Pentagon Launches Fresh Review of 2021 Afghanistan Withdrawal

The United States is once again revisiting the turbulent final chapter of its longest war. On Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a “comprehensive review” into the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan—an operation marred by tragedy, confusion, and intense political fallout. This renewed examination will revisit the evacuation process that resulted in the deaths of 13 US service members and over 150 Afghan civilians in a suicide bombing at Kabul airport orchestrated by the Islamic State.

Hegseth’s announcement has reignited the debate around America’s exit from Afghanistan, one of the most controversial military decisions in recent history. The operation marked the culmination of a two-decade-long war and unfolded in scenes of chaos: desperate Afghans clinging to aircraft, the swift Taliban takeover of Kabul, and a devastating terror attack just days before the final flight departed.

While several reviews of the withdrawal have already been conducted—including by the Pentagon, the State Department, and Congressional Republicans—Hegseth believes a broader, more detailed investigation is necessary. “This remains an important step toward regaining faith and trust with the American people and all those who wear the uniform,” he wrote in a memo announcing the review. He emphasized that the losses suffered, both in terms of lives and military equipment, warrant deeper accountability.

It remains unclear what new ground this comprehensive review will cover, or how it will distinguish itself from earlier reports. Still, its political implications are undeniable. Critics argue that Hegseth, a Trump ally and military veteran, may be using the review to shift blame more squarely onto the Biden administration. The timing of the announcement, during a heated election cycle, lends weight to such suspicions.

The Biden administration has consistently placed significant responsibility for the chaotic exit on its predecessor. The Trump administration, in 2020, struck a deal with the Taliban in Doha that laid the foundation for the withdrawal of US forces. This agreement required the US to leave Afghanistan in exchange for Taliban commitments to prevent terrorism and engage in intra-Afghan dialogue. Biden’s team argued that by the time they took office, the drawdown had already begun, and reversing course would have meant escalating the conflict.

Still, President Joe Biden’s handling of the withdrawal has faced widespread criticism, even among some allies. Images of the haphazard evacuation, including scenes of crowds swarming the tarmac at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, became defining visuals of the operation. The final days were overshadowed by the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate, one of the airport’s main entrances, where 13 American troops were killed along with dozens of Afghans trying to flee the country.

Now, with Pete Hegseth at the helm of the Pentagon, the review will be led by Pentagon spokesperson and senior adviser Sean Parnell, himself a combat veteran. Other notable figures are expected to participate, including Stuart Scheller, a former Marine officer who publicly criticized the withdrawal while still in uniform—a move that ultimately ended his military career. Their inclusion signals an intent to bring in voices that were on the ground or closely tied to the conflict, adding a potentially emotional and raw dimension to the inquiry.

This isn’t the first time key US military leaders have been called to answer for what happened. Former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley have both testified before Congress. Central Command, which oversees Middle Eastern military operations, conducted its own internal review into the Kabul bombing, but findings from that effort left many questions unanswered.

Some observers fear the new review could devolve into a political tool rather than a constructive analysis. As the US approaches another presidential election, Afghanistan remains a politically sensitive subject. Donald Trump frequently criticized Biden over the withdrawal during his campaign, framing the event as a humiliation for the United States and a betrayal of American service members’ sacrifices. A fresh review under a Trump-aligned Pentagon could be seen as reinforcing that narrative.

However, others argue that another investigation is justified, especially if it leads to lessons that can inform future foreign policy decisions and military exits. The sudden collapse of the Afghan government, the disintegration of the Afghan military despite years of US support, and the rapid resurgence of the Taliban all point to systemic failures in long-term strategy.

As Hegseth emphasized in his memo, “This is not just about blame—it’s about ensuring that the American people understand what happened, why it happened, and how we can prevent such a disaster in the future.” His framing suggests that, despite the controversy, the review may be positioned as a fact-finding mission aimed at rebuilding public confidence in the military and government institutions.

The results of the new review could have significant ripple effects. For veterans who served in Afghanistan, the operation's chaotic end left many feeling that their efforts were in vain. For Afghans who worked with the US and were left behind, the withdrawal continues to represent broken promises. And for policymakers, it serves as a reminder of how quickly even the best-laid plans can collapse under pressure.

In the end, whether this latest review will offer new insights or merely amplify existing partisan narratives remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the story of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is far from over, and its consequences—both human and geopolitical—continue to unfold.