Pentagon Says ‘Hidden’ Afghanistan Files Could Shed New Light on Kabul Disaster

Five years later, the Afghanistan files are back

Five years after the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Pentagon says it has uncovered classified documents that were allegedly hidden away in safes and could shed new light on the decisions surrounding the final days of America's longest war.

But there is an important catch.

The Pentagon isn't saying what the documents reveal — yet.

Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson and chairman of the Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel, said investigators had recovered highly relevant classified material that should have been disclosed.

He went further, claiming the documents had been deliberately “stashed” and hidden where they would not be found.

And, according to Parnell, the reason for hiding them became apparent once investigators examined their contents.

What exactly is in the files?

That is now the big question.

Parnell has promised that troops who served during the withdrawal are “owed the full picture” of how and why decisions were made.

But no specific document, decision or previously unknown finding has yet been made public.

That means the Pentagon's claim is potentially explosive — but the evidence remains behind a classified door.

Until the material is released or its contents are independently established, the public is being asked to take the Pentagon's word for what it may contain.

Kabul remains a political wound

The timing is hardly accidental.

The Pentagon is preparing to upgrade the valor awards of service members who served at Kabul International Airport during the final days of the withdrawal.

Thirteen American service members were killed in the Abbey Gate terrorist attack while protecting the evacuation.

For Republicans, those final days remain one of the clearest symbols of what they regard as the failure of Biden's foreign policy.

They have argued that the withdrawal was badly planned, intelligence warnings were mishandled and American troops were left exposed.

Democrats counter that Biden finally ended a 20-year military intervention that had become effectively open-ended.

Now the investigation is digging deeper

The Pentagon's Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel was established to examine the decisions leading to the withdrawal and determine responsibility for the deaths.

Its findings could therefore become politically significant — particularly if the newly discovered material contradicts the established account of what happened.

Parnell says his team is finding more than expected.

“The deeper we look, the more there is to look at,” he said.

But until the documents are actually disclosed, that remains a promise rather than a revelation.

The Kabul story may not be finished

That is what makes this worth watching.

The Afghanistan withdrawal has already been argued over for years. But if the Pentagon really has found documents that were deliberately concealed from previous investigations, the political battle could be about to reopen.

The crucial question isn't whether Washington can produce another round of accusations against Biden.

It is much simpler:

What is actually in those safes — and why was it allegedly hidden?

Five years after the Kabul evacuation, America may finally get another piece of the story.

SOURCE

Oh good , and after the Afghanistan files , finally the epstein files ?

Oh, the pearl-clutching irony.

If Republicans regard the Afghanistan withdrawal as a failure of Biden’s foreign policy, then by the same token, Trump should also be held responsible for the casualties resulting from his Iran war.

In that war, 18 US service members were killed and 756 wounded and counting, if you can believe Pentagon figures.

Tragically, by comparison, Abbey Gate resulted in 13 American service members killed and 45 wounded.

The Afghanistan withdrawal was based on Trump’s foreign policy and his negotiated agreement with the Taliban, which Biden inherited.
So there is plenty of blame to go around.
Trump even ordered an accelerated withdrawal beyond the agreed timeline, only days after losing the 2020 election, but fortunately, that order was blocked.

By contrast, Trump’s Iran war was his war of choice, based on nothing more than a 'feeling' Trump had.

How do you like those apples?

https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Printed%2028%20Sep%20SASC%20CJCS%20Written%20Statement.pdf

Edited August 27Aug 27 by LosLobo

The Kennedy Assassination Files

The UFO Files

The Afghan Withdrawal Files

The X-Files

The Odessa Files

The IPCRES File

The Nail Files

The Meta Files

Any and every file except the Epstein Files

Afghanisthan was another humiliation for America (and something new also for Russia).

42 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

Afghanisthan was another humiliation for America (and something new also for Russia).

To quote Charlie Wilson, the architect of the Soviet expulsion from Afghanistan, "These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we f***ed up the endgame."

Edited August 27Aug 27 by NanLaew