Wittman, Stefanik Announce Bill to Establish Afghanistan Commission
District of Columbia | August 20, 2021
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.”… (Excerpts from Wittman Press)