As Americans reflect on the second anniversary of President Biden's disastrous and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) is not letting the White House, State Department, or Pentagon brush their poorly planned and chaotically executed departure under the rug.
Continuing to pursue transparency and accountability from the Biden administration, McCaul fired off a set of letters on Wednesday to key officials within the State Department requesting transcribed interviews as part of the Foreign Affairs Committee's probe of the withdrawal and why it went so wrong.
Those from whom McCaul is seeking interviews to gather more information include:
- Former Acting U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ross Wilson
- Former Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Brian McKeon
- Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad
- Former Acting Under Secretary of State for Management Carol Perez
- Under Secretary of State for Management and Former Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass
- Counselor to the Secretary Derek Chollet
- Chief of Staff to the Secretary Suzy George
- Director of Policy Planning Staff Salman Ahmed
- Ambassador to Nepal and Former Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Dean Thompson
"Through our ongoing investigation, we have determined these individuals have important information that is critical to uncovering how and why the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan resulted in a disgraceful surrender to the Taliban, the death of 13 U.S. servicemembers and injuring 45 more — all which could have been prevented," wrote Chairman McCaul of the new interviews he's pursuing with diplomatic officials and staff within the Biden administration who were central to the botched withdrawal.
"This was an unmitigated disaster of epic proportions and I will not rest until the American people receive the transparency and answers they deserve," McCaul pledged. "The committee will continue to interview additional current and former administration officials involved in the planning and execution of the withdrawal."
🚨🚨CHM @RepMcCaul has requested transcribed interviews of current and former @StateDept officials for the committee’s investigation into the admin’s chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan. Read the chairman’s statement⬇️ pic.twitter.com/D29w4BTeWD
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) August 31, 2023
The State Department officials, each identified as a "critical witness" to the Biden administration's withdrawal by the Foreign Affairs Committee, have until September 7 to arrange for their transcribed interviews according to the letters from McCaul.
Earlier this week, McCaul hosted a roundtable with Gold Star parents of several of the 13 U.S. service members who were killed in the ISIS-K suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in the final days of the withdrawal. The Gold Star parents shared memories of their heroic children and made clear, again, why there must be answers and accountability for those who made the decisions — or failed to make the necessary decisions — that caused so much chaos.
As a father of five, I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering these Gold Star families feel. My full opening remarks from today's impactful roundtable can be found here: pic.twitter.com/5Eq7mRmaMO
— Michael McCaul (@RepMcCaul) August 29, 2023
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