(DailyChive.com) – Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma has taken a stand against the promotion of Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, putting a hold on his nomination to lead U.S. Army forces in Europe. This move comes after Donahue, currently a three-star general, was recommended for a four-star promotion by President Joe Biden earlier this month.
Donahue played a key role during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which critics, including Mullin, consider one of the most disastrous military operations in recent history. At the time, Mullin, then a member of the House of Representatives, tried to spearhead private efforts to rescue Americans stranded in Afghanistan. Those attempts, however, were blocked by the State Department and Pentagon.
Mullin’s hold on Donahue’s promotion follows the Senate’s recent approval of numerous other military promotions, signaling his discontent with how the Afghanistan withdrawal was handled. The debacle led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members, the abandonment of billions of dollars in military equipment, and the swift takeover of American bases by the Taliban. It also freed thousands of prisoners, many of whom were tied to terrorism.
Despite these glaring failures, the Biden administration made no moves to hold senior military leaders accountable. Former President Donald Trump has vowed to remove any Pentagon officials involved in the operation if he returns to office, underlining the deep political divisions over the issue.
Donahue’s involvement in Afghanistan began late in the operation. He was sent to Kabul on August 16, 2021, just days before the final U.S. plane left on August 30. Famously, Donahue was photographed boarding that last flight, a somber symbol of the withdrawal’s end.
The Pentagon, however, defends Donahue’s qualifications, emphasizing his importance during a tense period in Europe. “His appointment comes at an extremely critical time in the European region,” Pentagon spokesman James Adams said, urging the Senate to confirm all pending nominees.
Mullin’s action highlights the Senate’s unique rules, where even one senator can block military promotions. Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville used the same tactic last year, delaying hundreds of nominations in protest of a Pentagon policy funding travel for out-of-state abortions.
This latest standoff underscores ongoing frustrations over Afghanistan and the politicization of military leadership decisions.
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