‘Derelict in their duties’: Investigator quits over House probe of Afghanistan pullout

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

NEARLY THREE YEARS SINCE THE UNITED STATES’ CATASTROPHIC WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN AND THE FALLOUT THAT FOLLOWED. 

AND NOW — A REPUBLICAN SENIOR INVESTIGATOR ANNOUNCED – HE’S RESIGNING HIS POSITION IN PROTEST OVER THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE’S INVESTIGATION OF THE PULLOUT. 

JERRY DUNLEAVY IS A FORMER JOURNALIST AND CO-AUTHOR OF A BOOK ABOUT THE SUICIDE BOMBING ATTACK OUTSIDE OF THE KABUL AIRPORT IN AUGUST 2021 THAT KILLED 13 U-S SOLDIERS DURING THE WITHDRAWAL. 

 IN HIS RESIGNATION LETTER POSTED ON X – DUNLEAVY ACCUSED THE COMMITTEE OF FAILING TO INVESTIGATE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS, AND GENERALS MARK MILLEY AND KENNETH MCKENZIE – FOR THEIR ROLES IN THE DEADLY WITHDRAWAL. 

DUNLEAVY WRITES REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE CHAIR MICHAEL MCCAUL  “FAILED TO SEEK ANSWERS ON & ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE DEBACLE” AND ACCUSES MCCAUL AND HIS TEAM OF BEING “DERELICT IN THEIR DUTIES.” ACCUSING THEM NOT PURSUING KEY DOCUMENTS AND NOT ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS.

DUNLEAVY CLAIMS HE REPEATEDLY PRESSED THE COMMITTEE TO PURSUE INTERVIEWS WITH KEY MILITARY FIGURES – WHICH HE SAYS HAS NOT HAPPENED. “I HAVE ALSO LAID OUT A HOST OF DOCUMENTS THAT WE SHOULD REQUEST FROM THE PENTAGON – A REQUEST SIMILARLY  REJECTED OR IGNORED BY SENIOR STAFF,” HE WROTE. 

DUNLEAVY ALSO SAYS HE PUSHED THE COMMITTEE TO FOCUS ON DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE KAMALA HARRIS’ POTENTIAL ROLE, BUT TO NO AVAIL, WRITING:   

“I HAVE ARGUED REPEATEDLY THAT VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HER ROLE IN THE DEBACLE IN AFGHANISTAN, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT SHE IS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND COULD SOON BE MAKING NATIONAL SECURITY DECISIONS AND DIRECTING FOREIGN POLICY FOR OUR ENTIRE NATION.”

DUNLEAVY’S RESIGNATION COMES – THREE YEARS AFTER THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT COLLAPSED AND THE TALIBAN RE-GAINED CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY.

IN FACT, THE TALIBAN IS PLANNING TO CELEBRATE THEIR SEIZURE OF POWER IN AFGHANISTAN. MEMBERS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED INSTALLING FLAGS AROUND AFGHANISTAN’S CITIES SAYING, “AFGHANISTAN GOT FREED” AND THE PEOPLE WILL CELEBRATE FREEDOM DAY. 

COMMITTEE CHAIR MICHAEL MCCAUL HAS NOT PUBLICLY RESPONDED TO DUNLEAVY’S RESIGNATION. 

FOR SAN, I’M LT…