US Congress Extends Afghanistan War Commission’s Mandate by One Year

The co-chairs of the Afghanistan War Commission say the US Congress has extended the panel’s mandate for another year, a move they say will continue the process of a comprehensive assessment of America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan.

In a statement released on Thursday, 5 September, the commission said the one-year extension would provide the necessary time to complete an independent, broad and thorough review of the US war in Afghanistan.

According to the statement, the extension was approved with the support of both chambers of the US Congress and members of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

The statement also said the findings of the review could offer lessons for future US leaders in making decisions about war.

The Afghanistan War Commission was established in 2021 and was tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the US’s two-decade-long war in Afghanistan. The war began after the US invasion in 2001 and continued until the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan.