Senate Democrats pledge to investigate Bidens flawed execution of Afghanistan withdrawal

Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a scathing assessment of Joe Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and pledged his committee to investigate its “flawed execution.”

The senator said the committee would “seek a full accounting” of the US exit, Donald Trump’s “flawed negotiations” with the Taliban, and the Biden administration’s failure to anticipate the rapid collapse of Afghan security forces despite assurances.

“Congress was told repeatedly that the Afghan Defense and Security Forces were up to the task, that it had the troops, equipment and willingness to fight,” the senator said in a statement issued by the committee on 17 August.

“To see this army dissolve so quickly after billions of dollars in US support is astounding,” he said.” The American and Afghan people clearly have not been told the truth about [Afghan security forces’] capacity and deserve answers.”

The statement from Senator Menendez and other top Democrats â€" including Senator Mark Warner, who chairs Intelligence Committee â€" follows insistent criticism and inflammatory remarks from Republican officials as the Taliban accelerated its takeover.

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