Marine’s Accusations: Pentagon Cover-Up in Afghanistan Bombing Probe
The Marine at the heart of the recent Afghanistan probe has leveled serious accusations against the Pentagon, alleging a cover-up of evidence that could have prevented the deadly suicide bombing during the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Former Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, who suffered life-altering injuries in the attack, testified in March 2023 about the events leading up to the bombing. He claimed that despite having identified a potential threat, he and his team were prevented from taking action. Vargas-Andrews stands by his testimony, asserting that the attack could have been averted if action had been taken based on the on-the-ground intelligence available.
The subsequent probe initiated by CENTCOM failed to substantiate Vargas-Andrews’ claims, leading to a dispute over the accuracy of the findings. While the investigation concluded that the bomber was not the individual initially identified by Marines, Vargas-Andrews maintains that there was a failure to act on actionable intelligence.
One of the key points of contention revolves around missing photographs of the bomber, which could have provided crucial intelligence. Despite exhaustive searches, these photos remain unaccounted for, raising questions about the thoroughness of the investigation.
The identification of the bomber as Abdul Rahman Al-Logari, an ISIS operative released by the Taliban, adds complexity to the situation. While CENTCOM asserts that the evidence conclusively links Al-Logari to the attack, Vargas-Andrews insists that he still had an opportunity to engage the bomber and prevent the tragedy.
The discrepancies between Vargas-Andrews’ account and the findings of the investigation underscore the need for transparency and accountability in understanding the events leading up to the Afghanistan withdrawal.
This is the image provided comparing the man officials say was the bomber (L) & the man snipers at the gate believed to be the bomber (R) hours before the attack.
Intel analysis of the two "received the strongest negative possible rating" that they were the same, officials said https://t.co/Cel6ZlGrWl pic.twitter.com/j74xmuQm7l
— Haley Britzky (@halbritz) April 15, 2024
