Political slugfest in US over Afghan withdrawal

Less than two months away from the United States Presidential election, the withdrawal of United State forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 has become one of the primary election planks for both the ruling Democrats and the power claimant Republicans.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Today, a US based media report, that cited an unreleased report prepared by Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accused the Biden administration of misleading the public about the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The committee report contains details about the panel's years-long investigation into the 2021 pullout.

Media reports, citing the findings in the report, said that the report was highly critical of Biden's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan while stating that he did this to ensure his 'legacy' was erected in the history of America while accusing him of "prioritizing politics and his personal legacy over America's national security interests."

In response, the U.S state department in a 4,500word response blamed the previous Donald Trump administration and the 2020 Doha Agreement, inherited from Trump and criticized him for reducing U.S. troops and releasing Taliban prisoners, which, the response claimed, contributed to the Taliban's resurgence and undermined efforts for a negotiated peace.

However, most notably, the response has brought into fore how spectacularly the famed U.S intelligence agencies and the state department failed in their job in assessing the developing situation and the likely conclusion.