On Wednesday, White House spokesman John Kirby communicated to staff members via email that addressing veterans’ concerns regarding the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan was deemed “unproductive.” However, he inadvertently included Fox News in the distribution of this message.
The White House has endured significant criticism over the 2021 withdrawal, which many have characterized as a catastrophic operation and a failure of leadership in Washington. As the third anniversary of the withdrawal approached, Kirby expressed in his email that engaging with veterans’ perspectives on the matter was a futile endeavor, mistakenly adding Fox News to the email thread following an initial media inquiry from the outlet.
Kirby expressed in a reply-all email to White House staffers and Fox News that there is evidently no point in responding, stating, “Obviously no use in responding. A ‘handful’ of vets indeed and all of one stripe.”
In response to inquiries from Fox News regarding the email he sent, Kirby stated that he was unaware of their inclusion in the correspondence. The email exchange was initiated when Fox contacted the White House to address criticisms surrounding the 2021 withdrawal, which featured four statements from veterans expressing discontent with the operation. Kirby’s response occurred while he was accompanying President Joe Biden during a visit to New York, commemorating the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The withdrawal from Afghanistan was originally orchestrated by the Trump administration in 2020 but was carried out by the Biden administration in a hasty and disorganized manner. Insufficient planning and leadership, coupled with an erroneous assumption that the Taliban would not swiftly take control, resulted in a tumultuous situation for U.S. military personnel on the ground, culminating in the tragic deaths of 13 servicemembers.
Following the withdrawal of U.S. forces, the Taliban swiftly regained control of Afghanistan, establishing a sanctuary for various terrorist groups, including Al Qaeda. Approximately $7 billion worth of U.S. military equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan, all of which is now under Taliban control.
In spite of extensive criticism, the Biden administration maintains that the withdrawal was a sound policy decision. Furthermore, it has attributed the chaos of the operation to the previous Trump administration, contending that Trump had finalized the initial agreement for withdrawal. To date, no individuals within the Biden administration have been dismissed or have resigned in connection with the withdrawal.
