House GOP to subpoena Blinken over Afghanistan dissent cable
Mhm. Good evening everyone. 18 days ago, the United States and our allies began our evacuation and relocation operation in Kabul. As you just heard from the pentagon. A few hours ago. That operation was completed, More than 123,000 people have been safely flown out of Afghanistan. That includes about 6000 American citizens. This has been a massive military diplomatic and humanitarian undertaking, one of the most difficult in our nation’s history and an extraordinary feat of logistics and coordination under some of the most challenging circumstances imaginable. Many, many people made this possible. I want to commend our outstanding diplomatic who worked around the clock and around the world to coordinate the operation. Yeah, they volunteered for duty at the capital airport. They flew to transit countries to help process thousands of afghans bound for the United States. They deployed to ports of entry and American military bases to welcome Afghans to their new homes. They staffed 24 7 task force here in Washington, overseen by Deputy secretary by Makin. And they built a list of Americans possibly seeking to leave Afghanistan. Then worked to contact every single one of them repeatedly making 55,000 phone calls, sending 33,000 emails since August 14. They solve problem after problem to keep the mission moving forward. Yeah, They did this because for the thousands of State Department and Usaid employees who served in Afghanistan in the past 20 years. This evacuation operation was very personal. Many worked hand in hand for years with afghan partners, Many of whom became trusted friends. We also lost cherished members of our foreign service community in Afghanistan will never forget them helping Americans are foreign partners who’ve been by our side for 20 years. And Afghans at risk at this critical moment was more than just a high stakes assignment for our team. Mhm. It was a sacred duty and the world saw how our diplomats rose to the challenge with determination and heart. U. S. Service members in Kabul did heroic work securing the airport protecting civilians of many nationalities including tens of thousands of afghans and airlifting them out. They’re also providing vital support right now caring for afghans on military bases in europe, the Middle East and here in the United States. We’ve seen pictures of U. S. Service members at the Kabul airport. Cradling babies comforting families. That’s the kind of compassionate courage our men and women in uniform exemplified. They carried out this mission under the constant threat of terrorist violence. And four days ago 11 marines, one navy medic and one soldier were killed by a suicide bomber at the airport gate as well as scores of afghans. Nearly all of them were in their early 20s. Just babies or toddlers on September 11, 2001. These deaths are a devastating loss for our country. We have the State Department feel them deeply. We have a special bond with the marines. The first person that you see when you visit an american embassy is a marine. They guard our diplomatic missions. They keep us safe around the world. We couldn’t do our jobs without them and we will never forget their sacrifice. Nor will we forget what they achieved. The most exceptional among us perform a lifetime’s work of service in a short time here on earth. So it was for our exceptional brothers and sisters who died last week. Finally, I want to thank our allies and partners. This operation was a global endeavor in every way. Many countries stepped up with robust contributions to the airlift including working by our side at the airport. Some are now serving as transit countries, allowing evacuees to be registered and processed on the way to their final destinations. Others have agreed to resettle Afghan refugees permanently and we hope more will do so in the days and weeks ahead, we’re truly grateful for their support. Now. U. S. Military flights have ended and our troops have departed Afghanistan. A new chapter of America’s engagement with Afghanistan has begun. It’s one in which we will lead with our diplomacy. The military mission is over. A new diplomatic mission has begun. So here’s our plan for the days and weeks ahead. First we built a new team to help lead this new mission. As of today, we’ve suspended our diplomatic presence in Kabul and transferred our operations to Doha Qatar which will soon be formally notified to Congress given the uncertain security environment and political situation in Afghanistan. It was the prudent step to take and let me take this opportunity To thank our outstanding charge, d’affaires in Kabul Ambassador Ross Wilson, who came out of retirement in January 2020 to lead our embassy in Afghanistan and has done exceptional, courageous work during a highly challenging time for the time being. We will use this post in Doha to manage our diplomacy with Afghanistan, including consular affairs, administering humanitarian assistance and working with allies, partners and regional international stakeholders to coordinate our engagement and messaging to the taliban. Our team there will be led by an Macari who served as our deputy Chief of Mission in Afghanistan for this past year. No one is better prepared to do the job. Second, we will continue our relentless efforts to help americans foreign nationals and afghans leave Afghanistan if they choose. Let me talk briefly about the americans who remain in Afghanistan. We made extraordinary efforts to give americans every opportunity to depart the country. In many cases talking and sometimes walking them into the airport of those who self identified as americans in Afghanistan who are considering leaving the country. We’ve thus far received confirmation that about 6000 have been evacuated or otherwise departed. This number will likely continue to grow as our outreach and arrivals continue. We believe there are still a small number of Americans under 200 and likely closer to 100 who remain in Afghanistan and want to leave. We’re trying to determine exactly how many we’re going through manifests and calling and texting through our lists and we’ll have more details to share as soon as possible. Part of the challenge with fixing a precise number is that there are long time residents of Afghanistan who have american passports and who were trying to determine whether or not they wanted to leave. Many are dual citizen americans with deep roots and extended families in Afghanistan who resided there for many years for many, it’s a painful choice. Our commitment to them and to all americans in Afghanistan and everywhere in the world continues the protection of welfare of americans abroad remains the State Department’s most vital an enduring mission. If an american in Afghanistan tells us that they want to stay for now and then in a week or a month or a year, they reach out and say I’ve changed my mind. We will help them leave. Additionally, we’ve worked intensely to evacuate and relocate afghans who worked alongside us and are at particular risk of Reprisal. We’ve gotten many out, but many are still there. We will keep working to help them. Our commitment to them Has no deadline. 3rd, we will hold the Taliban to its pledge to let people freely depart Afghanistan. The Taliban is committed to let anyone with proper documents leave the country in a safe and orderly manner. They said this privately and publicly many times on friday. A senior taliban official said it again on television and radio and I quote, any afghans may leave the country, including those who work for americans if they want. And for whatever reason there may be end, quote, more than half the world’s countries Have joined us in insisting that the Taliban let people travel outside Afghanistan freely. As of today, more than 100 countries have said that they expect the Taliban to honor travel authorizations by our countries. And just a few short hours ago the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution that enshrines that responsibility laying the groundwork to hold the taliban accountable if they connect. So. The international chorus on this is strong and it will stay strong. We will hold the taliban to their commitment on freedom of movement for foreign nationals, visa holders at risk Afghans 4th, we will work to secure their safe passage. This morning. I met with the foreign ministers of all the G7 countries, the United Kingdom France, Germany, Canada Italy Japan as well as Qatar Turkey, the European Union and the Secretary general of NATO. We discussed how we will work together to facilitate safe travel out of Afghanistan including by reopening Kabul civilian airport as soon as possible and we very much appreciate the efforts of Qatar and Turkey in particular to make this happen. This would enable a small number of daily charter flights, which is a key for anyone who wants to depart from Afghanistan moving forward. We’re also working to identify ways to support americans, legal, permanent residents and afghans who have worked with us and whom they choose to depart the overland routes. We have no illusion that any of this will be easy or rapid. This will be an entirely different phase from the evacuation that just concluded it will take time to work through a new set of challenges. But we will stay at it. John Bass are former ambassador to Afghanistan who returned to Kabul two weeks ago to help lead our evacuation efforts at the airport, will spearhead our ongoing work across the State Department to help american citizens and permanent residents, citizens of allied nations, special immigrant visa applicants and Afghans at high risk if any of those people wish to depart Afghanistan, we’re deeply grateful for all that John did in Kabul for him and for his continued commitment to this mission, as well as the extraordinary consular officers who were serving by his side. Fifth, we will stay focused on counterterrorism. The Taliban has made a commitment to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghanistan as a base for external operations that threaten the United States or our allies, including Al Qaeda and the Taliban sworn enemy, ISIS K here too. We will hold them accountable to that commitment. But while we have expectations of the Taliban, that doesn’t mean we will rely on the Taliban will remain vigilant in monitoring threats ourselves and will maintain robust counterterrorism capabilities in the region to neutralize those threats if necessary, as we demonstrated in the past few days by striking ISIS facilitators and imminent threats in Afghanistan. And as we do in places around the world, where we do not have military forces on the ground, let me speak directly to our engagement with the Taliban across these and other issues. We engaged with the Taliban during the past few weeks to enable our evacuation operations going forward. Any engagement with the Taliban led government in Kabul will be driven by one thing only our vital national interests. If we can work with a new Afghan government in a way that helped secure those interests, including the safe return of marc fredericks. A U. S. Citizen has been held hostage in the region since early last year and in a way that brings greater stability to the country and region and protects the gains of the past two decades. We will do it, but we will not do it on the basis of trust or faith. Every step we take will be based not on what the Taliban the government says, but what it does to live up to its commitments. The Taliban seeks international legitimacy and support our messages. Any legitimacy and any support will have to be earned. The Taliban can do that by meeting commitments and obligations on freedom of travel, respecting the basic rights of the Afghan people, including women and minorities, upholding its commitments on counterterrorism, not carrying out Reprisal violence against those who choose to stay in Afghanistan in forming an inclusive government that can meet the needs and reflect the aspirations of the Afghan people. 6th, we will continue our humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. The conflict has taken a terrible toll on the Afghan people, Millions are internally displaced, millions are facing hunger, even starvation. The COVID-19 pandemic has also hit Afghanistan hard. The United States will continue to support humanitarian aid to the Afghan people consistent with our sanctions on the taliban. The aid will not flow through the government, but rather through independent organizations such as U. N. Agencies and Ngos. And we expect that those efforts will not be impeded the Taliban or anyone else. And seven, we will continue our broad international diplomacy across all these issues and many others. We believe we can accomplish far more and exert far greater leverage when we work in coordination with our allies and partners. Over the last two weeks, we’ve had a series of intensive diplomatic engagements with allies and partners to plan and coordinate the way ahead in Afghanistan. I’ve met with the Foreign Ministers of NATO in the G seven. I’ve spoken one on one with dozens of my counterparts Last week, President Biden met with the leaders of the G7 countries And Deputy Secretary of State Wendy, Sherman has been convening a group of 28 allies and partners from all regions of the world. Every other day going forward will coordinate closely with countries in the region and around the world as well as with leading international organizations, Ngos and the private sector. Our allies and partners share our objectives and are committed to working with us. I’ll have more to say on these matters in the coming days. The main point I want to drive home here today is that America’s work in Afghanistan continues. We have a plan for what’s next. We’re putting it into action this moment. Also demands reflection. The war in Afghanistan was a 20 year endeavor. We must learn its lessons and allow those lessons to shape how we think about fundamental questions of national security and foreign policy. We owe that to future diplomats, policymakers, military leaders, service members. We owe that to the american people. But as we do, we will remain relentlessly focused on today and on the future. We’ll make sure we’re finding every opportunity to make good on our commitment to the Afghan people, including by welcoming thousands of them into our communities, as the american people have done many times before with generosity and grace throughout our history in this way, will honor all those brave men and women from the United States and many other countries who risked or sacrificed their lives as part of this long mission right up to today. Thanks for listening mm
House Republicans plan to deliver a subpoena to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday for classified cables related to the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, marking an unprecedented effort to force the release of sensitive documents to Congress.Video above: Blinken comments in August 2021 after last US troops leave AfghanistanRep. Mike McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told The Associated Press on Monday that he had spoken with Blinken earlier in the day when he was notified the agency would not be turning over a so-called dissent cable written by diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul shortly before the August 2021 withdrawal.“We have made multiple good faith attempts to find common ground so we could see this critical piece of information,” McCaul, R-Texas, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Secretary Blinken has refused to provide the Dissent Cable and his response to the cable, forcing me to issue my first subpoena as chairman of this committee.”The July 2021 communication warned Blinken about the potential fall of Kabul via a special “dissent channel,” which allows State Department officials to issue warnings or express contrarian views directly to senior agency officials, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.The State Department made a direct offer last week — before McCaul made his subpoena threat about the dissent cable in particular — to share the substance of the cable via a briefing, according to a March 22 letter obtained by the AP.Video below: US Marine gives statement on Afghanistan withdrawal”The Department is prepared to discuss a path that would communicate to you the circumstances and substance of the requested cable exchange, as an extraordinary accommodation,” the letter read. “The Department trusts that this accommodation will address the Committee’s request for information while preserving the confidential nature of the Dissent Channel.”The effort to force the release of the cable is the latest in a series by McCaul and other House Republicans to hold the Biden administration accountable for what they have called a “stunning failure of leadership” after Taliban forces seized the Afghan capital, Kabul, far more rapidly than U.S. intelligence had foreseen as American forces pulled out.Kabul’s fall turned the West’s withdrawal into a rout, with Kabul’s airport the center of a desperate air evacuation guarded by U.S. forces temporarily deployed for the task. A single explosive device that day killed at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 American service members.McCaul made the Afghanistan-related document requests in January, upon becoming chairman of the committee, but has said he faced pushback from the department as he pursued his investigation into the withdrawal.Video below: 13 service members killed during Afghanistan withdrawal honored by congressState Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters Monday that while he recognizes “the importance and the keen interest in this cable,” it would be a rare move for any secretary to turn over those documents to Congress.“It is a unique way for anyone in the department to speak truth to power as they see it without fear or favor. And they do it by the regulations we have established for these cables in a privileged and confidential way,” Patel said. “It’s vital to us that we preserve the integrity of that process and of that channel.”Since the Dissent Channel was created in 1971, in part to address U.S. diplomats’ concerns over the Vietnam War, the State Department has held communications closely. Nearly all such cables are classified to protect the integrity of the process and the identities of dissenting Foreign Service officers. They are not generally intended for public consumption, however, some have been leaked to the press, often by their authors.According to the National Security Archives at George Washington University, at least 123 Dissent Channel cables have been sent since 1971. The vast majority of those have remained classified and the State Department has long objected to efforts to force their release.The basic contents of some Dissent Channel cables have become public, including in the Afghanistan withdrawal case. One of its authors was given an award for “Constructive Dissent” in 2022 by the union that represents U.S. diplomats.___AP Diplomatic Writer Matt Lee contributed to this report.
House Republicans plan to deliver a subpoena to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday for classified cables related to the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, marking an unprecedented effort to force the release of sensitive documents to Congress.
Video above: Blinken comments in August 2021 after last US troops leave Afghanistan
Rep. Mike McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told The Associated Press on Monday that he had spoken with Blinken earlier in the day when he was notified the agency would not be turning over a so-called dissent cable written by diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul shortly before the August 2021 withdrawal.
“We have made multiple good faith attempts to find common ground so we could see this critical piece of information,” McCaul, R-Texas, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Secretary Blinken has refused to provide the Dissent Cable and his response to the cable, forcing me to issue my first subpoena as chairman of this committee.”
The July 2021 communication warned Blinken about the potential fall of Kabul via a special “dissent channel,” which allows State Department officials to issue warnings or express contrarian views directly to senior agency officials, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
The State Department made a direct offer last week — before McCaul made his subpoena threat about the dissent cable in particular — to share the substance of the cable via a briefing, according to a March 22 letter obtained by the AP.
Video below: US Marine gives statement on Afghanistan withdrawal
“The Department is prepared to discuss a path that would communicate to you the circumstances and substance of the requested cable exchange, as an extraordinary accommodation,” the letter read. “The Department trusts that this accommodation will address the Committee’s request for information while preserving the confidential nature of the Dissent Channel.”
The effort to force the release of the cable is the latest in a series by McCaul and other House Republicans to hold the Biden administration accountable for what they have called a “stunning failure of leadership” after Taliban forces seized the Afghan capital, Kabul, far more rapidly than U.S. intelligence had foreseen as American forces pulled out.
Kabul’s fall turned the West’s withdrawal into a rout, with Kabul’s airport the center of a desperate air evacuation guarded by U.S. forces temporarily deployed for the task. A single explosive device that day killed at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 American service members.
McCaul made the Afghanistan-related document requests in January, upon becoming chairman of the committee, but has said he faced pushback from the department as he pursued his investigation into the withdrawal.
Video below: 13 service members killed during Afghanistan withdrawal honored by congress
State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters Monday that while he recognizes “the importance and the keen interest in this cable,” it would be a rare move for any secretary to turn over those documents to Congress.
“It is a unique way for anyone in the department to speak truth to power as they see it without fear or favor. And they do it by the regulations we have established for these cables in a privileged and confidential way,” Patel said. “It’s vital to us that we preserve the integrity of that process and of that channel.”
Since the Dissent Channel was created in 1971, in part to address U.S. diplomats’ concerns over the Vietnam War, the State Department has held communications closely. Nearly all such cables are classified to protect the integrity of the process and the identities of dissenting Foreign Service officers. They are not generally intended for public consumption, however, some have been leaked to the press, often by their authors.
According to the National Security Archives at George Washington University, at least 123 Dissent Channel cables have been sent since 1971. The vast majority of those have remained classified and the State Department has long objected to efforts to force their release.
The basic contents of some Dissent Channel cables have become public, including in the Afghanistan withdrawal case. One of its authors was given an award for “Constructive Dissent” in 2022 by the union that represents U.S. diplomats.
___
AP Diplomatic Writer Matt Lee contributed to this report.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)