Top House republicans are demanding Biden preserve all records relating to the administration’s Afghanistan strategy, signaling plans for oversight investigations into the botched exit.
Reps. Devin Nunes, Michael McCaul and Mike Rogers wrote Wednesday that the “horrifying scenes on the ground and the resulting erosion of America’s worldwide geostrategic position raise troubling questions about your administration’s ability to competently manage a major foreign crisis.”
The three republicans are the top lawmakers on key Afghanistan oversight committees: Nunes on Intelligence, McCaul on Foreign Relations and Rogers on Armed Services, Just the News reports.
They vowed that once all Americans are evacuated, a vigorous investigation will take place.
“As elected officials, our primary duty is to protect the American people,” they wrote. “Thus, we were shocked to hear White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declare that no Americans are stranded in Afghanistan. We implore you to acknowledge that, in fact, thousands of Americans remain stranded in Afghanistan, and to do all in your power to locate and evaluate these U.S. citizens. Our nation has no higher priority at this moment in history.”
“Once that effort is complete and our people are safely returned to their families, House Republicans plan to vigorously investigate your administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan,” they continued. “That investigation will comprise a joint, comprehensive review by our three Committees of the intelligence, diplomatic, and military factors that led to the current fiasco.”
“We request that your administration - including the Department of Defense, Department of State, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, as well as the broader Intelligence Community - take immediate steps to preserve all records related to your Administration’s withdrawal of U.S. personnel, including diplomatic staff, intelligence personnel, and military forces, as well as those of our allies, from Afghanistan.”
