<p>The Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan was defined by inept planning and poor decision making, causing significant and numerous failures throughout the process, according to a Senate report released Thursday.</p>
<p>Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the committee’s minority <a href="https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Risch%20Afghanistan%20Report%202022.pdf">report</a> on its investigation into the Afghanistan withdrawal last summer. Risch’s report holds top levels of the Biden administration in the White House, Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of State responsible for numerous failures during the operation that left as many as 9,000 Americans behind.</p>
<p>Biden announced the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in April and later self-imposed a timeline for operations to be completed by late August. According to the report, the administration &#8220;wasted&#8221; months before the National Security Council (NSC) began working in earnest on plans to evacuate tens of thousands of Americans, U.S. residents, and Afghan allies from the country.</p>
<p>Before launching a noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO), “State did not officially reach out to regional partners until the middle of July, and DoD did not engage the Qatari government about using facilities there until the middle of August,” the report said. “Having wasted 115 days, the NSC did not conduct its first senior meeting to discuss the withdrawal until August 14 at 3:30pm, just hours before Kabul fell, when evacuations became life or death for Americans, Afghans, and U.S. military personnel.”</p>
<p>The report says that the Biden administration severely mislead the American public on the number of American citizens left behind in Afghanistan after military operations were completed. The report also says that American citizens are still trapped in the Taliban-controlled country more than five months after the military withdrawal concluded.</p>
<p>“On August 17, 2021, and at the height of evacuation efforts, senior State Department officials leading the evacuation task force indicated there were 10,000 to 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan, according to the F-77 report,” the report says. “By August 31, when the president ordered an end to evacuation operations, State and DoD had evacuated approximately 6,000 American citizens. Even taking the most conservative estimates from the F-77 report, this meant the United States left at least a few thousand people behind. “</p>
<p>“However, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during testimony to the House Foreign Affairs Committee in September, asserted that only a ‘small number’ of American citizens, ‘approximately 100-150 remained in Afghanistan who still wished to depart. We are in very close contact with them and are assigning teams to each of the remaining Americans who wish to depart,’” the report states.</p>
<p>The report takes a critical view of the Biden administration’s decision to abandon Bagram Air Base and dozens of dangerous prisoners who were later set free by the Taliban. One of those prisoners later carried out a suicide bombing outside Hamid Karzai International Airport, killing 13 U.S. servicemembers and dozens of Afghan civilians. The report concludes:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>People will debate for years to come about the “why” and “when” of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. This report has looked at the “how,” and it is clear the senior leadership of the Biden Administration failed to effectively plan, coordinate, and execute an orderly withdrawal and evacuation. From the beginning, the interagency and specific departments ignored the warning signs of a Taliban takeover and wasted away precious days of planning and evacuation. Only hours before the Taliban captured Kabul did the interagency decide to start the evacuation. This failure of leadership cost U.S. military personnel lives and has left tens of thousands behind to an uncertain fate under Taliban control. The Biden Administration squandered precious time, ignored intelligence and recommendations from people on the ground, and refused bipartisan support to give them the resources to succeed. In the process, the botched withdrawal has tarnished America’s reputation and credibility. A healthy sense of humility should guide the lessons learned and help to better prepare for future evacuations. Additionally, the work is not done in Afghanistan. American citizens, as well as tens of thousands of Afghan partners, including Special Immigrant Visa applicants, still await evacuation from Afghanistan and third countries. The military mission inside of Afghanistan may be over, but America’s work is not finished.</em></p></blockquote>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Senate Report Reveals Biden Failures That Led To ‘Botched’ Afghanistan Withdrawal

CONTINUE READING

Trump Says Netflix Should Fire ‘Racist, Trump Deranged’ Susan Rice

Trump Orders Release Of ‘Any And All’ Info On Aliens And UFOs

Man Targets DHS Building With Stolen Ambulance In Attempted Arson Attack

Bill Gates Drops Out Of Keynote Speech Last Minute As Epstein Rumors Swirl

Trump Left The World Health Org Last Year. Now, He’s Replacing It.

One Of The CDC’s Biggest Critics Is Now In Charge Of The Whole Thing

News and Commentary

Afghanistan

Biden Administration

James Risch

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News and Commentary —

Senate Report Reveals Biden Failures That Led To ‘Botched’ Afghanistan Withdrawal