Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted

UK MPs decry 'systemic failures' of Afghan withdrawal

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 24 May 2022 09:35
4 Min Read

According to an inquiry by MPs, the UK's withdrawal from Afghanistan had "systemic failures of leadership, planning, and preparation."

  • x
  • UK MPs condemn

According to a damning report released by MPs on Tuesday, the UK's disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan last year revealed "systemic failures of leadership, planning, and preparation."

The report detailed how "The manner of our withdrawal from Afghanistan was a disaster and a betrayal of our allies that will damage the UK's interests for years to come."

Already in August, the administration faced a barrage of criticism for its hasty retreat in response to its partner, the United States, deciding to cease its 20-year presence.

Hundreds of Afghans eligible for transfer were left behind, with many of their lives potentially jeopardized, as information about personnel and job hopefuls was left inside the abandoned British embassy premises in Kabul.

Read more: Biden’s failures in Afghanistan further exposed in leaked document

 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson lauded an operation "unlike anything we have seen in our lifetimes" at the time, with the UK airlifting almost 15,000 people in two weeks.

Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary at the time, was widely chastised for not quickly abandoning a beach vacation while the messy evacuation was taking place.

MPs on the committee talked with UK officials as well as Afghans who had been evacuated, and heard testimony from a "wide range of stakeholders."

The government and civil officials suffered from an "optimism bias" in the run-up to the Taliban takeover, despite President Donald Trump's announcement of withdrawal in February 2020, according to the research.

"The UK government failed adequately to shape or respond to Washington's decision to withdraw, to predict the speed of the Taliban's takeover, or to plan and prepare for the evacuation of our Afghan partners," it added.

Related News

South Korea warns US chip tariffs threaten economy, global supply

Trump approves Patriot missiles to Ukraine, bills EU for costs

"Most damning for the Foreign Office is the total absence of a plan for evacuating Afghans who supported the UK mission, without being directly employed by the UK government, despite knowing 18 months before the collapse of Afghanistan that an evacuation might be necessary."

The Foreign Office "provided answers that were intentionally evasive and often deliberately misleading" in response to inquiries from the Committee, which began work on the report in September. Instead, two whistleblowers spoke before the committee.

The report added that "Those who lead the Foreign Office should be ashamed that civil servants of great integrity felt compelled to risk their careers to bring the situation to light."

The study emphasized the government's absence of a chain of command and "untraceable and unaccountable political interventions."

Dogs and cats

The evacuation of roughly 150 dogs and cats from Johnson's Nowzad animal charity on a privately leased jet by a British ex-serviceman was particularly contentious.

"Senior officials believed that the prime minister played a greater role in some decisions than has been admitted," the report noted.

Read more: UK PM may have lied on evacuating animals instead of people from Afghanistan

 

The chief civil servant at the Foreign Office, Philip Barton, should now "consider his position," according to the report, effectively calling on him to resign.

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the committee, stated that "the UK's part in this tragedy exposes a lack of seriousness in achieving coordination, a lack of clear decision-making, a lack of leadership, and a lack of accountability."

"At a time when we face critical foreign policy challenges, and the risks to our lives and economy are so serious, including from the current energy and inflation pressures, our diplomacy and security cannot be so confused and unstructured."

The committee warned the government that a serious new strategy is needed in Afghanistan and that isolating the new regime "may only hurt the Afghan people and leave a vacuum to be filled by China."

  • United States
  • Afghanistan
  • United Kingdom
  • US withdrawal From Afghanistan
  • Kabul

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS