mess. But that is a different discussion.
Exactly, time machines would be awesome.
Time to drag out Ford, Kissinger and Schlesinger to be impeached over the Mayaguez incident.