Criticism in British Parliament: Report describes withdrawal from Afghanistan as a ‘disaster and betrayal’

Criticism in the British Parliament
Report: Withdrawal from Afghanistan a “disaster and betrayal”

May 24, 2022 at 1:19 pm

It is reported that British Prime Minister Johnson has transported dogs and cats from Afghanistan. But this is just one point of criticism in a report to the British Parliament regarding the withdrawal of the Hindu Kush. He accuses the government of “lack of leadership” and “irresponsibility”.

A British parliamentary report strongly criticized the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan last summer. “Our disengagement from Afghanistan has proven a disaster and betrayal of our allies that will damage UK interests for years to come,” MEPs wrote in the report.

After the United States decided to withdraw its forces, the armed forces of the other Allies – including the German army – decided to evacuate. However, the rapid advance of the radical Islamist Taliban movement surprised Western powers, leaving tens of thousands of people, including some local workers, in the country despite the dramatic airlift from Kabul.

“Unfortunately, this has cost many people the opportunity to leave Afghanistan and put their lives at risk,” said Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Conservative Party committee. The committee called on senior State Department official Philip Barton to resign.

“The British side in this tragedy reveals a lack of serious coordination, a lack of clear decision-making, a lack of leadership, and a lack of accountability,” Tugendhat said. He denounced the “serious systemic failures at the heart of British foreign policy”, and directly attacked fellow party member and then-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

Criticism of evacuating dogs and cats

Last year – shortly after the evacuation mission ended – then-Secretary of State Dominic Raab was criticized for not cutting short his vacation during the mission-critical days. In a cabinet reshuffle, Raab was subsequently transferred to the Department of Justice. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also explicitly mentioned in the commission’s report: Members of Parliament see indications that he may have played a crucial role in the controversial evacuation of dogs and cats from Kabul. The commission requested an explanation of the events.

Johnson’s government also responded to parliamentary committee questions with “deliberate evasions at best, and often deliberate misinformation”. MEPs stressed that “Parliament can only hold the government accountable if it is confident that it will receive honest answers to its questions.”

The report urged the government to resume diplomatic relations with the Taliban movement, which rules Afghanistan, as soon as possible. “Attempts to completely isolate the new regime only harm the Afghan people and can leave a void that China will fill,” the statement said.