Biden Administration Dismisses Veterans' Concerns Over Afghanistan Withdrawal

An email surfaces showing John Kirby, a National Security Council spokesman, dismissing veterans' concerns about the withdrawal from Afghanistan as "not worth responding to."

An email sent by National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has sparked outrage after it was revealed to contain dismissive language towards veterans who had expressed concerns about the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

The email, obtained by a conservative website, shows Kirby responding to an inquiry from a constituent who had raised issues with the withdrawal. Kirby's response was blunt: "No use in responding."

Biden Administration Dismisses Veterans' Concerns Over Afghanistan Withdrawal

The email has drawn widespread condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats, with many calling for Kirby's resignation. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), a veteran who served in Afghanistan, described Kirby's comments as "disgusting."

"The people who fought in Afghanistan, who lost family members in Afghanistan, deserve answers," Gonzales said. "And for [Kirby] to say that it's not worth his time to respond, it's an insult to every American who sacrificed in that war."

Biden Administration Dismisses Veterans' Concerns Over Afghanistan Withdrawal

On Wednesday, ten Democrats joined Republicans in rebuking Biden administration officials over their handling of the withdrawal. The resolution, introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), passed 219 to 194.

The bill specifically name-checks 15 current or former Biden administration members, including President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. It accuses officials of "prioritizing optics over security," which led to the deaths of the 13 U.S. servicemembers killed in a terror attack during the withdrawal.

Biden Administration Dismisses Veterans' Concerns Over Afghanistan Withdrawal

McCaul slammed the Biden administration for its lack of accountability and its unwillingness to hold anyone responsible for the withdrawal. "Three years after the deadly and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden-Harris administration has yet to hold anyone accountable for one of the most devastating foreign policy blunders in American history," he said.

Leading opposition to McCaul's bill was Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Meeks denounced the resolution as "political theater" and a "distortion of the facts."

Biden Administration Dismisses Veterans' Concerns Over Afghanistan Withdrawal

McCaul's bill comes on the heels of a scathing report released by the House GOP that criticized the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal. The report found that the administration had ignored warnings from intelligence officials and failed to adequately plan for the evacuation of American citizens and Afghan allies.

McCaul is also preparing to hold Blinken in contempt of Congress for allegedly stonewalling an investigation into the withdrawal. His committee advanced a resolution on Tuesday that would hold the secretary of state in contempt.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller dismissed the move as a "naked political exercise masquerading as oversight."