House GOP Doubles Down On Major Investigation
The investigation led by House Republicans into the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal is intensifying, with the committee now seeking additional testimonies from key military figures involved in the operation.
According to The Washington Post, the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Republican majority has reached out to at least three high-ranking military officers who played significant roles during the chaotic evacuation from Kabul in August 2021. The officers in question are Christopher Donahue, Peter Vasely, who recently retired, and Farrell Sullivan, who was in charge for overseeing U.S. forces during the withdrawal.
Both Vasely and Sullivan have previously expressed their dissatisfaction with the Biden administration’s handling of the evacuation, which has been a focal point of the Republican-led investigation. Pentagon spokesperson James Adams confirmed that these officers shared their personal insights with lawmakers, though he noted that the Pentagon is unaware of any additional requests for testimony from them or other military personnel at this time.
The Foreign Affairs Committee had anticipated concluding its investigation by now. However, Republicans on the committee have issued subpoenas for Secretary of State Antony Blinken and are pressing to hear from White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. An anonymous committee aide revealed that the committee is still assessing the responses and might call these officials back for further testimony.
In response, Matthew Miller, a spokesman for Blinken, accused the GOP leaders of acting in bad faith. White House spokeswoman Sharon Yang countered, stating that the administration has made significant efforts to cooperate with the House inquiries, including making senior officials available and producing relevant documents.
This expansion of the investigation aligns with former President Donald Trump’s campaign strategy, which has prominently featured criticisms of Vice President Kamala Harris’s role in the withdrawal. As Trump and Harris are set to debate, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, is expected to release a report condemning both Harris and President Biden’s management of the withdrawal. Democrats on the committee are anticipated to release their own report defending the administration’s actions.
While the testimonies of the military commanders may not be included in these reports, they could be released separately. Additionally, the bipartisan Afghanistan War Commission, established by Congress to review the entire 20-year conflict, began its work in July and is expected to release its findings by August 2028.
Trump’s campaign continues to highlight the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members, as evidence of Harris’s failings. Some families of the victims are supporting Trump and defending him against accusations of using their loss for political gain. Meanwhile, Democrats on the committee argue that the investigation is politically motivated and fails to address how Trump’s February 2020 agreement with the Taliban contributed to the eventual collapse of Afghanistan.
