House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael T. McCaul is requesting transcribed interviews of key State Department officials for the committee’s investigation into the Biden administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Mr. McCaul, Texas Republican, asked for the following current and former officials Wednesday to contact the committee to arrange their transcribed interviews by Sept. 7:
• Ross L. Wilson, former acting U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan;
• Brian McKeon, former deputy secretary of State for Management and Resources;
• Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. special representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation;
• Carol Perez, former acting under secretary of State for Management;
• Ambassador John Bass, under secretary of State for Management, former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan;
• Derek Chollet, counselor to the secretary;
• Suzy George, chief of staff to the secretary;
• Salman Ahmed, director, Policy Planning Staff; and
• Dean Thompson, U.S. ambassador to Nepal, former acting assistant secretary for South and Central Asia
“Through our ongoing investigation, we have determined these individuals have important information that is critical to uncovering how and why the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan resulted in a disgraceful surrender to the Taliban, the death of 13 U.S. servicemembers and injuring 45 more — all which could have been prevented,” Mr. McCaul said in a statement.
The State Department said it will consider the request.
“The department will continue to respond to congressional oversight requests in a timely manner, including requests for transcribed interviews,” a State Department spokesman said in response to Mr. McCaul’s request. “Already the department has made thousands of pages of documents available, along with numerous and extensive interviews, briefings, and other informational engagements.”
The request comes one day after the Texas Republican and other GOP committee members hosted a roundtable discussion with Gold Star family members who lost loved ones two years ago when an Islamic State suicide bomber blew himself up at Hamid Karzai International Airport’s Abbey Gate during the chaotic U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan.
Mr. McCaul told reporters following the roundtable that the administration has been blocking the committee’s requests for information and access to individuals for some time.
“This is not going to go away until they cooperate. They’ve been stonewalling with this Colonel Whited who was a commanding officer that denied permission to engage the suicide bomber. They’re finally making him available,” he said, referring to Lt. Col. Brad Whited. “I talked to General [Mark A.] Milley, and I said he needs to come before the committee. So they’re finally waking up.”
The session was part of a push by the House Republican majority to investigate the endgame of the 20-year American military mission in Afghanistan, and how President Biden and his top security aides managed the final days as the U.S.-backed government in Kabul melted away in the face of advancing Taliban fighters.
In addition to the 13 U.S. military deaths, about 170 Afghan civilians were killed and dozens of American troops were injured. One of the last days of the American mission in Afghanistan was also one of the bloodiest.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.