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
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The occupation forces continue their violations, and warplanes are entering Gazan airspace at this moment.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The fate of thousands of civilians and journalists remains unknown.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The occupation forces continue bombing various areas of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas: We renew our pledge to our brave prisoners and their families that they will remain at the heart of our priorities, and we will not rest until the last prisoner enjoys freedom.
Hamas: We are awaiting the final approval of the names ahead of announcing them through the Prisoners’ Media Office.
Hamas: We affirm that we have submitted the lists of Palestinian prisoners according to the agreed-upon criteria within the framework of the agreement.
Gaza Media Office: We urge our people not to move around Al-Rashid and Salah al-Din streets or their surrounding areas.
Gaza Government Media Office: We stress to our Palestinian people the need to exercise maximum caution during their movements and travel.
Guterres: I urge all concerned to abide fully by the terms of the agreement.
Guterres welcomes the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and the release of captives in Gaza, based on President Trump’s proposal.

UK MPs decry 'systemic failures' of Afghan withdrawal

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 24 May 2022 08:35
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

Hamas, Resistance factions agree to Trump deal: Sources to Al Mayadeen

Trump hints at visit to Egypt amid ongoing Gaza truce talks

"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

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025
The Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza showed that after combating Israeli aggression for two years, they remain victorious in the face of oppression (Mahdi Rteil/Al Mayadeen English)

Al-Aqsa Flood two years on, a tale of victory

  • Politics
  • 6 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
An Israeli armored vehicle moves on a street of a local market during a military raid in the West Bank refugee camp of Balata, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli settlers kill Palestinian youth near Ramallah amid raids

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran interested in resuming nuclear talks: Lavrov

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks during a news conference at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, April 25, 2025 (AP)
Politics

IMF head flags US budget, Europe Defense spending challenges

Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at UN headquarters (AP)
Politics

Meloni faces ICC complaint over Gaza genocide complicity with Israelis

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