Republicans And Democrats On The House Foreign Affairs Panel Release Conflicting Reports On The Afghanistan Withdrawal.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Republicans, has released the findings of its three-year investigation into the chaotic withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan in August 2021. In response, Democratic committee members have issued their own minority staff memorandum regarding the investigation.

According to the committee’s report, President Joe Biden and his White House advisers bear responsibility for the events leading up to the August 26, 2021, Abbey Gate bombing, which resulted in the deaths of over 180 people, including 13 U.S. service members. The report suggests that Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was driven by his long-standing belief that the United States should no longer be involved in the country.

The report further alleges that the Biden administration prioritized the optics of the withdrawal over the security of U.S. personnel on the ground. However, the memo issued by the committee’s Democrats highlights that since the withdrawal was initiated during the Trump administration, it cannot be solely used to criticize the Biden administration politically.

The report also acknowledges that both President Trump and President Biden’s decisions to end the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan had serious consequences for the Afghan government and its security.

In response to the Republican-led report, White House spokesperson Sharon Yang stated that it was based on selective facts, inaccurate portrayals, and preexisting biases.

The report claims that committee Democrats, State Department officials, and the White House resisted efforts to investigate the botched withdrawal. This impasse continued until Republicans regained control of the House after the 2022 midterms.

In terms of recommendations, the report issues five conclusions and 23 suggestions for planning noncombatant emergency evacuations.

The report states that the Biden-Harris administration was determined to withdraw from Afghanistan, regardless of the Doha Agreement and the potential costs. The administration ignored the conditions outlined in the Doha Agreement, dismissed the pleas of the Afghan government, and disregarded objections from NATO allies, choosing to unilaterally withdraw from the country.

The report contends that the administration failed to adequately plan for various scenarios, including a noncombatant emergency evacuation (NEO), and only ordered such an evacuation after the Taliban had already entered Kabul.

According to the report, the resulting chaos at Hamad Karzai International Airport in Kabul created an unsafe environment. It accuses Biden of rejecting advice to maintain 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, which ultimately cost the United States the use of the more stable Bagram Air Base. Instead, the civilian airport had to be utilized.

The report asserts that the withdrawal has led to a degradation of U.S. national security, as Afghanistan has once again become a haven for terrorists, including al Qaeda and ISIS-K.

The committee’s analysis suggests that the administration was not transparent in its actions throughout the withdrawal process, from the initial order to go to zero troops until the present day.

During a White House briefing, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby responded to the report, stating that securing Bagram Air Base for use during the evacuation would have required a significant number of additional U.S. troops and a dangerous journey for evacuees over Taliban-controlled territory. Kirby denies any deception, lying, or lack of transparency by the administration.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) expressed his belief that the fall of Afghanistan has emboldened U.S. adversaries and contributed to global unrest, including the war in Ukraine. He emphasized the importance of continuing the investigation after the election to ensure that such events never happen again.