The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on the epically botched withdrawal, after twenty years, from war in Afghanistan. The official title of the hearing was “During and After the Fall of Kabul: Examining the Administration’s Emergency Evacuation from Afghanistan”. The narrow subject area should have limited the partisan attacks, but no. Of note, General Milley, General Austin and General Donohue were not on the witness list or present in the hearing room. The moral injury done to American troops, American families, and the American reputation cannot be quantified.
Lt. Col. Scott Mann of Operation Pineapple Express was on today’s panel and has used the phrase “moral injury” to describe the damage done by the clusterfeck of a withdrawal at Harmid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) after we abandoned Bagram Airport. The Lt. Col. is retired but sprang into action to help evacuate those at risk through Operation Pineapple Express. Peter Lucier of Team America Relief gave a way forward opening statement that should be must reading for everyone who even comes near a military operation. Sargeant Vargas-Andrews, who spotted the suicide bomber at Abbey Gate but was denied the opportunity to take him out, described the aftermath of the blast:
“I opened my eyes to Marines dead or unconscious lying around me. … My body was overwhelmed from the trauma of the blast. My abdomen had been ripped open, every inch of my exposed body except for my face took ball bearings and shrapnel,” said Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, 25, who choked up and spent several minutes trying to compose himself as he recounted the bombing at the Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate on Aug. 26, 2021.
Thirteen U.S. service members were killed in the blast, which also claimed the lives of another 170 Afghan civilians.
Vargas-Andrews, whose sniper team was assisting the evacuation at the airport, was one of 45 U.S. service members injured that day. He lost multiple organs and two limbs, and he has had 44 operations since.
“Our military members and veterans deserve our best because that is what we give to America. The withdrawal was a catastrophe in my opinion, and there was an inexcusable lack of accountability and negligence,” Vargas-Andrews said. “The 11 Marines, one sailor and one soldier that were murdered that day have not been answered for.”
Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, a U.S. Marine Corps sniper, tells Congress that he was denied permission to shoot the suicide bomber in Afghanistan that killed 13 service members and over 170 civilians:
"Plain and simple, we were ignored. Our expertise was disregarded. No one was… https://t.co/h380txudvE pic.twitter.com/A8mxNlKFkS
— kanekoa.substack.com (@KanekoaTheGreat) March 8, 2023
No one has been held accountable for the death and destruction wrought by our disastrous “retrograde”. No one in power has paid for this moral injury. Creepy Joe Biden hasn’t fired anyone and not one General or Full Bird has thrown their rank on the desk and turned his back.
As I said earlier, the narrow scope of the subject should have kept partisan attacks on the radar. But no, David Cicilline, Kathy Manning, and Colin Allred couldn’t help themselves. From the withdrawal was Donald Trump’s fault to Donald Trump destroyed immigration, the partisan hacks had to hack. Fortunately, the panel in front of them mostly refused the bait. The members of the panel said mostly, “I don’t know. I can only testify to what happened that day”, or in the case of the immigration attorney, “The immigration system has been broken for decades.” Yea team. Good on them.
The most shocking revelation came when it was revealed that the House Foreign Affairs Committee has not held an OVERSIGHT HEARING in 20 years! Read that again. This is what they are elected to do. If they don’t hold themselves accountable, how can the Generals be held accountable? From the very top lies were told and life ending mistakes were made. No one has been held accountable for this latest moral injury. As Chairman McCaul noted, we had been promised this retrograde wouldn’t be like Vietnam. It wasn’t a Chinook is much bigger than a Huey.
Four your situational awareness, private groups are still going in to Afghanistan to rescue our allies. Our people do not deserve this moral injury.
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Vikingord says: This is one of the reasons why, even as a vet, I actively discourage my children from considering joining the service. It’s hurts my heart, but I have no desire to send my sons and daughters into the meat grinder under people who are unaccountable, who have no strategic goals, seemingly have no care for the lives of those under their command, and hate the culture of the country they are sworn to protect.
Joe Sefcik says: While the Biden administration had overall responsibility for this Charlie Foxtrot, I actually hold the generals and any “leaders” on the ground far more responsible for the tactical chaos. Biden and his team wouldn’t know an IED from a KIA, but those in olive drab and desert tan should have known better . . . . that testimony of the sniper was excruciating to listen to with anyone above an O-3 shrugging their shoulders and passing the buck. Do the RIGHT THING folks and damn the bureaucratic consequences.
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