Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) is seeking the impeachment of Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin over the circumstances of the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Florida Republican alleges that Austin committed “high crimes and misdemeanors” during his oversight of the end of the American role in the country.
Mills claims that the defense chief committed a “dereliction of his duties and intentional abandonment” of thousands of Americans to the Taliban.
The representative said that Austin did not properly utilize his eight months in office “to prepare for and execute a smooth and orderly departure from Afghanistan.” Mills cited Austin’s “decisions during the catastrophic events of July and August 2021.”
Mills is a veteran of the United States Army 82nd Airborne Division and as a candidate for Congress carried out an overland rescue of Americans during the withdrawal.
Mills accused Biden administration figures of “blatantly ignor[ing] intel that Americans and our allied partners in Kabul would be left behind in harm’s way unless the U.S. corrected course in our withdrawal.”
He also stated that further congressional hearings would not be effective. He said that Congress needed to take “real action to address the complete failure of this administration.”
Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida has announced articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin over the "intentional abandonment of Americans" in Afghanistan. https://t.co/Vgb6lcL4Ki
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) August 25, 2023
He cited the death of 13 American servicemembers due to a suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport. Mills’ resolution argues that the Pentagon head’s actions caused the “unnecessary deaths” of the military personnel. Since the bombing, intelligence emerged that the Taliban did not prevent the ISIS bombing, despite a warning from the United States.
The Pentagon claimed last year that the bombing was not preventable.
“The fact that it has been two entire years without any member of this administration being held accountable is unfathomable,” Mills said. “That changes today.”
During congressional testimony earlier this year, Austin told the House Armed Services Committee earlier this year that he had no “regrets” regarding the end of the United States’ 20-year involvement in the nation. Furthermore, in the aftermath of the withdrawal, President Joe Biden expressed similar sentiments.