Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs committee, Rep. Michael McCaul, led a hearing on Tuesday to question former generals regarding the deadly 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. The committee aims to investigate the Biden administration's planning and decision-making process during the operation.
During an interview with Nexstar Capitol reporter Ryan Chandler, McCaul highlighted the lack of a proper evacuation plan by the State Department, which led to chaos and tragic consequences. He emphasized that the absence of a plan resulted in an emergency dissent cable from embassy employees and contributed to the chaos at the airport, ultimately leading to the devastating suicide bombing at Abbey Gate.
McCaul expressed frustration that lives could have been saved if proper planning had been in place. He also stressed the importance of hearing from commanding officers on the ground, particularly regarding the missed opportunity to engage a sniper, which could have prevented further casualties.
In terms of accountability, McCaul indicated that he has had to push for documents and information, including threatening contempt charges against the Secretary of State. He suggested that accountability ultimately rests with decisions made at the White House and higher levels of the State Department, which disregarded advice from military officials and culminated in the tragic suicide bombing that claimed the lives of 13 service members and numerous Afghan civilians.