Republicans double down on investigating Afghanistan withdrawal whereas Dems swerve to keep away from blaming Biden
House and Senate Republicans are doubling down on their dedication to analyze the choices resulting in Biden’s “disastrous” Afghanistan withdrawal, however Democrats are shying away from publicly blaming President Biden and his administration.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared at two heated hearings earlier than the Home and Senate international relations committees this week, throughout which he defended the actions of the Biden administration and its determination to withdraw all U.S. troops by Aug. 31, forsaking 1000’s of Individuals, inexperienced card holders and Afghan companions.
Home Overseas Affairs Committee Rating Member Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, advised Fox Information Friday that Blinken was didn’t adequately defend the administration’s choices throughout the listening to and renewed his vow to proceed to uncover how the “tragedy” of the Afghanistan withdrawal unfolded.
BLINKEN HEARING: DEMOCRATS RUSH TO DEFEND BIDEN’S DEADLY AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL
“As your entire Home Overseas Affairs Committee noticed on this week’s listening to, Secretary Blinken struggled to defend the haphazard choices that he and President Biden made that led to the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. This week I introduced that Committee Republicans employed an investigator to hitch our group as we glance into this systemic failure, and I hope that we’re capable of work collectively to return to an correct conclusion and decide how this absolute tragedy may have been prevented,” stated McCaul.
The Texas congressman announced on Tuesday that he employed an investigator to look into Biden’s withdrawal, calling it a “systemic failure” by the federal authorities.
Alternatively, Democrats on the Home Overseas Affairs Committee have slammed critics of Biden and shifted blame off the administration for its lethal withdrawal.
“Disentangling ourselves from the conflict in Afghanistan was by no means going to be straightforward,” Home Overseas Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y. stated throughout Monday’s listening to with Blinken.
Meeks, the main Democrat on the committee, additionally repeatedly slammed Biden’s critics throughout the listening to and tried to shift blame to former President Donald Trump’s administration, suggesting he want to hear from former Trump officers, in addition to determination makers from the Obama and Bush years. A spokesperson for Meeks declined Fox Information’ request for remark for this report.
BLINKEN TAKES BIPARTISAN CRITICISM, DEFENDS AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL DURING SENATE HEARING
Senate Republicans are additionally working to carry different Biden administration officers accountable. Thus far, Blinken has been the one cupboard stage official to testify publicly on Capitol Hill for the reason that withdrawal and there are lots of questions from lawmakers that stay unresolved.
Senate Overseas Relations Committee Rating Member Jim Risch, R-Idaho, stated that he’ll proceed to name on Biden administration officers to testify, together with Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin, who has beforehand declined the committee’s invitation.
“Congress has an important oversight position to play with the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. To resolve what went fallacious and forestall the same tragedy from taking place once more, we will need to have administration officers testify, together with Secretary Austin who has refused to return earlier than the Senate Overseas Relations Committee. The debacle in Afghanistan is an interagency failure, and we should hear from all related officers so as to maintain the precise individuals accountable,” stated Risch in a press release to Fox Information.
Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., the rating member for the Senate Armed Providers Committee, stated the committee will probably be enterprise a “methodical evaluate” of Biden’s “disastrous” determination and will probably be persevering with to ask for open hearings with prime Pentagon officers.
“That is only the start. I count on the Armed Providers Committee can have many hearings and briefings on the subject. The American individuals, our service members previous and current, our allies and companions around the globe and the Afghans who bravely helped us deserve this transparency and accountability. We have now numerous questions, and we’re going to maintain asking for hearings till we’ve all of the solutions,” Inhofe advised Fox Information.
Senate Overseas Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez, D-N.J., referred to as the Afghanistan withdrawal “fatally flawed” throughout a committee listening to with Blinken earlier this week, however he didn’t reply to Fox Information’ a number of requests for remark Friday about whether or not the committee will decide to persevering with to usher in Biden administration officers to testify.
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Menendez did echo disappointment that Austin didn’t settle for the committee’s invitation to seem alongside Blinken on the listening to.
Fox Information’ requests for remark to Home Armed Providers Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., and Senate Armed Providers Committee Chairman Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., weren’t returned.
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