F.P Report
Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed deep remorse for the Biden administration’s failure to do more to protect the 13 U.S. service members killed during the ISIS-K suicide bombing at Abbey Gate amid the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.
“I think today, especially of the 13 heroes that we lost at Abbey Gate. And I deeply regret we did not do more and could not do more to protect them,” Blinken stated during his testimony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Addressing the Gold Star families present, he added, “You’re in my thoughts and my prayers.”
Blinken’s testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee marked a pivotal moment after months of disagreements with the panel, which has been investigating the controversial withdrawal for over two years. Blinken, 62, balanced a conciliatory tone with a staunch defense of President Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, calling it the “right one.”
“Any attempt to understand and learn from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has to be put in the proper context of what preceded it,” Blinken said, emphasizing the challenges inherited from the previous administration. He argued that by January 2021, the Taliban was in its strongest military position since 9/11, while U.S. troop levels were at their lowest since the war began in 2001. Blinken framed the alternative as requiring thousands more troops, which he described as offering “at best the prospect of restoring a stalemate.”
Reflecting on the broader implications of the withdrawal, Blinken admitted, “All of us, including myself, wrestled with what we could have done differently during that period and over the preceding two decades.”
Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who will soon be succeeded by Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), secured Blinken’s testimony last month after protracted negotiations. McCaul described the withdrawal as a catastrophic failure of U.S. policy, with lingering consequences for national security and the nation’s allies.
Journalist Afridi Jalil Commends U.S. Hearing on Afghanistan, Seeks Clarification on Personal Advocacy
Prominent journalist Afridi Jalil, known for his coverage of Afghanistan and U.S. foreign policy, took to social media to commend Chairman Michael McCaul and Representative Mike Lawler for their recent congressional hearing on Afghanistan. The hearing, which delved into the Doha Agreement, the tragic loss of 13 U.S. Marines, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s policies, drew significant attention. Jalil praised the proceedings as a testament to the strength of American democracy.
In his tweet, Jalil also addressed U.S. officials and journalists, urging them to confirm his consistent critiques of President Biden’s and Secretary Blinken’s Afghanistan policies over the years. Jalil’s reflections offer a unique perspective on the interplay of regional dynamics and U.S. foreign policy.
