This decision comes after months of tension between the committee, led by Republicans, and the State Department over Blinken’s appearance…reports Asian Lite News
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has agreed to testify publicly before the House Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, media reported.
This decision comes after months of tension between the committee, led by Republicans, and the State Department over Blinken’s appearance.
Chairman Michael McCaul confirmed that Blinken would testify on December 11 to discuss the committee’s investigation into the chaotic withdrawal, Reuters reported.
The dispute between the committee and the State Department became heated, particularly when committee Republicans voted in September to recommend holding Blinken in contempt of Congress for not complying with a subpoena
The State Department countered, arguing that Blinken had already testified more than 14 times on Afghanistan and that nearly 20,000 pages of records, along with high-level briefings and interviews, had been provided.
In September, McCaul released a report criticizing the Biden administration for its handling of the evacuation, focusing on what Republicans deemed a failure in executing the withdrawal.
The issue has been highly politicised, particularly in the lead-up to the November 2024 presidential election.
Republican former President Donald Trump has seized on the situation, criticising the Biden administration’s withdrawal strategy and even attempting to shift blame onto Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent.
Meanwhile, Democrats have pointed to former President Trump’s role in starting the withdrawal process with a deal he signed with the Taliban in 2020.
Earlier this week, a Republican senator blocked the promotion of US Army Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan in 2021 and former commander of the 82nd Airborne Division during the US withdrawal.
Senator Markwayne Mullin, who placed the hold on Donahue’s promotion, has not explained the reasoning behind his decision.
The Pentagon confirmed that it was aware of the block, which pertains to Donahue’s nomination for a fourth star to lead the US Army in Europe and Africa.
Lt. Gen. Donahue’s role in the Afghanistan withdrawal, particularly his iconic image boarding the final C-17 transport flight with his rifle in hand, has made him a symbol of the chaotic exit.
While some, including former President Donald Trump, have harshly criticized the withdrawal, blaming senior officials for the disorder, Donahue is regarded within the military as one of the most capable leaders of his generation.
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