Colonel Chris Douglas was part of the classified report on the recent military withdrawal. Recently, he expressed his views on the current state of the House investigation into this topic. He stated that the lack of swift progress could be due to the administration's lack of assistance. He also pointed out that sifting through the chain of information to determine what was provided to whom and when, makes it a laborious task.
Furthermore, the Colonel disputed claims that the President was never briefed on the possible disastrous effects of the withdrawal strategy. He believes it is impossible that the military heads at central command were not in direct communication with the President on such matters.
Douglas also discussed the potentially flawed negotiations that took place during the Doha agreement. He pinpointed that the exclusion of the Afghan government was a significant mistake that led to further complications, despite the Taliban's refusal to negotiate if the current Afghan government was represented.
While acknowledging that both current and prior administrations were responsible for various missteps, Douglas emphasized that the current administration is accountable for executing a flawed timeline established by their predecessors. He also pointedly questioned if the State Department, Defense Department, or the Presidency were at fault for mismanaging the withdrawal.
The Colonel's speculations suggests those advising the President possibly lack sufficient understanding of the Middle East's volatility, including Afghanistan's unique attributes.
Douglas also touched on the effect of the withdrawal from the perspective of defense officials and the curiosity of the White House regarding the investigation's results. Despite briefing everyone but the President, little interest was shown towards their findings.
Finally, the Colonel discussed the devastating repercussions of the withdrawal strategy on an international scale. The harrowing imagery of desperate Afghan citizens, coupled with the loss of U.S. soldiers, has not only affected the U.S. but its allies and partnerships. Emotional impacts on military families and veterans questioning their sacrifice also add to the moral weight of the fallout. Douglas also mentioned the potential for global ripple effects, including the billions left behind that could potentially make their way across the world.
