Blinken wants to be held accountable for contempt of the US Congress

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCall intends to take “serious steps” to hold Secretary of State Anthony Blinken accountable for contempt of the legislature as part of an investigation into the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. He stated this in an interview with the Punchbowl News portal, which was published today, May 16.

“I believe that the Secretary of State for the first time [в истории] will be held accountable for disrespect [к Конгрессу США] <>. Either there is something in these telegrams that [Госдеп] really worried, or just because he [Блинкен] protects [свое] department”, McCall (Republican from Texas) said, citing excerpts from TASS.

Earlier, McCall asked the State Department to provide a number of documents, including a letter from employees of the American embassy in Kabul, in which they criticized the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021. According to the portal, Blinken refused to provide the full text of the letter, as this could reveal information exchange channels between diplomats and the central office of the US Foreign Ministry.

The congressman intends to accuse the secretary of state of contempt for Congress, if he continues to ignore the requirement. Contempt of Congress is a felony that can be punished by a fine of up to $100,000 and imprisonment for up to one year.

President of the U.S.A Joe Biden announced on April 14, 2021, the decision to end the operation in Afghanistan, which has become the longest foreign military campaign in American history. The US started it in October 2001.

The Taliban* (an organization banned in the Russian Federation) launched a large-scale operation to establish control over Afghanistan after the announcement by the United States of its intention to withdraw its forces. August 15, 2021 President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani fled abroad, and the Taliban* entered Kabul without a fight. By the beginning of September 2021, the US military had completely left Afghanistan, ending their almost 20-year presence in this country.

*Terrorist organization, banned on the territory of the Russian Federation