For the first time, a member of the Biden administration had to pass a congressional hearing on the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken passed it with constant placidity on Monday, September 13. Speaking by video, and not in the precinct of Congress not yet in session, the foreign minister refused any controversy, taking refuge in aseptic politeness. His Republican scorners often paid more attention to outrageous adjectives than to facts and dates, which would have yet served to highlight real weaknesses in the official narrative. Antony Blinken has not picked up on several resignation calls made to him, never being overwhelmed by emotion. On the other hand, he benefited from the constant support of the Democrats who, with rare exceptions, had chosen to focus on the responsibility of Donald Trump.
The marathon hearing did not allow new elements to emerge, but that is not the vocation of this democratic exercise, which will be renewed in the coming weeks with other advisers to the president and the Pentagon hierarchy. . The Biden administration would like to promote other topics, such as its plans to invest in education, health and infrastructure. But this is a necessary step for the executive power, which must be held to account for these confused and shocked six months, concluded by the withdrawal of the last soldiers on August 31.
