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Washington, D.C. – One year ago today, the last U.S. military flight left Afghanistan, ending our almost 20-year presence in the country. The departure followed a chaotic emergency evacuation after Taliban forces, having quickly took over much of the country, surrounded the city of Kabul and President Ghani fled. House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul has issued the following statement to commemorate the U.S. military’s departure.  

“One year ago, on President Biden’s orders, the last military plane departed Afghanistan, leaving behind over one thousand American citizens, more than one hundred thousand Afghan allies, and $7.12 billion in U.S. supplied military equipment. This was truly a turning point in American global leadership – and a stain on President Biden’s legacy. In our absence over the last year, the country has once again become a safe haven for terrorists. The chaotic and deadly evacuation severely damaged America’s credibility on the world stage, emboldening our adversaries and angering our allies.  

“Today, I honor all of those who served in Afghanistan: I urge you not to let what Afghanistan has become diminish your service and your sacrifice that helped to keep our country safe for two decades. Our country owes you a debt we can never repay.”

Earlier this month, Rep. McCaul released an interim report on his ongoing investigation into the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, their failure to properly plan for the fallout that withdrawal would cause, and the chaotic and deadly evacuation that resulted.