House committee to Lloyd Austin: What’s with the American weapons Hamas has in its possession?

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Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense

House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer has asked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to explain to the American people the use of American weapons by Hamas in its guerrilla war against Israel.

The letter asks Austin to appear on before the committee to discuss reports that U.S. arms are making their way into the hands of terrorists around the world.

Comer of Kentucky and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia opened a probe into the Department of Defense’s processes and policies to ensure that American military aid and weapons are properly distributed and used abroad.

“The Committee is concerned by reports that Hamas and other terrorist organizations may have obtained American-made weapons,” wrote the lawmakers. “Recently released photos show Hamas terrorists allegedly holding what appear to be M4A1 Carbines, which were specially designed for U.S. Special Operations Forces. This would not be the first time our military service members and allies have been targeted by terrorist organizations misappropriating American-made weapons.”

Previously, the Central Intelligence Agency reportedly provided Stinger Anti-Aircraft Missiles to the Afghan Mujahideen, which were later obtained and utilized by the Taliban. More recently, the Taliban released videos and photographs in 2021 of their members flying a U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.

A recent Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine report alleges that Russian intelligence has repurposed weapons seized during the Ukraine-Russia war, which were manufactured in the United States and the European Union.

An Israel Defense Forces commander echoed concerns in June 2023, stating that Palestinian groups in the Gaza strip possessed U.S. weapons seized by the Taliban during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

“The Committee seeks transparency as to how the DoD ensures that military aid, including American-made small arms, are being carefully distributed, safeguarded, and tracked abroad to prevent further incidents,” Comer and Greene’s letter said.  “The potential possession of U.S. weapons by terrorists is alarming in light of the terrorist group’s recent horrific attack on Israel.  Therefore, the Committee seeks a staff briefing on DoD procedures for preventing, addressing, and mitigating weapon diversion abroad.”

Read the letter to Secretary Austin here.

59 COMMENTS

  1. It’s easy. Grandpa Bloodstains ordered the military to leave enough weapons to arm several countries when he ordered us out of Afghanistan.

    The Taliban kept what they wanted and sold the rest.

    In short, Hamas has these weapons because of Grandpa Bloodstains.

  2. Golly Gee Whiz… you don’t suppose some of those weapons Biden left in Afghanistan have made their way into terrorists hands do ya…???

      • Hmmm… deflect all you want but… in the end it doesn’t really matter who originated the plan. A “good” leader doesn’t execute a bad plan, whom also had plenty of time to fix any issues in the ill concieved plan. I also don’t believe that the original “ill conceived” plan called for abandoning US military weapons to known terrorists… that one is 100% on the Biden Admin.

      • Ohhhh…. I know… It started under Trump.
        However… starting an action, and actually carrying it out successfully are two very different things. I could start washing the car, but if I let some incompetent boob complete the job I cannot expect it to be a success.
        .
        The blame lands squarely on the shoulders of the people who actually carried out the withdrawal. You can blame Trump all day long, but the reality is none of the actions taken by the Briben administration during the cluster… fudge… of a withdrawal belong to anyone other than Briben.
        .
        Nice try though.

        • Somehow you think getting out of an endless war is a bad thing when Trump plans it, but a good thing when Grandpa Stinkfinger does it so poorly that we have armed the entire Middle-East Islamofascist empire? Do explain to me how those things are equal morally.

  3. Gosh, where could the US weapons have come from? I think we know the answer. Thanks Joe, you’re one of a kind.

  4. Off topic a bit, but … Trump divulged or sold national secrets. Here’s a quote from CNN: “Concerns about Trump’s freewheeling approach to state secrets are at the center of that case. Past reports from ABC News said Trump discussed potentially sensitive information with Pratt about US nuclear submarines. The new reports Sunday expand what is known about Pratt’s recounting of their conversations to include foreign policy matters.

    “It hadn’t even been on the news yet, and he said, ‘I just bombed Iraq today,’” Pratt said in one recording that was made public Sunday, recalling a conversation with Trump.

    Pratt then recalled Trump’s description of his December 2019 call with Iraqi President Barham Salih. According to Pratt, Trump said, “The president of Iraq called me up and said, ‘You just leveled my city. … I said to him, ‘OK, what are you going to do about it?’”

    Someday, something, is going to make y’all slap your foreheads and wonder, “What was I thinking?”

    And there is this: “Donald Trump remarked: “I asked Melania to walk around the pool in a bikini so all the other guys could get a look at what they were missing.”‘

    • You’re quoting CNN as a source?!? That’s laughable on its face. Secondly, the Commander in Chief of the US Military decides what is classified. You know, The Trumpster, he decides what military information is classified or not. Do you think that bombing an Iraqi city is going to be a secret? What a maroon.

    • I believe you are speaking of the Clinton foundation as well as the 43rd and 44th administration’s. What really went down in Egypt and Lybia?

    • Oh… CNN said…what?
      Oh… they said ABC said Trump “potentially” disclosed state secrets…
      .
      Well, that IS damning evidence. Let’s indict him on Treason charges. Because someone said that someone else said something.

    • Classic redirect attempt, the choice of those who realize the article is spot on. “But TRUMP”!!! LOL -Cheers

  5. Simple, they got them from the Iraq . We left them there. Millions of dollars worth, That is truly how stupid our military has become.

    • Our military has been marginalized and dumbed down by the Obama and Biden administrations. Don’t blame the military as a whole, it is the woke generals and admirals, placed strategically by Obama, that are stupid and traitorous.

      • There is nothing new under the sun. Serving under both the Ford and Carter administrations and seeing what’s happening right now with our military taught me that. Military Intelligence is an oxymoron when command staff start thinking like politicians. Don’t expect miracles.

  6. Austin isn’t as concerned with terrorists having actual weapons of war as he likely is with Americans having “fully semi-automatic” AR look-a-likes. Those are real scary in the hands of citizens.

  7. Do you think there is any truth to that allegation in the kid’s movie “Max Best Friend. Hero. Marine. 2015.” Soldiers and commanders who gone rogue selling military guns either east America owns or confiscated into enemies hands? Unless there is evidence I wouldn’t believe it without ruling the corruption out. Cause it could be Hollywood trying to make US military and service members bad. When there are more honorable serving men and women than dishonorable ones.

    But also America has left a lot of equipment and weaponary in Iraq and Afganistan.

    • No, not really any shred of truth to the allegations in that fictional movie.
      .
      The military does a pretty good job of ensuring their members do not get unfettered access to weapons. Training and even actual combat operations get pretty good oversight to ensure the troops cannot run a side business selling military ordinance.
      .
      That does not mean there is no possibility it happened, but not enough to arm hamas in any way. Much easier ways to get US weapons. Like buying them from the taliban after this administration knowingly and deliberately left them behind when withdrawing. it is almost as if they wanted these things to be used in a military conflict by our enemies.

  8. So nice to see my tax dollars hard at work killing and destroying mankind. I am so proud to have paid for more death and destruction, of the human race.

  9. Lotta garbage comments on here blaming everybody and anybody. Most likely source- US equipment captured in Afghanistan!!

  10. WELL(!!!) … When you roll-up and exit the field of battle in Afghanistan, leaving behind $80B worth premium military grade weaponry, did the current Leadership think the locals were going to merely plant the weapons in the ground and decorate as Christmas Trees? Maybe(???), reconfigure and modify into BBQ Smokers and opening up BBQ Shacks (serving pulled pork sandwiches)? I think not!

  11. One note: Hamas murders are not executing gorilla warfare. They have no military goals. They are rapists and grandma and baby killers who want to kill all Jews everywhere. Genocide of Jews is the well known and documented foundation and overarching goal of the Hamas organization. Hamas has far more support by its Citizens than either Biden or Trump. >70% of Gazaians support the slaughter of all Jews everywhere. They murdered 31 Americans on 10/07/23. Including shooting young people running away at a dance festival, burning the forest to chase out hiding kids, burning kids alive in their homes. Hamas are not soldiers, militia, freedom fighters. They are rapists and murders.

  12. Since the news is covering Isreal Hammas other related stories. What is going on with HunterBiden? What going on with former president Trump? Has Joe Biden demnocrated party create a distraction?

  13. Although there were mountains of taxpayer funded weapons and very expensive new unused military equipment stockpiled in Iraq and mainly Afghanistan it takes weapons experts like the very dangerous small arms and weapons dealer to make the deals with terrorist organizations around the world.

    The US had captured and imprisoned one such criminal with a very extensive background in this type of weapons trading and along comes “Grandpa Bloodstains” and saw an opportunity to trade this extremely dangerous individual for a basketball player who got caught traveling internationally with illegal drugs in her possession who definitely should have known better but felt entitled since she was a person of color and such a dynamic empowered individual (on the court)who was so good at playing ball (similar in character to Megan Rapino).
    Joe sacrificed the safety of the innocents of weaponized terror attacks for a drug using entitled colored ball player and honors her return to the US at a dinner at the White House.

    And people are just amazed at what a mess Hunter turned out to be but his brother was a war hero who died in Iraq or was it Afghanistan???? (not sure where but it will probably change during his next speech at someone else’s memorial. Pathetic Liar.

  14. Austin is a showboat. He loves to parade about like Darth Vader, intoxicated by his power. But really, he has only one asset that put him where he is: the same asset that put Harris where she is and Brown-Jackson where she is.
    What a incredibly dumb and fatal thing to leave weaponry for our enemies to use against us. Almost like they meant it to happen that way…

    • Austin is what happens when military promotions are based on race rather than merit. Another ramification of race-based promotions is that wars are lost. Afghanistan only replayed the same movie we all saw with Viet Nam. The US would lose WW II today. Look to the Ukraine armed forces and to the Israeli Defense Forces to see how decisions about the military should be made. The US should not put troops on the ground in either conflict.

      President Trump expressed much the same viewpoints regarding Viet Nam and our armed forces during his 4 years in office. His veracity still shocks.

      People in the US Army today say that Austin is a nice fellow but most of his promotions were based entirely on race.

    • All I ever needed to see to be able to judge Darth Covid was that photo of him parading around in a medal-covered uniform, like some tinpot Latin American general, with a face shield and a mask. Patheticness cubed.

  15. Let’s see, the USA has flooded the World with weapons for years now, the most recent Biden/Blinken blunders in the Ukraine & Afghanistan are a perfect example, and Congress needs to ask how Hamas got ahold of American weaponry? The stupid runs deep in Washington, DC!

  16. Dip stick should have been removed from office 1 day after he got our 13 kids killed for no reason. Absolutely a drooling incompetent bafoon. Can you imagine what the American people are paying In security so that dip shit can go into a war zone. Also the American forces put in harms way watching out for him. What a prick.

  17. Obviously, “Afghanistan” is one answer here but the other is “Ukraine”. We can’t dump over $100 BILLION in US “assistance” to Ukraine without some of it being syphoned off by folks in that corrupt country. (Plus ten percent for the Big Guy and Hunter.)

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