House GOP wants to interview Biden officials about Afghanistan withdrawal statements.
House Republicans are actively pursuing transcribed interviews with White House press officials to uncover crucial details for their investigation into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sept. 10 that, in addition to the nine diplomats the committee had already requested testimony from in late August, they also plan to hear from former White House press secretary Jen Psaki, National Security Counsel Coordinator for Strategic Comms John Kirby, and former State Department spokesperson Ned Price.
This news comes shortly after the two-year anniversary of the last soldiers leaving Afghanistan, as the Taliban took control of large sections of the country, including the capital Kabul, causing the Western-backed Afghan government to collapse.
Tens of thousands of Afghans were evacuated through Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul; however, on Aug. 26, 2021, the terrorist group ISIS-K carried out a suicide attack, detonating a bomb that killed 13 U.S. troops and dozens of civilians.
When asked about the reasons behind the interview requests, Mr. McCaul explained that they wanted to speak to Ms. Psaki because: “The messages she was sending out from the White House were so different from what was happening on the ground.“
Similarly, the lawmaker asserted that Mr. Price was making “rosy comments“ from the State Department, and Mr. Kirby claimed at the time that there were “no weapons” left behind in Afghanistan, a statement Mr. McCaul called “insane.”
“There were … $7 billion of weapons, and I can show you the tapes of the weapons and the cash that were left behind,” Mr. McCaul said.
He explained that his committee wanted to know why these individuals were “all giving a rosy picture, while at the same time what was happening on the ground was very different.“
“I don’t know where this is going to end, Jake, but as a former federal prosecutor, I’m going to follow the facts.”
Previous Interview Requests
On Aug. 30, Mr. McCaul requested transcribed interviews with nine current and former U.S. diplomats, asking that they testify about their roles in the 2021 withdrawal.
The request was made in a series of letters where Mr. McCaul identified the officials, including Ross L. Wilson, the former acting U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Salman Ahmed, director of policy planning, and Brian McKeon, former deputy secretary of state for management and resources.
“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 [injury of] 45 more—all which could have been prevented,” Mr. McCaul said on Aug. 30.
The Republican chairman investigating the withdrawal, which took place in the first few months of the Biden administration, called it an ”unmitigated disaster of epic proportions” and vowed to keep digging into it “until the American people receive the transparency and answers they deserve.“
Mr. McCaul provided copies of letters he had addressed to the four departing U.S. ambassadors and a letter he had sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting the testimony of the five currently serving diplomats.
The State Department has maintained that it has cooperated with the post-withdrawal inquiries but has not confirmed if Mr. Blinken will grant some of the Congressional interview requests.
“The department will continue to respond to Congressional oversight requests in a timely manner, including requests for transcribed interviews,” a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
“Already the department has made thousands of pages of documents available, along with numerous and extensive interviews, briefings, and other informational engagements.”
Motivation Behind Investigation
Mr. McCaul said during his recent interview that he had “great respect” for Gen. Kenneth McKenzie and Gen. Mark Milley, the military leaders thought to have had the primary control over withdrawal efforts.
However, he said he doesn’t yet know if any of the key decisions impacting the withdrawal “actually went up.”
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