GOP Probe Reveals No Direct Role by Harris in Deadly Afghanistan Withdrawal

House Republicans have unveiled the findings of an extensive three-year investigation into the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. They claim this report is the most comprehensive public accounting of the chaotic exit that left hundreds of Americans and thousands of Afghan allies behind. The investigation details harrowing scenes, including some desperate individuals clinging to U.S. planes as the last military aircraft departed Kabul in August 2021.

Led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, the report draws from interviews with 18 high-ranking officials and a trove of 20,000 pages of documents. It asserts that the White House, particularly the National Security Council and the State Department, were slow to heed warnings from military leaders about the quickly deteriorating security situation as U.S. troops began their departure.

Importantly, the investigation did not uncover evidence implicating Vice President Kamala Harris in the planning or execution of the evacuation. However, Republicans have pointed to her previous comment claiming she was the “last person in the room” during discussions about the Afghan withdrawal as a basis for criticism. Former President Donald Trump has accused Harris and Biden of causing significant harm to U.S. credibility globally following the evacuation’s turmoil.

During a recent address in Detroit, Trump attributed the chaos in Afghanistan to Biden and Harris, arguing that it has led to a collapse of American respect worldwide. He used the occasion to reflect on the tragic suicide bombing that occurred at Kabul’s airport during the withdrawal, which killed 13 U.S. service members and numerous Afghan civilians.

The Biden administration has dismissed the Republican-led investigation as a partisan effort aimed at furthering political agendas ahead of upcoming elections. The timing of this probe is significant, as it coincides with the first political debate between Harris and Trump, where criticism of the administration’s handling of Afghanistan is anticipated.

McCaul emphasized the long-lasting damage the 2021 chaos inflicted on U.S. credibility, claiming allied nations have lost trust while adversaries such as China, Russia, and Iran have been emboldened. He stated that despite the disastrous execution of the withdrawal, no individuals have faced accountability from either President Biden or Vice President Harris.

In a recent development, McCaul issued a subpoena for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to testify regarding the withdrawal. He has indicated that failure to comply could result in a contempt of Congress charge. In response, the State Department has stated that Blinken has already testified about Afghanistan matters, and they had provided the extensive documentation used in the investigation.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed disappointment over the subpoena, asserting that it signifies Republican unwillingness to engage in productive discussions. He praised the efforts of the State Department employees involved in the evacuation and stressed that Republicans were misrepresenting facts about the situation.

Many elements from the Republican investigation have been reported previously through various media and governmental inquiries. However, some new insights include alarming accounts from embassy personnel during the evacuation. Reports indicate that in a frantic rush, staff members began using Tupperware to collect and destroy sensitive documents as Taliban forces closed in.

Moreover, the report suggests that the National Security Council was delayed in establishing evacuation criteria, with guidelines that changed frequently. The introduction of electronic visa letters, nicknamed “hall passes,” led to confusion and counterfeit copies, forcing the U.S. to abandon this approach.

According to the report, both the State Department and NSC underestimated the imminent threat posed to U.S. personnel as the Taliban gained control over Afghanistan. Ambassador Ross Wilson, who served as the U.S. diplomat in Kabul during the withdrawal, was reportedly hesitant to initiate a military-led evacuation, despite significant efforts by his staff to process necessary paperwork for evacuees.

President Biden has defended the actions of the State Department during the withdrawal. He mentioned that in the 17 days following the Taliban’s takeover, the department undertook an exhaustive effort to assist Americans in leaving Afghanistan. Biden contended that his decision to end the war was rooted in the constraints imposed by a previous agreement made by Trump with the Taliban.

Trump’s agreement had stipulated U.S. troop withdrawal and the release of Taliban prisoners, contingent on the Taliban not cooperating with al-Qaeda or engaging in major attacks. Confronted with the choice of intensifying military operations or concluding a prolonged conflict, the Biden administration chose to amend the intended withdrawal date while maintaining the exodus plan.

As military officials have testified, avoiding further bloodshed and adhering to the agreement made by their predecessor were recurring themes in the decision-making process. General Mark Milley, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time of the withdrawal, reflected on the strategic failures resulting from the evacuation, acknowledging the downfalls of U.S. efforts in the region.

The volatile situation in Afghanistan during the withdrawal remains fiercely debated, and the divergence of perspectives between the parties is likely to persist as the political landscape evolves.

Source: ABC News