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Republicans probe chaotic US military withdrawal from Afghanistan
Republican legislators have launched an investigation into the chaotic United States military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Friday he had written to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting an array of records, from intelligence assessments to communications with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), AFP reported.
McCaul, a longstanding opposition member on the committee who became its chairman after the House flipped to Republican control at the start of the year, said it was “absurd and disgraceful” that US President Joe Biden’s administration “continues to withhold information related to the withdrawal”.
“In the event of continued noncompliance, the committee will use the authorities available to it to enforce these requests as necessary, including through a compulsory process,” he said.
Thirteen US soldiers were killed on August 26, 2021 in a bombing outside Kabul airport as the capital fell, with the government crumbling days later despite $2 trillion being pumped into Afghanistan over two decades by the US and NATO forces.
While Trump sealed the withdrawal with the IEA, his Republican Party has roundly criticized Biden’s handling of the operation and promised hearings as part of a series of probes into his administration.
The scenes of desperate Afghans clinging to moving US military planes as they taxied on the runway at Kabul airport preceded a sharp drop in Biden’s approval ratings nine months after he was elected promising smooth, competent leadership after the pandemonium under his predecessor Donald Trump.
The State Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Friday but has said it has provided more than 150 briefings to members of Congress since the August 2021 withdrawal, according to US media, AFP reported.
Approximately 2,500 US troops died in what became the country’s longest war but Afghanistan was no longer a priority back home, with 50 percent of respondents in a Gallup poll conducted a year after the withdrawal saying the entire war was a mistake.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has congratulated the people of the country on the 107th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence, saying in a statement that the country’s independence was achieved through the struggles and sacrifices of Afghans against British influence.
The statement says that 107 years ago, Afghans, through a “jihadist struggle,” forced Britain to recognize Afghanistan’s independence and return control over the country’s foreign policy to Afghans. Afghanistan gained its independence from Britain in 1919 during the reign of King Amanullah Khan.
The Islamic Emirate also said that Afghans later fought against the Soviet Union and the United States and achieved victories.
The statement stressed that defeating three major powers over the course of a century was the result of divine support and the “faith, determination and courage” of the Afghan people.
The Islamic Emirate called on Afghanistan’s younger and future generations to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and stand firmly against any form of aggression and occupation.
The statement also said that this year’s Independence Day, observed on August 19, comes just four days after the fifth anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power was marked.
The Embassy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Malaysia on Tuesday held a ceremony to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power. The event was attended by Malaysian government officials and diplomats, religious scholars, members of royal families, representatives of international and Islamic organizations, Afghan traders and Afghans living in Malaysia.
Naqibullah Ahmadi, the acting head of the embassy, described the anniversary as the result of the courage and sacrifices of the Afghan people and highlighted progress over the past five years in security, stability, economic growth, infrastructure and public services.
He emphasized balanced engagement with the international community and called for expanded cooperation between Afghanistan and Malaysia in trade, transit, agriculture, mining and investment.
Meanwhile, Dato’ Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, Special Adviser to Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, congratulated Afghanistan on the fifth anniversary of the victory and emphasized the continuation of relations between the two countries.
He expressed Malaysia’s readiness to share its experience in Islamic banking, halal certification, public health, agriculture, mining and good governance.
The ceremony also featured a video presentation highlighting developments in Afghanistan over the past five years. The event concluded with prayers for lasting peace, prosperity and national unity in Afghanistan.
Panjshir’s media office says that Mirdif Al-Qashouti, Qatar’s ambassador to Afghanistan, has visited Panjshir for the first time, following efforts by the provincial administration to attract investment and development projects.
Mohammad Agha Hakim, the governor of Panjshir, described relations between Afghanistan and Qatar as important during his meeting with the Qatari ambassador and called for increased investment by Islamic countries and Arab businessmen in the province.
Highlighting Panjshir’s potential in horticulture, agriculture and mining, he said apples, cherries, grapes and walnuts are among the province’s key products and that investment opportunities are available in these sectors. According to him, mining operations are currently underway at around 600 mines, while around 2,000 additional mines have been identified.
The Qatari ambassador described Afghanistan as a brotherly country and a longstanding friend of Qatar and reaffirmed his country’s support for Afghanistan. He said Qatar is committed to implementing various projects in Panjshir and plans to invest in establishing companies to process the province’s fresh and dried fruits.
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