Congressman seeks impeaching Austin for chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
26 Aug 2023 08:23

US Congressman Cory Mills introduces articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, citing his mishandling of the Afghanistan withdrawal two years ago and its repercussions.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, July 18, 2023 (AP)

On Friday, Republican Congressman Cory Mills announced that he had introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, citing the Secretary's handling of the chaotic withdrawal that led to the abandonment of American citizens and allies, resulting in the tragic loss of life.

Mills asserted that high-ranking officials within the Biden administration failed to heed intelligence warnings about the potential peril faced by Americans and allied personnel in Kabul. He pointed to the tragic events that unfolded two years ago, specifically the attack at Abbey Gate in Kabul, which claimed the lives of nearly 200 individuals, including 13 American servicemembers.

"High-level officials in this administration blatantly ignored intel that Americans and our allied partners in Kabul would be left behind in harm’s way unless the US corrected course in our withdrawal. As a result, nearly 200 people, including 13 American servicemembers, were murdered at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan two years ago."

Citing Austin's "clear dereliction of duty," Mills continued, "Today I am introducing articles of impeachment for Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin."

Similarly, back in July, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan as a complete failure.

"The Biden Admin's Afghanistan report is a cover-up. They try to pass the blame but don't explain why they abandoned our conditions-based approach ... A complete failure of leadership," Pompeo said in a post on X.

The report that Pompeo was referring to was released on June 30. It is an analysis of US actions from January 2020 to August 2021 and involves an acknowledgment of the shortcomings and miscalculated decisions carried out by former President Donald Trump and Joe Biden in orchestrating the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

The last US soldier left the Afghan capital on August 31, 2021, marking the end of nearly 20 years of brutal occupation, which led to never-ending costs of lives and dollars. Some 66,000 Afghan troops and 48,000 civilians were killed during that period.

The withdrawal of the US-led coalition left everyone involved distraught and confused. The international community saw the withdrawal as a failure for Washington and its allies, and it raised concerns about the future of Afghanistan under the Taliban after the United States ravaged every part of the Afghan economy and left it in ruins through two decades of war.