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GOP Reps demand transparency from Biden on Afghanistan, blast withdrawal as ‘unmitigated disaster’
By Caitlin McFall
Published September 17, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: In a letter led by California Republican Rep. Young Kim Friday, 19 GOP House members called on the Biden administration to adhere to congressional demands for increased "substantive briefings" on the situation in Afghanistan.
"Since the August 31st deadline for U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, Members of Congress have received little to no engagement from this Administration on classified briefings and updates on the situation in Afghanistan and ongoing efforts to evacuate our citizens and Afghan partners," the letter first reviewed by Fox News read.
"We request that your Administration provide more frequent classified briefings for relevant congressional committees as our Afghanistan policy continues to evolve," she added.
Kim and her GOP colleagues thanked Secretary of State Antony Blinken for appearing in front of Congress earlier this week to address two days-worth of questions lawmakers had on the number of Americans still stuck in Afghanistan but said his answers "failed" to address congressional concerns.
They accused Blinken of strictly adhering to "administration talking points."
The State Department said this week that roughly 100 Americans remain in Afghanistan, but that many individuals keep reversing their intent to leave the country.
The letter informed Biden that previous briefings were equally unhelpful because they were "dominated" by lengthy presentations by administration officials that did not answer lawmaker’s questions.
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The congressmen applauded the work done by the U.S. military and State officials who helped to get over 124,000 Americans and Afghan allies out of the now Taliban-controlled country, but also blasted the administration’s evacuation plan.
"Contrary to your repeated statements, the implementation of this withdrawal has been an unmitigated disaster," the GOP representatives wrote. "As you said previously, ‘the buck stops here.'"
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"As long as Americans and our Afghan partners remain behind enemy lines and the Taliban continue to provide safe haven for terrorist organizations, Congress has a responsibility to hold your Administration accountable," they added.
Lawmakers have demanded that the White House comply with congressional oversight policies and adhere to any and all hearing and casework requests.
Kim was joined in sending the letter by GOP Representatives Steve Chabot, Mike Bost. Brian Fitzpatrick, August Pfluger, David Valadao, Tim Burchett, Lisa McClain, John Rutherford, Brian Mast, Peter Meijer, Dan Newhouse, Chris Smith, Troy Balderson, Ted Budd, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Carlos Gimenez and Ben Cline.
Fox News' Kelly Laco contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-reps-demand-transparency-biden-afghanistan-withdrawal-unmitigated-disaster