House Republicans ramp up pressure over Afghanistan exit

One year after the United States’ chaotic exit from Afghanistan last August, Republican lawmakers are putting renewed pressure on the Biden administration to answer questions about the withdrawal.

In a new report from the House Foreign Affairs Committee minority, Republicans allege that President Joe Biden misled the American public about the consequences of a withdrawal, did not properly prepare for the withdrawal and failed to evacuate many Afghans who worked with the U.S. during the 20-year war there, including elite military personnel.

And if the Biden administration continues to drag its feet on providing requested information to the committee, it may consider issuing subpoenas, the report suggests.

The 113-page missive, released Monday, is the latest volley in what has become a partisan fight over who to blame for the tumultuous withdrawal from Afghanistan that left 13 U.S. servicemembers dead and hundreds of people wounded and culminated in a swift takeover of the country by the Taliban.

It is based on open-source records, including news reports, interviews with officials involved in the withdrawal, and “whistleblowers” who asked to remain anonymous.