Secretary of State Antony Blinken faced fiery questioning over U.S. fiscal policies in Afghanistan post-withdrawal during a contentious hearing.
At a Glance
- Lawmakers grilled Blinken over ensuring U.S. funds do not reach the Taliban.
- Blinken defended the withdrawal, citing prior Trump deal with the Taliban.
- Republicans criticized the administration for being ill-prepared for a Taliban takeover.
- A government review, set for 2026, will assess the withdrawal impact.
A Critical Hearing
In a heated session, the House Foreign Affairs Committee confronted Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the Biden administration’s handling of funds in post-withdrawal Afghanistan. Blinken defended the administration amidst allegations that U.S. taxpayer money could be indirectly funding the Taliban regime. This interrogation occurred as a result of recent accusations from Republican lawmakers, which included criticisms of inadequate strategic planning and questionably transparent fiscal policies.
Blinken attributed part of the chaos to the former administration’s deal with the Taliban in 2020, pointing out that President Biden faced limited options between ending the conflict or reigniting it with further military escalation.
Watch @RepGregoryMeeks say Blinken subpoena is clearly political, and maybe we should subpoena "Abdul", who Trump mentioned last night, to see why he gave in to the Taliban.
Or the great "Democratic leader" Orban?
The undemocratic world would eat Trump for lunch. pic.twitter.com/JFEVkdGrnd
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) September 11, 2024
Republican Criticism
During the hearing, Republican lawmakers, including Chairman Michael McCaul, lambasted Blinken and the Biden administration for perceived poor preparations. GOP Rep. Tim Burchett highlighted the noticeable absence of U.S. diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, questioning ongoing financial aid and the billions of dollars of military equipment left behind.
“To the extent President Biden faced a choice, it was between ending the war or escalating it,” Blinken stated in his defense.
Furthermore, Blinken aimed to highlight the administration’s commitment to preventing U.S. funds from strengthening Taliban forces and suggested that further improvements to the State Department’s crisis response were underway.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨 The full committee will convene a hearing entitled, “An Assessment of the State Department’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan by America’s Top Diplomat,” with @SecBlinken on Wednesday, December 11th at 10:00am ET/9:00am CT.
More information ⬇️https://t.co/fU3W8sbEYd
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) December 4, 2024
Looking Forward
Despite Blinken’s defense, ongoing criticisms from lawmakers included spending on social programs perceived as non-essential, like teaching carpet weaving in Afghanistan. Republican frustration was evident, especially from members who remain concerned about taxpayer dollars supporting activities that could inadvertently empower Taliban control. The hearing underscored an expectation of subsequent rigorous oversight.
“We anticipated that Kabul would remain in the hands of the Afghan government through the end of the year. This unfolded more quickly than we anticipated including in the intelligence community,” Blinken later admitted.
The hearing draws attention to an anticipated independent review by a government-appointed Afghanistan war commission in 2026, aiming to provide an exhaustive account of the decisions and strategies that shaped this turbulent period.
Sources:
- Blinken faces GOP critics in Congress who say Afghanistan withdrawal ‘lit the world on fire’
- Blinken faces Republican critics of Afghanistan withdrawal
- House Foreign Affairs Committee Blasts Blinken On The ‘Tens Of Millions’ Of U.S. Taxpayer Funds Handed To Taliban, Botched Withdrawal
