A Wound That Still Bleeds
The Abbey Gate bombing in August 2021 tore through Kabul International Airport, claiming 13 American service members and 170 civilians. The pain lingers for families, veterans, and a nation still grappling with the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. On May 20, 2025, the Department of Defense launched a Special Review Panel to investigate that tragedy. Will it bring clarity and justice, or just fuel more division?
No one denies the withdrawal was flawed. Images of Afghans clinging to planes as they fled haunt us all. Yet, the rush to assign blame risks burying the truth. The panel, led by Sean Parnell with Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller and Jerry Dunleavy, has a duty to focus on facts, not political agendas. Our service members and their families deserve nothing less.
As someone who values our troops and our nation’s integrity, I believe this review must seek answers, not scapegoats. The American people need to understand why decisions were made and how we can prevent such losses in the future. Anything short of that dishonors those who died.
The Chaos Began Long Before 2021
To grasp what happened at Abbey Gate, we need to look back to February 2020. The Trump administration’s Doha Agreement with the Taliban locked in a May 2021 withdrawal deadline, released 5,000 Taliban fighters, and undercut the Afghan government. When President Biden took office, he inherited a deal that left little room to maneuver. Stay and fight, or leave under impossible terms?
Some critics act as if the Biden team alone caused the chaos. They ignore how the Doha Agreement set a trap, weakening Afghan forces and emboldening the Taliban. By the time Kabul fell, the Afghan National Security Forces, riddled with corruption, crumbled faster than predicted.
Yes, the Biden administration stumbled. Intelligence misjudged the Taliban’s advance, and evacuation plans buckled. But the roots of this disaster trace back to the previous administration’s deal. The panel must examine those early decisions, not just the final moments, to tell the whole story.
Political Games Hurt More Than They Help
Supporters of the new panel claim it’s about accountability, but their track record suggests otherwise. Recent House investigations, led by certain lawmakers, cherry-picked evidence to attack the Biden administration while downplaying the Doha Agreement’s impact. These efforts aren’t about understanding—they’re about political revenge.
This obsession with blame ignores the real crisis facing our veterans. About 14 to 16 percent of those who served in Afghanistan struggle with PTSD or depression. Programs like the Veterans Crisis Line and Wounded Warrior Project save lives, but they’re stretched thin. Why pour resources into divisive probes when our veterans need support?
Parnell and Scheller bring personal experience to the panel, and their service commands respect. But their ties to one-sided narratives raise doubts. Will they follow the evidence, or push a prewritten story? We need a review that bridges divides, not one that widens them.
What Real Justice Looks Like
So, what does justice for Abbey Gate mean? It begins with a review that traces every choice, from the Doha Agreement to the last evacuation flight. Witnesses must be heard, timelines dissected, and mistakes laid bare, no matter who made them. The families of the fallen deserve transparency, not half-truths.
We also owe our veterans more than words. The Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded mental health care, but Congress must ensure these programs are fully funded. Nonprofits like Wounded Warrior Project have provided over 78,000 mental wellness services, yet they can’t carry the load alone. Our troops deserve care that honors their sacrifice.
Finally, we must restore faith in our military and foreign policy. The withdrawal eroded trust, but we can rebuild it by learning from errors and preparing for future crises. This is about our nation’s promise to those who serve, not about one administration’s record.
A Future Worth Fighting For
The Abbey Gate tragedy doesn’t have to define us. A fair, thorough review can honor the 13 service members and 170 civilians we lost. By investing in our veterans and learning from the past, we can strengthen our military and foreign policy for the challenges ahead.
The Special Review Panel faces a choice: pursue truth or chase headlines. For our troops, our veterans, and our nation, I hope it chooses truth. We’ve lost too much to accept anything else.