A recent State Department review of the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan assigns blame to both the Trump and Biden administrations for the chaotic events that unfolded. The report, based on over 150 interviews conducted over 90 days, highlights the "insufficient senior-level consideration" of potential downsides during the withdrawal planning process. The withdrawal culminated on August 30, 2021, and tragically included a suicide bombing at Kabul's airport that claimed the lives of 13 American service members.
The report specifically points to a lack of high-level strategizing for worst-case scenarios by both administrations, stating that the decisions to end the military mission "had serious consequences for the viability of the Afghan government and its security." While acknowledging that the decisions themselves were outside the review's purview, the report emphasizes the inadequacy of planning for potential negative outcomes.
Furthermore, the review revealed a lack of clear leadership within the State Department concerning the non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO). Though the military typically plans such operations, the State Department leads them. The report notes that it was "unclear who in the Department had the lead," hindering effective participation in the NEO planning. A recommendation was made to appoint a senior official to oversee crisis response, which would have improved coordination across various efforts.
A senior State Department official highlighted how lessons from the Afghanistan withdrawal are being applied to current crises, such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Sudan. This includes increased staffing and improved crisis management strategies, along with better on-call procedures for personnel likely to be involved in future crisis response.
The Gold Star families of the fallen service members will participate in a public forum on August 7th, hosted by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, to share their experiences and seek answers regarding the events surrounding the withdrawal.
