Ranking Republicans ‘Plan to Vigorously Investigate’ Withdrawal from Afghanistan, Demand Admin ‘Preserve all Records’

Three top Republicans on the key oversight committees for the Afghanistan War sent a letter to President Joe Biden Wednesday to say that once the effort to “locate and evacuate” the thousands of Americans that are stranded, “House Republicans plan to vigorously investigate your administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

The three ranking members who penned the letter are Representatives Devin Nunes of the Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence, Mike Rogers of the Committee on Armed Services and Michael T. McCaul of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In addition to President Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Director of National Intelligence were all CC’d on the letter.

“The ongoing chaos in Afghanistan profoundly concerns the American people. 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 letter begins.

Stating “our primary duty is to protect the American people” the Republicans say they “Were shocked to hear White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declare that no Americans are stranded in Afghanistan.” They asked Biden to acknowledge that thousands in fact remain stranded and “do all in your power to locate and evacuate these U.S. citizens. Our nation has no higher priority at this moment in history.”

However, “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 then request that Biden’s 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.”