Congress Honors 13 Troops Lost in Kabul Withdrawal Amid Blame Debate

In a significant ceremony taking place Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson will posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to 13 U.S. service members who lost their lives during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. This event, set against the backdrop of an impending presidential election, highlights the deep political divisions surrounding the issues of accountability for the withdrawal.

The legislation to honor the 13 fallen troops received bipartisan support, passing through both the House and Senate. These service members were killed in August 2021 during a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate, located near Kabul’s Airport; the attack also resulted in over 170 Afghan casualties. President Joe Biden signed this legislation into law in December of the same year. Top leaders from both parties in Congress are slated to speak at the ceremony scheduled for the Capitol Rotunda.

However, the ceremony occurs amid ongoing disputes about the causes of the rushed and deadly evacuation from Kabul. Coincidentally, Johnson’s event is scheduled just hours before a crucial debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, intensifying the political climate surrounding it.

In the lead-up to the ceremony, House Republicans released a critical report that scrutinizes the withdrawal process, placing most blame on Biden’s administration while downplaying Trump’s involvement, despite the former President signing the withdrawal deal with the Taliban. Johnson, an ally of Trump, has publicly praised the report, which was spearheaded by Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“We must not allow the Biden-Harris Administration to rewrite history,” Johnson stated. He emphasized the need for accountability towards the families of the fallen servicemen and those allies left behind in Afghanistan.

In contrast, White House national security spokesman John Kirby described the House report as partisan and lacking in new insights. He pointed out inaccuracies within the report and highlighted that evacuation plans had been underway long before the withdrawal actually took place. Kirby also acknowledged the chaotic nature of the evacuation effort, asserting that not everything unfolded as anticipated and affirming that accountability for the tragic deaths rests collectively with U.S. leadership.

Meanwhile, Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed concerns about the political motivations behind the report. He stated that the focus has shifted towards sensational headlines rather than acknowledging the full factual context of the investigation.

Pentagon assessments have determined that the suicide bombing was unavoidable, disputing the theory that troops potentially had prior knowledge of the bomber’s presence. Despite this, Trump has made the withdrawal a central theme of his campaign, voicing support from some families of the service members killed in the attack.

In a recent event at the Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of the bombing, Trump faced scrutiny for his political activities there, which contravened cemetery rules regarding partisan conduct. Family members of the fallen have defended Trump, calling for serious consideration of the House report and accountability for leadership failures during the evacuation.

One Gold Star family member, Paula Knauss Selph, who lost her son Ryan Knauss in the bombing, remarked that while Trump is “certainly not perfect,” she believes he is preferable to the current administration’s handling of events since the withdrawal from Kabul.

The ongoing debate has also seen Republicans targeting Harris, highlighting her role in the decision-making process. However, neither independent reviews nor extensive investigations have established that she significantly influenced the course of the withdrawal.

Republicans, however, continue to assert that both Harris and Biden’s national security team must be held accountable for the withdrawal’s consequences. “Kamala Harris wants to be the president of the United States. She wants to be commander in chief. She needs to answer for this report immediately,” said New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler.

Despite claims of partisanship, McCaul characterized the investigation as essential for understanding the facts surrounding the withdrawal, claiming it faced resistance from the Biden administration. He argued that the investigation revealed truths that the administration was reluctant to confront.

Overall, evaluations of the withdrawal stress that both Trump and Biden share responsibility for the chaotic end to America’s long involvement in Afghanistan. The U.S. government’s chief watchdog for the war noted that Trump’s 2020 deal with the Taliban played a crucial role in the rapid collapse of allied Afghan forces, while Biden’s decision to proceed with the planned withdrawal exacerbated the situation.

As the ceremony approaches, it emphasizes not only the valor and sacrifice of the 13 service members but also the complex and often contentious conversation surrounding the events that unfolded during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Source: Associated Press