KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A new report reveals that U.S. President Joe Biden, struggling with mental fatigue, missed a crucial phone call from a powerful House committee chair just days before the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, had tried to reach the president to express concerns about the planned evacuation. Smith believed the administration was underestimating the challenges that would arise during the withdrawal.
“I was begging them to set expectations low,” Smith told The Wall Street Journal. However, the president was unreachable, even as the situation in Afghanistan rapidly deteriorated.
Smith’s concerns proved to be prescient. The exit in August 2021 resulted in a chaotic evacuation, with 13 U.S. service members and over 170 Afghan civilians killed when an IS suicide bomber struck Kabul airport’s Abey Gate on 26 August.
The Taliban quickly seized control of Kabul on August 15 when former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. The U.S. abandoned billions of dollars worth of military equipment.
Smith had been working on Afghanistan-related issues for years and warned the White House that the withdrawal would not go as smoothly as officials had predicted. But despite his repeated efforts, Biden did not take the call.
“I couldn’t get the commander-in-chief on the phone,” Smith said.
The administration’s inaccessibility was noted by several lawmakers, with reports indicating that Biden’s declining mental and physical health contributed to his sporadic availability.
National security officials acknowledged that Biden’s performance varied, with some days being described as “bad days.”
After the withdrawal debacle, Smith publicly criticized the Biden administration for its lack of foresight. “They didn’t have a clear-eyed view of the situation,” he said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, angered by Smith’s remarks, reportedly called him to argue, but Blinken later accepted responsibility for the failure.
In a rare move, Biden did eventually reach out to Smith, but it was the only call the congressman received from the president during his four years in office. “The Biden White House was more insulated than most,” Smith said, comparing it to his interactions with former President Barack Obama, with whom he had more direct communication.
The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan continues to be one of the defining moments of Biden’s presidency. The failure to effectively manage the pullout has left a lasting stain on his administration, with critics arguing that a lack of preparation and poor decision-making led to unnecessary loss of life and resources.
