On the third anniversary of the deadly Abbey Gate bombing, criticism has resurfaced towards Vice President Kamala Harris for her claimed decisive role during the Afghanistan withdrawal according to Fox News.
The Abbey Gate bombing, a tragic event that took place on August 26, 2021, at Hamid Karzai International Airport, marked one of the darkest days of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This suicide bombing, claimed by Islamic State terrorists, resulted in the loss of 13 American service members and over 100 Afghan nationals. The incident highlighted the chaos and the deadly consequences of the conflict in Afghanistan.
During a CNN interview four months before the attack, Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged her significant role in the discussions leading to the withdrawal.
She confirmed being the last person in the room with President Joe Biden when the final decision was made, a detail that has drawn intense scrutiny and criticism in light of the subsequent attack.
The anniversary was not just a time of mourning but also a moment for renewed scrutiny over the decisions made during the withdrawal.
Critics have pointed to Harris' previous statements made in various media appearances where she expressed her influential position in the decision-making process. This has spurred debates about accountability and leadership within the current administration.
Adding to the fervor, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other prominent Republicans took to social media to share clips of Harris’ interview, attempting to highlight her role in the decision-making process.
Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick used this occasion to stress the ramifications of those decisions by stating, "Kamala Harris was proud to be the last person in the room for the decision that left 13 US service members dead."
At the Republican National Convention, relatives of the service members killed in the bombing voiced their grievances. They pointed out that President Biden had not publicly acknowledged their loved ones by name, adding a personal and poignant element to their criticism of the administration’s handling of the withdrawal.
Detailed criticisms from figures like Donald Trump included remarks about Harris bragging about her decisive role.
At a rally in North Carolina, he emphasized her influence over the critical decision that led to the troop withdrawal, intensifying the scrutiny of her actions and their perceived consequences.
These criticisms culminate in a broader condemnation of the Biden administration’s management of the Afghan withdrawal, brought to the forefront by Representative Matt Gaetz.
His statement captured the sentiments of many critics: "Today we mourn the 13 Americans who died because of the Biden-Harris administration, in their awful intel and operational failure at Abbey Gate."
Observers note that Vice President Harris has largely avoided press interviews and detailed public discussions about Afghanistan since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee.
This avoidance has only fueled further criticisms about transparency and accountability from the administration concerning their foreign policy decisions.
The wave of criticism also ties back to the ongoing reflection on U.S. foreign policy and military engagements.
Social media has proven to be a powerful platform for both remembering those lost and debating the policies that led to such tragic outcomes. Comments and shares of Harris’ CNN interview illustrate the lasting impact and public interest in the decisions that shaped these events.
As the debate continues, the scrutiny of Vice President Harris highlights essential questions about leadership accountability and the consequences of political decisions in high-stakes international contexts.
The discussion also prompts a broader reflection on the nature of American military engagements and the unpredictable outcomes of withdrawal strategies.
The question of responsibility and the lasting scars of the Afghan withdrawal remain at the forefront of national and international discourse. Critics argue that understanding and accountability are paramount as the U.S. moves forward, both in healing from past decisions and in making future foreign policy decisions.