McCaul urges US State Department to release missing Afghanistan files

The Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, has sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging the Department of State to fulfill a crucial document request regarding the investigation into the Afghanistan withdrawal. In the letter, McCaul emphasizes the department’s obligation to provide the requested files by July 14 or face a subpoena.

Published on Wednesday by the committee, the letter references previous correspondence from June 8 and 20, 2023, in which McCaul raised concerns about the department’s failure to produce the requested documents and information regarding the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan under the Biden Administration. McCaul warned of the possibility of issuing a subpoena to obtain three specific priority items.

While acknowledging the department’s production of two of the three requested items, McCaul expresses disappointment that the Afghanistan After-Action Review (AAR) files, a longstanding request dating back to January 2023, have not been provided. He asserts that if the State Department does not produce the AAR files by July 14, 2023, he is prepared to proceed with a subpoena.

The Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has set Friday, July 14, 2023, as the deadline for the State Department to deliver all requested documents in their entirety and without redactions. Failure to comply may result in a subpoena.

The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee initiated an investigation into the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan several months ago, citing limited access to a report detailing the chaotic withdrawal process. Chairman McCaul had specifically sought the “dissent channel” cable, which warned top officials about the potential collapse of Afghanistan following the troop withdrawal.