(Patriot.Buzz) – Seeking accountability regarding the chaotic and deadly U.S. pullout from Afghanistan in August 2021, the House Foreign Affairs Committee recently issued a subpoena to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Committee Chairman Michael McCaul stated in the subpoena notice that Blinken is required to testify on September 19 or he could face contempt charges.
In response, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller claimed that Blinken could not make the requested dates but had suggested other feasible dates for the hearing.
“It is disappointing that instead of continuing to engage with the Department in good faith, the Committee instead has issued yet another unnecessary subpoena,” Miller expressed.
He noted that Blinken has already appeared before Congress over 14 times to discuss Afghanistan, including four times before McCaul’s committee.
Miller added that the State Department has handed over nearly 20,000 pages of records and provided extensive briefings and interviews.
McCaul initially asked Blinken back in May to testify at a September hearing about the committee’s findings on the Afghanistan withdrawal.
In his letter, McCaul emphasized that Blinken was the key figure in decisions about the withdrawal and evacuation.
He wrote, “You are therefore in a position to inform the Committee’s consideration of potential legislation aimed at helping prevent the catastrophic mistakes of the withdrawal, including potential reforms to the Department’s legislative authorization.”
This subpoena is part of an ongoing probe by McCaul’s committee into the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, a topic that has become highly charged politically as the November 5 elections approach.
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump recently paid tribute at Arlington National Cemetery to the 13 servicemembers who died during the withdrawal.
He also visited Section 60 of the cemetery, a sacred military area. Despite federal and Pentagon rules against political activities in this section, Trump’s campaign filmed this visit for use in advertisements.
Trump mentioned in a recent Pennsylvania speech that he visited the cemetery at the request of families of servicemembers who lost their lives in Afghanistan.
Copyright 2024, Patriot.Buzz
