The Pentagon’s chief spokesman has long maintained a narrative that there was no “chaos” amidst the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
However, his own email correspondences paint a starkly different picture, one where senior officials were deeply cognizant of the rapidly deteriorating and violent conditions within the country. This revelation comes from government documents recently made public, highlighting a glaring discrepancy in the Biden/Harris administration’s portrayal of their first significant foreign policy debacle.
Obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by the watchdog group Functional Government Initiative, these documents bring to light the political maneuvering aimed at downplaying the reality of the situation to the American public. For instance, while DOD Undersecretary of Communications John Kirby was publicly pressing journalists to depict the withdrawal as orderly, echoing President Biden’s promises, he was simultaneously briefed on the chaotic scenes unfolding, particularly the dire situation at Kabul’s airport during American evacuations.
A situation report emailed to Kirby on August 16, 2021—a mere 10 days before a suicide bomber claimed the lives of 13 U.S. Marines—detailed “breaches” and “flightline insecurity” that led to exchanges of gunfire, resulting in the deaths of five Afghans and potentially wounding an American soldier. “The crowd was out of control; the firing was only to defuse the chaos,” the email explained, quoting an official U.S. statement within Afghanistan. It also noted that “Hundreds have flooded the flight line, with at least one instance of individuals forcing themselves onto U.S. military (and civilian) aircraft, with crowds continuing to dangerously pursue the planes.”
In another significant communication, a suggestion was made for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to address the “Afghan chaos” head-on during a public appearance, indicating a recognition of the severity of the situation internally, contradicting public assurances.
Moreover, Kirby received an email exposing the Taliban’s brutal crackdown, including the murder of former interpreters and the disorganized U.S. efforts frustrating their evacuation—painted against a backdrop of apparent discretion being left to the Taliban and U.S. servicemembers on the ground amidst chaos, as described in a distressing message from an Army Major on August 27, 2021.
The repeated use of “chaos” and “chaotic” in internal communications starkly contrasts Kirby’s and then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki’s efforts to minimize concerns over the administration’s handling of the withdrawal.
Despite Kirby’s attempts to defend the administration’s handling of the situation years later, the obtained documents reveal a troubling division between the administration’s public statements and the grim realities reported on the ground. These disclosures underscore the administration’s struggle to manage a situation that was clearly out of control, contrary to the narrative offered to the American public.
Critics argue that these emails exemplify a lack of accountability and transparency in the Biden/Harris administration, reflecting poorly on both their foreign policy judgment and their commitment to honest communication with the American people. This episode, as captured in the communications to Kirby, exposed an administration seemingly unprepared for the ramifications of its foreign policy decisions, leaving both military personnel and Afghan allies in peril.
As the narrative of a smoothly handled withdrawal crumbles under the weight of these revelations, the documents testify to the chaos and confusion that truly characterized the U.S. exit from Afghanistan—a stark divergence from the administration’s assurances, raising serious questions about leadership and accountability at the highest levels of government.
