{"id":749024,"date":"2021-09-13T19:20:21","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T23:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=749024"},"modified":"2021-09-13T19:20:25","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T23:20:25","slug":"will-anyone-be-held-accountable-for-the-disastrous-afghanistan-withdrawal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/will-anyone-be-held-accountable-for-the-disastrous-afghanistan-withdrawal\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Anyone Be Held Accountable For The Disastrous Afghanistan Withdrawal?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwill-anyone-be-held-accountable-for-the-disastrous-afghanistan-withdrawal%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=749024&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Although congressional Republicans have called for oversight and consequences for President Joe Biden administration\u2019s incomplete and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan, ultimate authority for punishing the White House lies with the voters themselves.<\/p>\n<p>More than a dozen Republicans have called on Biden to resign over the botched withdrawal, and a few more have called for his impeachment. Those calls, which have included the <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/20\/joe-biden-mental-fitness-republicans-jim-banks-elise-stefanik\/\">questioning<\/a> of his mental state and fitness for office, will almost certainly fall on deaf ears. An <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/27\/house-republicans-ralph-norman-andy-harris-articles-impeachment-secretary-state-antony-blinken\/\">attempt<\/a> to impeach Secretary of State Antony Blinken appears similarly ill-fated.<\/p>\n<p>Congress does have options for investigating the responses of the executive branch and the intelligence community to the fall of Afghanistan, however. Armed with subpoena power, committees can compel the testimony of executive branch officials and access documents.<\/p>\n<p>Blinken testified to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, and will appear in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie are also scheduled to testify to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Sept. 28. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/09\/08\/senate-republicans-tommy-tuberville-hearings-afghanistan-sworn-testimony-lloyd-austin-mark-milley\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Senate Republicans Demand Hearings On Afghanistan, Sworn Testimony From Secretary Lloyd Austin, General Mark Milley)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7281803\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"38\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7281803\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7281803\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/blinken-testimony-scaled-1.jpg\" alt srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/blinken-testimony-scaled-1.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/blinken-testimony-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/blinken-testimony-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/blinken-testimony-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/blinken-testimony-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/blinken-testimony-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7281803\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 SEPTEMBER 13: Chairman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) (2nd-L) speaks at House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Capitol Hill on September 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. The committee questioned Blinken about the steps President Joe Biden\u2019s administration took during the withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI remain deeply concerned about the events that accompanied our withdrawal and the ongoing humanitarian crisis,\u201d Democratic Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov\/press-releases\/sasc-announces-upcoming-afghanistan-oversight-hearings-\">said<\/a> in a statement announcing the hearings. \u201cIt is the duty of Congress\u2014and the Senate Armed Services Committee in particular\u2014to hold hearings to learn lessons from the situation in Afghanistan and ensure accountability at the highest levels.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During the Monday hearing, Blinken <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/09\/13\/antony-blinken-30-americans-unable-to-access-flights-afghanistan\/\">admitted<\/a> that the U.S. was not sure how many Americans remained in Afghanistan. He also <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/09\/13\/antony-blinken-afghanistan-taliban-china-international-community\/\">repeated<\/a> administration talking points about the participation of the Taliban in the international community, and denied that the U.S.\u2019s reputation among its allies and enemies took a hit due to to the withdrawal. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/20\/joe-biden-allies-withdrawal-british-members-parliament-critics-afghanistan-kabul-taliban\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: Biden Ignores Brits, Claims Allies Haven\u2019t Questioned Withdrawal)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Republicans have also made records requests of the Biden administration. Following the publication of a partial transcript purporting to <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/31\/biden-reportedly-urged-afghan-president-convince-the-world-taliban-under-control\/\">show<\/a> that Biden demanded Afghan President Ashraf Ghani claim that his war strategy against the Taliban was succeeding in exchange for renewed air support, 27 House Republicans <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/09\/02\/house-republicans-unedited-transcript-joe-biden-ashraf-ghani-phone-call\/\">requested<\/a> that the White House release the entire transcript. A group of 26 Republican senators, led by Arkansas\u2019 Tom Cotton, also <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/09\/02\/tom-cotton-gop-afghanistan-joe-biden\/\">requested<\/a> data on the number of Americans, green card holders and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders left in Afghanistan following the U.S.\u2019s Aug. 31 withdrawal.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" readability=\"7.0645161290323\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">President Biden must prove to Americans that the United States will not abandon them to terrorists abroad forever.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sv4VvZsTdf\">https:\/\/t.co\/sv4VvZsTdf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SenTomCotton\/status\/1433421896150831109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 2, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The greatest repercussions for the Biden administration\u2019s handling of Afghanistan are likely to come at the ballot box. Early polls showed large numbers of voters blaming the Biden administration for the manner of withdrawal, even if they agreed with the decision overall. A poll <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/16\/americans-disapprove-joe-biden-handling-military-operations-afghanistan\/\">released<\/a> on Aug. 16, the day <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/15\/taliban-fighters-enter-kabul-afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-flees\/\">after<\/a> Kabul fell to the Taliban, found that 69% of Americans disapproved of Biden\u2019s handling of military operations in Afghanistan, with 59.5% strongly disapproving. A poll released by YouGov on Aug. 26 <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/26\/poll-42-percent-democrats-blame-biden-evacuation-afghanistan\/\">found<\/a> that 42% of Democrats blamed Biden personally for mishandling the evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies.<\/p>\n<p>Americans\u2019 disapproval of Biden\u2019s handling of the withdrawal has fed into the president\u2019s declining approval ratings. Biden\u2019s nationwide approval rating <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.fivethirtyeight.com\/biden-approval-rating\/\">dropped<\/a> below 50% in the FiveThirtyEight poll aggregator for the first time Aug. 16, and his polling dropped underwater for the first time on Aug. 3o. His disapproval rating reached a high of 49.1% on Sept. 8.<\/p>\n<p>An NPR poll found that the majority of Biden\u2019s drop is among independents. His approval <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/09\/02\/biden-approval-rating-poll-npr-pbs\/\">dropped<\/a> 10 percentage points among independents between July and August, the poll found, from 46% to 36%.<\/p>\n<p>Those numbers could set Democrats up for a bloodbath in the midterms. Republicans lost 41 seats in the 2018 midterms, when former President Donald Trump\u2019s disapproval <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2018\/11\/10\/politics\/poll-of-the-week-trump-no-defying-gravity\/index.html\">rating<\/a> broke 50%. Democrats lost 63 seats in 2010, when former President Barack Obama\u2019s disapproval rating also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/opinion\/blogs\/peter-roff\/2010\/08\/17\/obamas-approval-rating-could-spell-disaster-in-2010-elections\">crested<\/a> 50%.<\/p>\n<p>While Biden has time to turn his numbers around, GOP polling suggests that Democrats will struggle in crucial swing districts. Numbers <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/09\/07\/joe-bidens-approval-down-multiple-swing-districts-gop-poll\/\">released<\/a> by the American Action Network on Sept. 7 show Biden underwater in congressional districts held by Democrats that Trump won in 2020. Republicans held a six percentage point lead on a generic ballot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the president rebounds, Democrats will have a successful 2022, even if they narrowly lose the House,\u201d RealClearPolitics election analyst Sean Trende <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/articles\/2021\/09\/02\/bidens_job_approval_has_entered_dangerous_territory.html\">wrote<\/a> on Sept. 2. \u201cIf he declines much further, however, it could turn into an ugly rout.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To date, the only government official removed over Afghanistan was Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, a Marine officer who demanded accountability for the chaotic and deadly withdrawal. Scheller was <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/27\/marine-ltc-fired-for-demanding-accountability-afghanistan\/\">removed<\/a> for cause and <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/31\/marine-staurt-scheller-afghanistan-withdrawal-accoutability\/\">resigned<\/a> his commission after posting a video on LinkedIn in which he explained that \u201cpeople are upset because their senior leaders let them down and none of them are raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying \u2018we messed this up.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid any of you throw your rank on the table and say \u2018hey, it\u2019s a bad idea to evacuate Bagram Airfield, a strategic airbase, before we evacuate everyone?&#8217;\u201d Scheller asked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although congressional Republicans have called for oversight and consequences for President Joe Biden administration\u2019s incomplete and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan, ultimate authority for punishing the White House lies with the &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1893821,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-749024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=749024"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749024\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1893821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=749024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=749024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=749024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}