The daily wire

Pentagon officials focused on climate plan amid Afghanistan withdrawal chaos, emails reveal.

In the Midst of ‌Chaos: ​Pentagon Officials Push Climate Change Initiative During Afghanistan Withdrawal

In the midst of the Biden administration’s‌ disastrous military ‌withdrawal from Afghanistan, top Pentagon officials were working to⁢ get⁣ the Secretary of Defense to ⁢sign ⁣a⁣ major climate change initiative, ‍according⁢ to ‍emails obtained by The Daily Wire.

In ​the two weeks between the fall of‌ Kabul to the Taliban on August 15,‌ 2021, and the final U.S. military flight out of Afghanistan on August 30, Pentagon officials were scrambling‍ with the White House to finalize the⁣ Department ‍of Defense Climate Adaptation Plan, a ⁢document that‌ declares climate change a major national security risk.

The emails indicate frustration⁤ from climate change-focused Pentagon officials at the difficulty of‌ getting the ⁢plan signed — but that ultimately their determination to⁣ focus on climate change even ⁢during the Afghanistan withdrawal paid off.​ Secretary of Defense Lloyd‌ Austin signed the climate initiative ⁢on September 1, just six days after 13 Americans ⁣were killed by a Taliban suicide bomber.

A Battle on Two Fronts

James‍ Fitzpatrick, ⁤a⁣ member⁢ of‍ the U.S. Army Reserve who⁤ obtained the emails‍ through his ⁣organization, the Center to ‍Advance Security in America, says the emails show military leadership​ was being⁢ “hounded”‍ by climate activists within the government as it was trying to navigate ‍withdrawal.

“While the ‍Biden Administration was in the middle ⁣of a disastrous and deadly Afghanistan ‌withdrawal, our top military leaders were being hounded by⁣ DoD climate activists to fast track a plan to transform the⁤ Department by forcing politically charged climate change discussions‌ into ‍every decision the DoD makes,” Fitzpatrick ⁢said.

At the center of ⁣the push were two senior ‌Pentagon officials: Joe​ Bryan, the Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense for Climate, and⁣ Richard Kidd, the Deputy‍ Assistant‌ Secretary of ​Defense for Environment & Energy ‌Resilience. The pair traded emails throughout the Afghanistan crisis on the Climate‍ Adaptation ‍Plan, strategizing ⁢on how⁤ to get it signed⁣ by Austin.

A Frustrating Wait

“I think it’s a tough lift to get⁣ [Secretary of Defense] ⁣to‌ sign ⁢the CAP ‍this ⁣week. He’s ⁢not‌ looking at⁢ much that⁤ isn’t Afghanistan-related,” wrote Bryan ​on August 17, a day ‍after⁤ President⁣ Joe Biden addressed the nation about ​the⁣ ongoing crisis in ​Kabul. Bryan ⁤suggested escalating the issue to‌ a White House official ⁣named Andrew Mayock, who was​ appointed Biden’s Chief Sustainability Officer.

Kidd responded the next morning that this was ⁤a “good ​idea,” because Mayock “gets ⁢it” and could give‍ a “must⁤ have” deadline from the‌ White House.

The ⁤pair ⁤appears⁣ to have grown frustrated in ‍the⁤ days that followed. The frustration was not⁢ that the mission ​in Afghanistan had devolved into a full-fledged crisis with ⁤people falling off planes as they⁢ departed⁤ the airport, nearly 200 murdered by terrorists as they flooded the ​airport in hopes of evacuation, and a botched military drone ‌strike that killed civilians rather than terrorist targets. It was that Austin had⁢ failed to sign the climate ⁢plan.

A⁣ Last-Minute Victory

On August 30, the final ‍day of the frantic withdrawal, Kidd expressed frustration after ​Bryan informs him‌ that the plan “hasn’t been signed‍ yet.”

“Uhm, ok will keep standing by,” Kidd wrote.

He had ‌to stand by‌ for‍ just two more ⁣days. On September 1, Kidd was informed that the Climate Adaptation plan ‍had been signed and was ready to be sent ‍to Mayock, the White ⁢House official.

A Controversial Decision

“Sir, The SECDEF has​ signed ⁣the ⁢CAP,” wrote a member of Kidd’s staff whose name was redacted ⁤from the documents.‍ “Congratulations!!!!!”

The​ full Climate Adaptation Plan, dated September 1, 2021, can be viewed here. In a foreword to ‍the ⁤document, Austin states that recognizing the “national⁣ security ‍risk ‌posed by⁤ climate change” is an “essential step … to defend the nation.”

The Pentagon⁢ confirmed to The‍ Daily⁤ Wire that Austin​ spent time during the withdrawal⁤ effort to review the Climate Adaptation Plan, but said his priority was ⁤Afghanistan.

Political Priorities ​Over Military Operations

“Our⁢ book details​ several ​episodes where the ‍administration’s political‌ priorities interfered with military​ necessities during the withdrawal, and this⁣ incident is consistent with that ⁣theme,” Hasson and Dunleavy told The Daily Wire. “When​ thousands ‍of American citizens are stranded in a‍ war zone and the‍ lives of American troops are hanging in ‌the balance, ⁤that has to be ⁢the Pentagon’s sole focus.”

“It’s unlikely that political appointees focused on climate change could have helped much, but ⁤they should have at least stayed out ‍of the way,” the authors added.

Fitzpatrick said​ it’s “appalling” to see “politically charged climate change discussions” were distracting military leaders during the Afghanistan withdrawal.

“To think ⁢that American military and political leadership turned ⁣their⁢ attention to finalize a so-called ‘Climate Action Plan’ in the midst​ of a ⁢Taliban terrorist ⁣attack ‌and while Americans and⁢ our allies⁤ were facing such‍ clear and ‍present danger,” ⁣Fitzpatrick said.‍ “God bless the Gold Star families who have to live with this reality.”

Families​ of⁤ the 13 ⁢Americans killed in the terrorist attack at the Kabul airport ⁢testified to Congress⁣ on Tuesday to demand accountability from ‌the‌ Biden administration for the failures of⁢ the withdrawal. One​ Gold Star father who‌ lost ​his son in the bombing complained that Austin still ⁢has⁤ a job.

“Everyone who⁢ held a key ‌position in the military still ⁤has⁣ that position or has been promoted,” the father said. ‍“Not a single person​ has been held‌ accountable.”



" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Related Articles

Sponsored Content
Back to top button
Available for Amazon Prime
Close

Adblock Detected

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker