Hegseth orders new review of Afghanistan withdrawal and suicide bombing at Kabul airport
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered another review of the U.S. military's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, and of the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed American troops and Afghans.
President Donald Trump and Hegseth have repeatedly blasted the Biden administration for the withdrawal, which Hegseth said Tuesday was 'disastrous and embarrassing.' He said the new review will interview witnesses, analyze the decision-making and 'get the truth.'
There have already been multiple reviews of the withdrawal by the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, the State Department and Congress, which have involved hundreds of interviews and studies of videos, photographs and other footage and data. It's unclear what specific new information the new review is seeking.
The Abbey Gate bombing during the final days of the Afghanistan withdrawal killed 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghans, and wounded scores more. It triggered widespread debate and congressional criticism, fueled by searing photographs of desperate Afghans trying to crowd into the airport to get out of Kabul, with some clinging to U.S. military aircraft as they were taking off.
A detailed U.S. military review was ordered in 2023 to expand the number of people interviewed, after a Marine injured in the blast said snipers believed they saw the possible bomber but couldn't get approval to take him out.
The findings, released in 2024, refuted those assertions and concluded that the bombing was not preventable. A congressional review was highly critical of the withdrawal, saying the Biden administration did not adequately prepare for it or for all the contingencies and put personnel in danger.
Others, however, have faulted the State Department for not moving quickly enough to decide on an evacuation, resulting in a rush to get out as the Taliban took control of the country. Critics have also blamed Trump for making a deal with the Taliban in 2020 when he was president to remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which decreased the number of forces on the ground as the pullout went on.
Both Trump and then-President Joe Biden wanted an end to the war and U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.
The new review will be led by Sean Parnell, the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs. He will convene a panel that will provide updates 'at appropriate times,' but there is no time frame or deadline for any report, which is very unusual.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: What Frederick Forsyth really thought about Eddie Redmayne's Day Of The Jackal
The shadow of the absent Harry and Meghan looms over Saturday's Trooping the Colour with the Sussexes' latest bid to steal the limelight from the King with an appearance at Los Angeles Natural History Museum where Meghan will be honoured as a 'native Angeleno'. This follows last week's Disney World photo shoot of their children neatly upstaging William's maritime initiative with David Attenborough. Charles's Canadian trip also coincided with Harry's appearance in China, Meghan's lifestyle brand was announced as William was speaking at the Diana Legacy Awards and in April the King's state visit to Italy had Meghan launching her new podcast and Harry's surprise Court of Appeal visit. Fingers crossed there'll be no twerking in Los Angeles. President Emmanuel Macron 's expected address to MPs and peers at Westminster next month provides a potential headache for Sir Keir Starmer in advance of Donald Trump 's state trip later this year. The US President was denied this honour on his first state visit after Speaker Bercow refused to let him in. So with many parliamentarians pressing to keep Trump out again how might the Government avoid a second snub? With September as the likely date, might he be asked to visit in the second half of the month when parliament is in recess? Frederick Forsyth wasn't impressed with Eddie Redmayne in the Sky remake of The Day Of The Jackal, but placated with a consulting-producer credit. 'And I got the royalties,' he told a chum rubbing a thumb against his fingers, making the universal sign of filthy lucre. Sir David Attenborough is unlikely to be on the guest list for Trump's inevitable state banquet in September. The reason? In the run-up to Trump's first election he was asked how to deal with him in The White House. 'Have we any control or influence over the American elections?' Attenborough replied. 'Of course we don't... we could shoot him… it's not a bad idea.' He faced death threats and an FBI investigation for his quip. Feverishly promoting her autobiography, Jacinda Ardern, who had a baby while serving as New Zealand prime minister, reveals that she asked the late Queen whether she had any advice on raising children. 'You just get on with it,' said the monarch. A put-down? HM clearly wasn't one of 'the criers, worriers and huggers' earnest Jacinda dedicates her tome to. Madness warbler Suggs, now slaking his camel's thirst for beer with non-alcoholic potions, provides a progress report on how his wife Anne is coping with his new found sobriety. 'She said she felt it was a bit like those stories recently, when they found out babies had been swapped in the hospital. She thought I've been swapped with somebody else since I stopped drinking.'
BreakingNews.ie
35 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Irish citizens living illegally in US could be transferred to Guantanamo Bay, report says
A number of Irish citizens who are living in the United States illegally could be rounded up and transferred to the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison camp as early as this week, the Washington Post has reported. The Trump administration is currently preparing for the transfer of thousands of foreigners to the US military base, which was established to hold terrorism suspects during the 'War on Terror' that followed the 9/11 attacks. Advertisement The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the list of foreign nationals under consideration include 'hundreds' from friendly European nations, including Ireland, Britain, Germany and France. US officials familiar with the matter told the newspaper that illegal immigrants' home governments were unlikely to be informed about the impending transfers to the infamous military facility in Cuba. Preparations for the transfer of these foreign nations include medical screening services for up to 9,000 people, which will determine whether they are healthy enough to be sent to Guantanamo. Trump administration officials say the plan is necessary due to a shortage of capacity in domestic detention facilities. By contrast, an official document seen by the Washington Post notes that the military camp is 'not at capacity'. Advertisement In January, Trump claimed that he would send as many as 30,000 migrants to Guantanamo Bay. A limited number were transferred there in March but were subsequently returned to facilities in Louisiana. World Trump orders thousands more troops to Los Angeles... Read More The newspaper said the individuals currently being considered for detention and transfer – including a number of Irish citizens – are in the United States illegally. Many of the detainees' home countries have told the US that they are willing to accept their citizens but have not acted fast enough for the Department of Homeland Security, officials told the Washington Post. US troops at Guantanamo Bay erected a tent city earlier this year in anticipation of a large influx of detained migrants. This did not occur, however, and 195 tents with capacity for more than 3,000 people were taken down. Neither the White House nor the US Department of Homeland Security commented on the report. An official at the Department of Defense said ongoing missions at the military facility remain unchanged, and added that 'we do not comment on any speculative future missions'.
The Independent
35 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why is LA protesting? 700 Marines set to be deployed on streets as curfew hits Los Angeles
More than 700 Marines awaited deployment in Los Angeles on Wednesday, marking the latest escalation of Donald Trump's response to the immigration raid protests. Demonstrations continued for a sixth day after a string of ICE raids on Friday sparked a wave of unrest in LA, with the battalion of Marines set to join 4,000 National Guard troops already mobilized in the city. The administration is now considering troop deployments to other cities as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement intensify in New York, Chicago, Austin and Denver, an official told the New York Times. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who claims the presence of troops exacerbates tensions, has asked a judge for an emergency injunction, arguing it is 'unlawful.' A hearing is set for Thursday. LA Mayor Karen Bass placed a curfew into effect in a portion of downtown LA in response to looting and vandalism, with the Los Angeles Police Department stating that it made 'mass arrests' after the restriction was imposed. Here, The Independent breaks down what you need to know as LA experiences its fifth day of upheaval. How did the protest start? Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers conducted search warrants at multiple locations on Friday. One search was executed outside a clothing warehouse in the Fashion District after a judge found probable cause that the employer was using fictitious documents for some of its workers, according to representatives for Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S Attorney's Office. Crowds tried to stop ICE agents from driving away following the arrests. Another protest was sparked outside a federal building in downtown LA, after demonstrators discovered detainees were allegedly being held in the basement of the building. Protests then erupted in Paramount after it appeared federal law enforcement officers were conducting another immigration operation in the area. The protests also spread to the nearby city of Compton. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that as many as 400 people were involved in the demonstration. The ICE operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrests of 118 immigrants this week, including 44 people in Friday's operations, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The arrests led to protesters gathering outside a federal detention center, chanting, 'Set them free, let them stay!' Why did Trump first deploy the National Guard? On Saturday, Trump ordered the deployment of at least 2,000 National Guard troops to LA. 'If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!' he wrote on Truth Social. Newsom responded on social media that the ' federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.' He added that the mobilization is 'the wrong mission and will erode public trust.' The state National Guard had not been federalized by a president – in doing so overriding a governor – since 1965. How have things progressed since? The first National Guard troops arrived in areas of Los Angeles on Sunday, including Paramount and the downtown area. Footage shared online showed an escalation in the clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement, with police in riot gear using tear gas to disperse people. Another video showed protesters throwing fireworks and other projectiles at officers. Vehicles have been set on fire and graffiti reading 'f*** ICE' has been sprayed in multiple locations. By Sunday morning, the LAPD had already made dozens of arrests, with law enforcement braced for 'several more protests' in the city throughout the day. Police said in the evening that there had been reports of looting in the city. After sharply criticizing Newsom and Bass, Trump continued his rebuke against protestors on the ground. Late Sunday, he wrote on Truth Social that it's 'looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!' By Monday, Trump ordered the Defense Department to take control of an additional 2,000 California National Guardsmen to bolster efforts to quell demonstrations. They will join the 2,000 guardsmen already stationed throughout L.A. About 700 Marines were also mobilized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with Newsom deploying an additional 800 law enforcement officers in a bid to 'clean up President Trump's mess.' Protests on Monday were mostly quelled by the evening and remained less violent than Sunday's fiery clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officers. On Tuesday, authorities enforced the curfew in a portion of downtown LA between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Wednesday, with Bass warning that anyone who failed to comply would be detained. The LAPD said that it made 'mass arrests' after the restriction was imposed. Hours before the Marine battalion was scheduled to be deployed in LA on Wednesday, Newsom filed an emergency injunction in an attempt to block the troop deployment. The administration is now considering deploying troops to other cities to quell further protests, an official told the New York Times. Anti-ICE protests began sprouting up in broader parts of California and other major U.S. cities. Approximately 60 protesters, including juveniles, were arrested Sunday in San Fransico after a group began to vandalize property. Over on the East Coast, around 20 anti-ICE protesters were also led away by police in New York, following demonstrations in lower Manhattan. On Monday, multiple people were arrested near San Francisco's City Hall after two small groups broke off from thousands of protestors marching peacefully to commit 'vandalism and other criminal acts,' police said A peaceful protest in Santa Ana developed into violence with rocks thrown and fireworks set off at law enforcement officers, officials say. In Austin, police were forced to use pepper spray and tear gas to disperse protesters who had gathered at the Texas Capitol. By Tuesday, protests had spread to at least 10 cities with dozens of arrests made. The most hostile of which were in New York City, where, in the evening, clashes broke out between police and protesters near the ICE office. Protesters were thrown to the ground as police tried to handcuff them. Others lobbed water bottles at officers. More protests were scheduled for Wednesday in places like Seattle, St. Louis and Indianapolis. What has the reaction been? Newsom and Bass have both continued to speak out against the president's decision to deploy the troops, describing it as 'unnecessary' and an attempt by the administration to create 'chaos.' In a statement put out via email, the governor said that Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 'want a spectacle' and violence. Speaking to KTLA on Sunday, Bass said that Trump's decision was unnecessary and 'just political.' 'I'm very disappointed. To me, this is just completely unnecessary, and I think it's the [Trump] administration just posturing.' By Monday, Newsom rebuked Trump's 'blatant abuse of power.' 'We will sue to stop this. The Courts and Congress must act. Checks and balances are crumbling,' he said. 'This is a red line — and they're crossing it. WAKE UP!' In a televised address Tuesday, Newsom lambasted Trump for 'fanning the flames' of the LA protests, stating his 'brazen abuse of power' had 'inflamed a combustible situation.' Other Democrats, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New Jersey Senator Corey Booker, backed Newsom and Bass, with Booker describing the president's actions as 'hypocritical at best.' Why has the Mexican flag become a symbol of the protest? A dramatic photograph showing a masked protester biking around a blazing car in Los Angeles has rapidly become a symbol of the anti-ICE riots. Drone footage of the masked protester, in the Hispanic-majority city, was shared on X and went viral. Many said it gave Trump a propaganda coup as he works to deport migrants from LA and said the photo of the Mexican flag-waving protester was undermining their resistance. Democrat supporter Armand Domalewski shared the video and claimed on X that the protester 'has to be a Republican plant'. 'This is like the perfect propaganda footage for Trump and Steven Miller. Why do people do this?' Australian political observer Drew Pavlou wrote in response.
