House Republicans attacked the Biden administration in a conference call after Thursday’s double suicide bombing at Kabul International Airport, sources told The Post.
The bombing killed at least 13 members of the U.S. service and 60 Afghan citizens and occurred amid an already chaotic evacuation operation as the Taliban quickly took power in the war-torn country.
House Foreign Committee Committee Member Michael McCaul (R-Texas) described President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan later this month as the ” worst presidential foreign policy decision of my life and an unconditional surrender to the Taliban, ”a senior Republican source told The Post in the call.
McCaul added that considering August 31 a “red line” date beyond which no U.S. troops could remain in the country was “a direct disgrace,” the source added.
A second Republican main source in the call told The Post that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) reiterated his view that President Nancy Pelosi (D-California) should re-convene the House as soon as possible so that everyone could be briefed on the situation in Afghanistan.
“[I] I promise there will be a calculation, “McCarthy said at one point, according to the first source.” All options are on the table. “
However, the second source told The Post that McCarthy showed no enthusiasm for calls from some members to push for the resignation of senior White House officials and cabinet members, or even the dismissal of the same. President Biden.
One of the lawmakers who made those calls was Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who described Secretary of State Antony Blinken as “a total disaster,” the first source said.
Both McCarthy and McCaul showed more enthusiasm for seeking the preservation of documents and continuing a congressional investigation into the execution of the withdrawal. A Republican Party member of the call told the Post that McCaul pointed to the failure of a failure of the American leadership, rather than a failure of the American intelligence community.
With days left until the departure deadline, the second source in the Republican Party told The Post that the joint chairman of the cabinet chiefs, General Mark Milley, informed members of the House committee classification that the The military is trying to remove all its members from Afghanistan on August 31. , but there is no “way” to get all American citizens out at that time.
This disclosure has led to a renewed push for legislation introduced by Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), A former sailor who made two visits to Iraq, which would require the Pentagon to certify that all Americans wishing to leave Afghanistan had been evacuated before US forces left the country.
The whip of the House minority, Steve Scalise (R-La.), Said the number 1 priority “is to get all Americans and all our allies out of Afghanistan.”
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) agreed and told her GOP colleagues, “The America First agenda means we take out our partners as well,” according to the first source.
The plenary will not be held again in session until September 20, with next week set aside for committee work. So far, Pelosi has rejected McCarthy’s request to retrieve all members, and his office dismissed the suggestions as “empty tricks.”