Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: James Arnold or Mary Collins Atkinson (202) 224-2353
September 30, 2021
Cotton Demands Answers About Blinken’s Whereabouts During Afghanistan Withdrawal Drill
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken questioning his whereabouts during an Afghanistan withdrawal rehearsal upon learning that Blinken was absent from the exercise.
In part, Cotton wrote, “It has come to my attention that, on May 8, 2021, the Biden administration held an exercise for principals to rehearse the plan for withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
“Conspicuously, you reportedly did not attend the exercise. You also did not send your top deputy, Wendy Sherman. Instead, you sent the third-ranking official at the Department of State. Where were you on May 8, 2021?” he continued.
Text of the letter may be found here and below.
Dear Secretary Blinken,
It has come to my attention that, on May 8, 2021, the Biden administration held an exercise for principals to rehearse the plan for withdrawal from Afghanistan. The exercise was reportedly attended by the top military leaders responsible for the Afghanistan withdrawal, along with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, CIA Director William Burns, U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power, and Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Conspicuously, you reportedly did not attend the exercise. You also did not send your top deputy, Wendy Sherman. Instead, you sent the third-ranking official at the Department of State.
Where were you on May 8, 2021?
Sincerely,
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