Republican Lawmakers "National Security Risk Due to Lack of Preparation"
Al-Qaeda Unable to Rebuild Organization in Afghanistan
[Asia Economy International Desk Reporter] As it marks one year on the 15th (local time) since the Taliban, an Islamist militant group, took control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, political disputes over the withdrawal process have reignited in the U.S. political arena.
Republican members of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee claimed in their own investigative report on the 14th that "the critical decision on how to evacuate civilians was made only hours before Kabul fell," arguing that there was inadequate prior preparation, according to Reuters and other news agencies.
The U.S. State Department was tasked during the National Security Council (NSC) meeting on August 14 last year to establish hubs in third countries where refugees fleeing Afghanistan could temporarily stay.
Internet media Axios cited the Republican Foreign Affairs Committee report, stating that negotiations with Qatar to establish these hubs took place during the evacuation process.
Additionally, the U.S. military was instructed to prepare for civilian evacuation operations only four days before President Biden announced the unconditional withdrawal from Afghanistan in April last year.
The report referenced Brigadier General Farrell Sullivan, who was in charge of the evacuation mission, stating in a military investigation that "there was a difference between the situation we saw on the ground and the urgency perceived by the State Department," and added that "the lack of urgency continuously frustrated military leaders."
Furthermore, the report noted that no decision was made to evacuate the hundreds of Afghan special forces trained by the U.S. military.
In particular, the report pointed out that Afghan special forces possess sensitive information about U.S. military operations, raising concerns that adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran might exploit this.
Republican lawmakers said, "Reports that a former Afghan military official fled to Iran confirm these concerns," adding, "This poses a serious national security risk."
In response, Adrienne Watson, White House NSC spokesperson, issued a statement rebutting the claims, saying, "The report is full of inaccurate descriptions, selectively edited favorable information, and false assertions."
In her statement, Watson pointed out that the decision to withdraw U.S. troops was originally made by former Republican President Donald Trump through the so-called 'Doha Agreement,' and said, "To prevent the 20-year stalemated war from worsening, more U.S. troops needed to be sent, but President Biden refused to do so."
Meanwhile, CNN reported that since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, the organization behind the 9/11 attacks, has not been able to reorganize in Afghanistan.
CNN reported that there are currently fewer than 12 core al-Qaeda members in Afghanistan, but U.S. intelligence agencies commonly believe these individuals were present before the U.S. military withdrew last year.
The U.S. currently assesses that the remaining al-Qaeda members are not planning attacks outside Afghanistan and lack the capability to carry out attacks against the United States, CNN reported.
Watson said, "The United States will work with partners to protect the country and remain vigilant to ensure Afghanistan never again becomes a hotbed of terrorism."
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