US Congress Subpoenas Blinken Over Afghanistan Withdrawal
US Congress Subpoenas Blinken Over Afghanistan Withdrawal
The Facts
On Tuesday, US Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, subpoenaed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to testify before Congress about the US' 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In a letter, McCaul wrote that the committee wants to hear from Blinken as part of its effort to draft "potential legislation aimed at helping prevent the catastrophic mistakes of the withdrawal."
The Spin
The chaotic, lethal extraction of US troops from Afghanistan was a major scandal — in its planning and its execution. In the aftermath of this debacle, Congress has the right to pursue the truth about what happened. The American people, especially those who lost family members during that time, deserve an explanation from Blinken, the president, and anyone with whom Congress wishes to speak.
At best, this investigation has the aura of a political witch hunt; at worst, however, it completely disregards the plight of the hundreds of thousands of Afghans who were forced to leave their country in the withdrawal's aftermath. Congress should put similar energy into creating legislation that will help integrate these Afghans into US society, where they are now facing a humanitarian crisis. Congress must show it knows how to look forward, as well as back.
