House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers has sharply criticized Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's report on the withdrawal from Afghanistan, alleging it contains "outright untruths." In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Rogers pointed to discrepancies between the classified and unclassified versions of the After Action Review, and challenged Austin's "personal reflections" attached to the report.
Rogers contends that the report fails to take responsibility for the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal, instead offering a misleading account of events. He stresses the importance of understanding the failures that led to the chaotic exit and preventing similar catastrophes in the future. The Congressman also highlighted the omission of key sections and unexplained redactions within the classified report, requesting a complete and appropriately redacted version by July 7, 2023.
The image above, seemingly unrelated to the Afghanistan withdrawal, may have been mistakenly included in the original article.
A Defense Department spokesperson, when reached for comment, stated they would respond appropriately to Rogers' concerns. The Pentagon's review reportedly omits substantial portions detailed in its table of contents, including endnotes and appendices. Rogers emphasizes the need for transparency in Congressional oversight and has requested the missing documents.
This criticism comes after the White House released its own review of the withdrawal in April, largely defending President Biden's decision and placing blame on the Trump administration and the Afghan government. The White House report acknowledges that the evacuation should have begun sooner but attributes delays to various factors, including intelligence assessments.
