Honoring a Pledge to Our Fallen
Three and a half years ago, America endured a gut-wrenching spectacle. The Biden administration’s chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal culminated in a suicide bombing at Kabul International Airport’s Abbey Gate, claiming 13 U.S. service members and 170 civilians. The images of desperate Afghans and abandoned allies linger like a wound. President Trump promised to uncover the truth behind this tragedy. Now, the Department of Defense has launched a Special Review Panel to deliver on that commitment.
This effort speaks directly to the heart of our nation’s values. The American public demands clarity. Our warfighters, who gave so much in Afghanistan, deserve accountability. Why did our leaders misjudge the Taliban’s advance? How did such a flawed evacuation plan take hold? These questions haunt veterans and families who feel let down by decisions that turned a withdrawal into a crisis.
Patriots at the Helm
Leading this charge is Sean Parnell, a combat-wounded veteran with 485 days of service in Afghanistan. Having lost friends and seen 85 percent of his platoon injured, Parnell brings unmatched perspective. Alongside him are Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, a Marine who boldly criticized the withdrawal’s failures, and Jerry Dunleavy, an investigator who scrutinized the operation for the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This team of dedicated patriots is poised to dig deep.
Their mission is precise yet expansive. They will reexamine prior investigations, question witnesses, and dissect the decisions that led to disaster. The panel will probe the Biden administration’s reliance on shaky assumptions about Afghan forces and its failure to prepare for a swift evacuation. Regular updates will keep the public informed, ensuring this process remains open and accountable.
Exposing Leadership Failures
The Biden administration’s mismanagement of the withdrawal stands as a stark failure. Kabul’s rapid fall caught our leaders unprepared, despite warnings about the Taliban’s momentum. House Republican reports and congressional hearings have highlighted how senior officials prioritized political messaging over operational readiness. The Special Review Panel must hold those accountable who let our troops and allies down.
Some point to the Trump-era Doha Agreement, which set a May 2021 withdrawal deadline, as the root issue. This argument falls flat. Biden’s team had ample time to refine plans, strengthen security, or adjust terms. Instead, they pressed forward with flawed intelligence, leaving billions in equipment behind and shattering confidence in our military’s leadership.
Rebuilding Faith in Our Forces
The Afghanistan debacle has left deep scars. Public trust in military and foreign policy leadership has plummeted, with polls showing a sharp decline since 2021. This erosion, worsened by years of prolonged conflicts, undermines our ability to project strength globally. A transparent investigation can start to mend this breach by proving we take failures seriously.
Veterans bear the heaviest burden. Mental health struggles, including PTSD and depression, affect roughly 14–16 percent of those who served in Afghanistan. While the Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded support through programs like the Veterans Crisis Line, true healing requires justice. Accountability for the withdrawal’s failures is a vital step toward honoring those who sacrificed.
Securing a Stronger Future
This panel’s work extends beyond exposing past errors. Historical oversight, from Vietnam to the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986, shows that thorough investigations drive meaningful reform. By learning from Afghanistan, we can strengthen contingency planning and interagency coordination, ensuring future withdrawals reflect competence and resolve.
Partisan distractions must not derail this effort. Some argue that focusing on Biden’s missteps overlooks the Doha Agreement’s constraints. Yet shifting blame solves nothing. The panel must deliver an unflinching assessment that transcends politics, bolstering our military’s readiness and global credibility.
This investigation honors the fallen, supports our veterans, and rebuilds trust in our institutions. By facing the truth, we can restore America’s strength and ensure our foreign policy reflects unwavering commitment. The time for answers is now. Let’s demand justice and forge a better path.