Rep. Cory Mills says Gold Star families deserve to see Afghanistan dissent cable

Florida GOP Rep. Cory Mills says that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken needs to be held in contempt for withholding a key dissent cable about the Afghanistan withdrawal from Congress. 

"It took us to bring this before the House to say that we will hold Secretary Blinken in contempt for he has now enabled us to try and go in and view the dissent cable," Mills said on the Tuesday edition of the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show. 

Mills said that this situation is similar to when FBI Director Christopher Wray wouldn't comply with a subpoena and turn over a document on the Biden family investigation to Congress. 

The State Department last month announced that it would only allow Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tx.), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and ranking member Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Ny.) to look at a redacted version of the July 2021 cable from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

This came after threats of a contempt of Congress vote from House Republicans. 

"This dissent cable, which came out prior to the Afghan botched withdrawal, was signed by 23 diplomats within the State Department, warning of the catastrophe that would take place," Mills said. "Now, we were willing to hold them in contempt."

"I still personally think that this document should be viewed by the 13 Gold Star families which cost their loved ones their lives," Mills stated.

The United States withdrew its troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, resulting in the Taliban retaking the country and 13 American soldiers dying.

"I think that there still needs to be accountability for the State Department, for Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Department of Defense and for others for this failed withdrawal that abandoned Americans and cost Americans their lives."