Republican Representative Cory Mills of Florida recently made headlines by announcing articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. The accusation revolves around what Mr. Mills calls the "intentional abandonment of Americans" during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In a statement, Mr. Mills accused Secretary Austin of dereliction of duty. Specifically, he criticized the secretary for his handling of the withdrawal process in 2021, blaming him for the initial abandonment of nearly 9,000 American citizens in Afghanistan. The resolution further alleges that Mr. Austin failed to adequately prepare for the withdrawal, especially given the catastrophic events of July and August 2021.
Mr. Mills took to social media, including the platform formerly known as Twitter, to express his concerns. He accused Biden administration officials of deliberately ignoring intelligence that indicated American citizens and allied partners in Kabul would be left behind unless the withdrawal was reevaluated.
The chaotic and sudden nature of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has drawn widespread criticism from Republican lawmakers. They argue that high-level officials, such as Secretary Austin, need to be held accountable for the fallout of the move.
According to Mr. Mills, Congress cannot simply rely on committee hearings; it must take tangible actions to address what he perceives as a complete failure of the administration. He firmly believes that there should be consequences for decisions that led to the loss of American service members and civilians during the withdrawal. Notably, this resolution comes on the eve of the two-year anniversary of the deaths of 13 service members and approximately 200 civilians in a suicide bombing at Kabul airport.
Mr. Mills emphasized that it is unfathomable that, after two years, no member of the administration has been held accountable for these tragic events. He, alongside Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who has her own impeachment resolution against President Biden over his handling of the U.S./Mexico border, is calling for accountability and transparency.
It is important to note that Secretary Austin previously stated that he has no regrets regarding the withdrawal. However, the impeachment resolution aims to shed light on potential missteps and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
In conclusion, the articles of impeachment presented by Representative Cory Mills reflect growing concern and calls for action regarding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The resolution seeks accountability and aims to prevent such failures from happening again in the future.