Republican-led House committee begins Afghanistan withdrawal investigation | Washington Examiner
By: Washington Examiner
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The GOP chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee has requested an expansive set of government documents from the State Department regarding the U.S.'s withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the newly selected chair of the committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, in which he threatened to use the subpoena power of the committee should he not get a response, like he said happened previously.
"Past requests for documents and information on the withdrawal dating back to August 2021 have generally gone unanswered for well over a year. On October 14, 2022, I renewed these requests and requested the preservation of documents related to the withdrawal," the Texas lawmaker wrote. "Therefore, I hereby request that you now provide the Committee these documents without further delay."
McCaul's 10-page letter included a long list of questions he wants answers to that span from before the troops left, to the effects their departure had on Afghanistan. He also is seeking information on reports and intelligence assessments on the Afghan government's viability without the United States' presence dating back to Jan. 1, 2021, as well as information on the threat of ISIS-K, the Islamic State offshoot that is primarily in Afghanistan.
McCaul is also seeking information on the military's decision to leave Bagram Air Base, and how the U.S. forces who conducted the evacuation operation following the Taliban's ascension to power vetted those who were ultimately taken to nearby countries nicknamed "lily pads."
Now that McCaul is chair of the committee, instead of when he was ranking member during the previous Democrat-run Congress, he and the GOP have more power to demand responses from relevant agencies.
McCaul and Blinken met at the State Department earlier in the week.
"It was a truly constructive — at least from our vantage point - successful engagement with the chairman," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday. "Yesterday's engagement with Chairman McCaul was the start of that engagement with the 118th Congress, but we expect a lot more to come."
"We look forward to continuing our engagement with this Congress on those areas that are of interest to them and that most importantly are of priority to the American people," he added.
Article is LOCKED by author/seeder
Tags
Who is online
104 visitors
So now an actual investigation can happen into Biden's call to retreat from Afghanistan.
TRUMP AND HIS SUPPORTERS ARE OFF LIMITS.
"After a week-long deal to reduce violence across Afghanistan , the U.S. and the Taliban signed a historic agreement Saturday that would see U.S. troops start to withdraw, according to a statement issued Friday afternoon by President Donald Trump ." - Feb 29, 2020
US signs historic deal with Taliban, Trump announces, beginning end of US war in Afghanistan and withdrawal of American troops - ABC News (go.com)
"Biden, in an ABC interview that aired Thursday, said he was confronted with that deadline soon after taking office: “Do I say we’re staying? And do you think we would not have to put a hell of a lot more troops?” Even without Trump’s deal, Biden said he “would’ve tried to figure out how to withdraw those troops” and that “there is no good time to leave Afghanistan.” - Aug 19, 2021
Was Biden handcuffed by Trump's Taliban deal in Doha? | AP News
There was NO good solution after almost 20 years in Afghanistan, the American people wanted out and did not want to double down pouring even more lives and tax dollars into the sands of the middle east. It was akin to being asked "What would you do if a rapist jumped on your back, beat him off or let him stay?".
When faced with the two stark options of either investing tons more treasure, time and lives in another country to "stabilize" it without any guarantee of success or to just get out and go home even if it has the "appearance" of defeat, I'd definitely go with the latter. Did some American allies end up getting the shaft? Yes, and that sucks, but it was far better than the alternative which if continued didn't guarantee those allies survival anyway.
Did you not read the red print? History is on a hiatus.
So he opted for a full out retreat that left $500,000,000 in military equipment and supplies for the enemy and 13 US Servicemembers and at least 100 Afghani civilians dead.
Biden made the call. This puts full responsibility on him and him only.
Versus the other option to spend hundreds of billions more, send more young American troops into harms way almost certainly adding to the already 2,456 troops who have already died there and continue the gorilla war where hundreds of civilians were dying regularly anyway (over 46,000 civilians had died before the withdrawal) in terrorist attacks in retaliation for American occupation.
Biden made the call and any sane American with more than half a brain should clearly support the choice he made. He chose the lesser of two evils, but that of course doesn't mean the choice made wasn't without mistakes, it was just less 'evil' than staying and likely resulted in far less casualties.
I admire your slavish devotion to Biden.
And I feel sorry for those who have tied their broken wagons to the dumpster fire that is the Republican party. I know Biden is merely a placeholder, I have no loyalty to him, but he's clearly a billion times more competent than the conservative Republicans first choice. I don't think Biden will run again but if he does and wins the nomination and his opponent is another mindless piece of shit Qanon conservative fascist MAGA fuckwad, then Biden would once again get my vote.
I believe DeSantis will be the nominee and I don't see any Democrats likely to beat him.
Yep. The only two options were a haphazard, apparently unplanned withdrawal and maintaining the status quo spending hundreds of billions of dollars. The only options are only extremes, always.
Certainly the recommendation by the military that Biden ignored to maintain a reduced force of 2,500 to ensure stability was impossible. Biden obviously knew better than the stupid ass people on the ground.
There are 3rd parties, I have too much integrity to vote for a senile pedophile who also is a racist, but then i'm not a party drone. so neither would get my vote.
Now que the wasted vote fucktards who are going to saddle us with only 2 choices for the next 100 years.
Or continue with the withdrawal plan that was already in action.
He didn't chose the lesser of 2 evils. All Biden had to do was sit there and eat his pudding. Instead he chose a path that caused the death of over 100 people and armed the enemy.
Yep, and I think that fact scares the crap out of the Democrats in DC.
The good old, "my supporters are retards and will believe anything" defense from Biden.
Let's see: Trump had any agreement with Canada for Keystone, Biden changed it
Trump had an agreement with Mexico: Biden Changed it
Trump exited the agreement with Iran: Biden Changed it
Trumped placed travel restrictions on countries: Biden changed it
But the fucking retards somehow believe that Biden had no choice here? How fucking gullible do you have to be?
gullible enough to swallow Biden's lies.
gullible enough to believe Democrats have our best interests at heart.
One only needs to look around to see how childish & demented they are. Here it is a little after 10 Am and they are out trying to make shit float.