WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), senior members of the House Armed Services Committee, today announced legislation to establish the National Commission on the United States’ Involvement in Afghanistan. This Commission, modeled after previous national commissions such as the 9/11 Commission, would be tasked with conducting a full review and report on America’s 20-year involvement in Afghanistan, from the initial military invasion in 2001 to the ongoing withdrawal.
“For almost twenty years, US forces endured great hardship and suffered thousands of casualties to suppress terrorism, unshackle the Afghan people from the chains of despotism, and establish a stable, democratically-elected government in Afghanistan capable of holding the Taliban at bay,” said Wittman. “Within days of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, the government collapsed. Since then, not a single leader involved in this withdrawal has accepted responsibility for this debacle. Our legislation will establish a new Commission to examine all of our successes and failures in Afghanistan—including this failed withdrawal—hold those responsible accountable, and prevent the United States from making these mistakes again. A full accounting of what has transpired over these past twenty years will grow the United States as a nation, an ally, and as the leader of the Free World.”
“President Biden’s failed withdrawal from Afghanistan has revealed the most significant foreign policy and national security failure in a generation, and the American people deserve answers,” Stefanik said. “I am calling for an objective review of our strategies and conduct in Afghanistan to examine the twenty years, trillions of dollars spent, and thousands of American lives lost. The world is watching, and we must ensure the United States never repeats the outcome we have had in Afghanistan that we are witnessing today. I am proud to lead the charge with my colleague Rob Wittman to establish this commission which will provide recommendations to maintain America’s strength and respect on the world stage following this last week of Biden’s disastrous foreign policy failure.”
Stefanik and Wittman represent thousands of servicemembers from Marine Corps Base Quantico, Naval Warfare Center Dahlgren, and Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia, as well as Fort Drum in New York. Wittman currently serves as Vice Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee. Stefanik has also served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence since 2016.
