ANGRY Dominic Raab has responded to US claims accusing Britain of increasing the death toll in the Kabul terror attack as an Anglo-American collapse.
The livid foreign secretary said Leaks from the Pentagon indicating that an airport gate had been left open at the request of the UK were “simply true”.
Thirteen U. S. serviceman were killed in the blast when a suicide bomber attacked the site, along with two British and at least Afghans.
Government resources were left speechless through U. S. claims and warned that Joe Biden, under the chimney of critics, sought to blame him.
The stunning public dispute will put additional pressure on the so-called special appointments that have been rocked by the Afghan crisis.
According to classified U. S. notes, received through Politico, U. S. chiefs had begged to be allowed to enter the abbey gate of Hamid Karzai Airport.
But its commander in Kabul, Rear Admiral Peter Vasely, said Britain sought to keep it open because they had “accelerated its withdrawal”.
Leaked transcripts said U. S. officials had predicted a “massive” attack and warned that the gate was the “highest risk” location.
But asked about the claims, Raab was enraged: “It is simply not true to suggest, apart from assuring our civilian staff inside the airport, that we push to leave the door open.
“In fact, we were posting adjustments to the warnings before the bombing and telling other people in the crowd that British citizens and anyone else would definitely have to leave because of the risk. “
“In fact, we did our best once we were alerted to the threat and before the explosion occurred, to mitigate the risk. “
Raab said the UK had moved from an adjacent hotel right next to the blast site to the airport.
But he insisted: “None of this would have required or needed the abbey door to be left open.
The foreign minister insisted that, despite the tensions, he still maintains an “excellent working relationship” with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
But today he was confronted with a clumsy grill from GMB host Charlotte Dawkins, who told him his “job is at stake. “
Mr Raab retaliated and accused those who informed him of “passing the buck” insisting that those figures were not “credible”.
The U. S. briefing sparked a furious reaction in Britain and accusations that Biden must deflect blame from his administration.
The White House leader has faced a massive backlash both at home and after his failed withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Britain and its European allies have made it clear they agree with the resolution to withdraw all forces and return the country to the Taliban.
A government source told the Times: “The United States will have to deal with the general disaster of the evacuation.
“Obviously, a complicated briefing is taking place. “
Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Defence Select Committee, said: “I’m concerned that this is more like a blame game.
“It’s how special appointments have sunk into the bosom of the wave. “
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