In a high-stakes House hearing Secretary Antony Blinken gave his final testimony about the US departure from Afghanistan: a topic that defined much of his time as Americas top diplomat. The Dec-11 meeting showed the still-raw feelings about events from three-and-a-half years ago
The timing is extra meaningful as Blinken wraps up his role — with president-elect Donald Trump set to pick new cabinet members next month. Its also the last chance for Representative Michael McCaul to lead such a hearing (since he wont keep his committee chair spot in 2025)
The hearing put a spot-light on the often-tense relationship between McCaul and Blinken‚ who spent years disagreeing about how America ended its twenty-year involvement in Afghanistan. Their back-and-forth debates included many heated moments: discussions about evacuation planning‚ military equipment left behind; and the impact on US global standing
The questioning focused on several key points:
- The fast fall of the Afghan government
- Problems with getting US citizens out
- Left-behind military gear
- Effects on Americas world-wide relationships
This wrap-up session closed a chapter in US foreign policy — marking the end of both Blinkens diplomatic service and McCauls oversight of it