The House Foreign Affairs Committee has issued a subpoena for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to testify later this month regarding the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The hearing, scheduled for September 19, aims to address the Department of State's role in the Afghanistan withdrawal and the non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO) in August.
Republican Chairman Michael McCaul, who has been critical of the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal, emphasized the importance of accountability in the upcoming hearing. McCaul's committee is set to release a report on September 9 detailing the findings of its three-year investigation into the Afghanistan withdrawal.
The report is expected to highlight the administration's alleged lack of preparation for the withdrawal, indifference to the safety of US personnel during the evacuation, and culpability in the deaths of 13 US service members in the Abbey Gate bombing.
Notably, the US State Department's Afghanistan After Action Review report from last year acknowledged the detrimental consequences of the decision to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan. The report highlighted the lack of senior-level consideration of worst-case scenarios during both the Trump and Biden administrations.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee has conducted numerous interviews as part of its investigation into the 2021 evacuation. Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki and top State Department officials provided testimony, shedding light on the challenges faced during the final days of the US presence in Afghanistan.
The upcoming hearing with Secretary Blinken is expected to delve into the decision-making processes and actions taken during the Afghanistan withdrawal, as lawmakers seek to understand the events leading up to the chaotic conclusion of the mission.
