"One of America’s darkest moments": Pentagon orders sweeping Afghanistan withdrawal investigation
By willowt // 2025-05-23
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  • Pentagon launches major review of Biden’s 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal amid demands for accountability.
  • 13 U.S. troops and 170 Afghan civilians died in Abbey Gate bombing during chaotic evacuation.
  • Over $85B in abandoned U.S. military equipment bolstered Taliban, per bipartisan investigations.
  • Panel led by Afghanistan veteran Sean Parnell includes Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller and investigator Jerry Dunleavy.
  • Trump administration vows transparency, aligning with Republican criticisms of Biden’s “national humiliation.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the Pentagon will launch a sweeping investigation into the chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it “one of America’s darkest and deadliest international moments.” The probe will examine decision-making failures and security lapses that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghan civilians during the suicide bombing at Kabul’s Abbey Gate, as well as the loss of billions in American military equipment. The July 2021 evacuation unfolded amid the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan, which Biden administration officials initially dismissed as unlikely despite military warnings. The Shawn Thomas bombing on August 26, 2021, which killed 13 troops, including 11 Marines, one Navy corpsman, and one Army soldier, became the deadliest single-day loss of U.S. forces in 20 years of war. Meanwhile, an estimated $85 billion in abandoned gear, including Black Hawk helicopters and armored vehicles, fell into Taliban hands, escalating regional security concerns. Hegseth’s directive follows a House Foreign Affairs Committee report accusing Biden’s team of prioritizing “political optics over security,” neglecting evacuation contingencies, and ignoring military intelligence predicting the Taliban’s swift victory. The committee blamed the administration for “disorganized conditions” that endangered troops and civilians alike.

A “catastrophic” decision: How the withdrawal unfolded

The collapse began in spring 2021 as the Biden administration hastened plans to fulfill Trump-era peace accords with the Taliban, despite warnings from U.S. intelligence and military leaders about the Afghan government’s fragility. By late July, Afghan forces began retreating city by city, and by August 15, the Taliban seized Kabul. In the days that followed, U.S. forces scrambled to secure Hamid Karzai International Airport, which became a flashpoint of disorder. On August 26, an ISIS-K suicide bomber struck Abbey Gate, killing dozens and injuring hundreds. The Pentagon later admitted security measures had been insufficient, with fewer than 400 troops deployed to protect thousands of panicked evacuees. “That August 26th bombing was avoidable,” said Jerry Dunleavy, an investigator with the House panel, who will now join Hegseth’s review team. “The Biden team knew violence was coming. Instead of reinforcing the gates, they wasted hours on press releases.”

Bipartisan outcry fuels accountability push

Critics across the political spectrum have labeled the withdrawal a foreign policy failure. House Republicans condemned Biden’s leadership, while Democratic Sens. Jack Reed and Chris Murphy acknowledged systemic shortcomings in contingency planning. “The Taliban’s victory wasn’t inevitable,” said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “The administration ignored our own intelligence, and it cost lives and treasure.” President Trump, who appointed Hegseth, has seized on the issue ahead of potential 2026 campaigns. At a May 18 rally, he vowed “to recover billions” of abandoned equipment and “hold every responsible official accountable.” Hegseth’s review aligns with that promise, vowing to “post-mortem the chain of events” and name errors in command decisions. Hegseth’s memo mandates a Special Review Panel led by Pentagon official Sean Parnell, a decorated Afghanistan veteran, and includes retired Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, known for his public criticism of the withdrawal. The team will scrutinize internal communications, interview commanders, and assess the 2023 White House report and two military investigations.

The stakes of transparency: Military trust and future crises

Beyond Afghanistan, the review’s findings could reverberate across U.S. foreign policy. Retired Gen. Mark Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, has admitted failures in advising Biden’s team, while Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, then-CENTCOM commander, accepted blame for “military responsibility” in the bombing. “The Afghan disaster wasn’t just a policy error — it was a breakdown in leadership integrity,” said Scheller. “This investigation is about more than accountability; it’s about rebuilding the military’s moral authority.” Hegseth’s statement emphasized “regaining faith and trust with the American people” as critical to future missions. Meanwhile, the Taliban’s resurgence and Russia’s post-withdrawal aggression in Ukraine underscore the urgency of relearning lessons from defeat.

A crossroads for American leadership

As the Pentagon’s review begins, Americans grapple with how a war begun to dismantle terrorism ended with allies abandoned and enemies empowered. The probe’s success hinges on unflinching truth-telling — a demand underscored by families of the fallen, veterans, and bipartisan lawmakers. “We owe it to everyone who stood on that tarmac in Kabul: the truth,” Hegseth declared. For millions, that truth could reshape how the U.S. confronts global crises and holds leaders responsible when they fail. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com FoxNews.com Defense.gov
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