A Marine officer claims he was “relieved of duty” after going viral in a video demanding accountability from military leadership after the deadly attack at the Kabul airport amid evacuations capping a 20-year war in Afghanistan.
Stuart Scheller, a lieutenant colonel, made the announcement in a social media post on Friday, noting he understands and respects why he would be removed for such an outburst.
“To all my friends across the social networks. I have been relieved for cause based on a lack of trust and confidence as of 14:30 today,” he said on Facebook.
“My chain of command is doing exactly what I would do … if I were in their shoes,” Scheller continued. “I appreciate the opportunities AITB command provided. To all the news agencies asking for interviews … I will not be making any statements other than what’s on my social platforms until I exit the Marine Corps.”
Remarkable video from Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller calling out senior leaders on Afghanistan. “People are upset because senior leaders let them down, and none of them are raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying ‘we messed this up.'” pic.twitter.com/rgtp8OncCX
— Dave Brown (@dave_brown24) August 27, 2021
It’s unclear what Scheller’s status was as of Friday evening or whether he was fired. The Marine Corps did not immediately return the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
Scheller, who says he served in the Marines for 17 years and identified himself as the battalion commander for the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion, posted the video in question on the internet Thursday evening.
In it, he demanded accountability for the explosion outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport on Thursday that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members, including 11 Marines. The attack, for which an Islamic State affiliate claimed responsibility, took place as U.S. forces wrap up evacuations of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan following a Taliban takeover and collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government.
Scheller also said he knew one of the Marines who died in the explosion.
MARINE BATTALION COMMANDER CALLS OUT SENIOR LEADERS FOR AFGHANISTAN FAILURES IN VIRAL RANT
“The reason people are so upset on social media right now is not because the Marine on the battlefield let someone down,” Scheller said in the viral video. “People are upset because their senior leaders let them down. And none of them are raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying, ‘We messed this up.'”
He went on to say people may have died in vain if the government and the military leaders did not hold themselves accountable and admit it botched the operation. President Joe Biden and his administration have expressed remorse over the loss of life but stressed the evacuations would continue with a strict Aug. 31 pullout deadline.
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“America has many issues … but it’s my home … It’s where my three sons will become men. America is still the light shining in a fog of chaos,” Scheller said at the end of his post on Friday. “When my Marine Corps career comes to an end, I look forward to a new beginning. My life’s purpose is to make America the most lethal and effective foreign diplomacy instrument. While my days of hand to hand violence may be ending … I see a new light on the horizon.”
