Expert Questions Cait Conley’s Record During Turbulent Times
A national security expert is urging Democrat congressional candidate Cait Conley, who has the endorsement of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to explain her actions during her time in the Biden administration. This period saw a rise in Iranian support for Hamas, an escalation of terrorism in the Middle East, and a disturbing increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S.
Conley is running against Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) in New York’s 17th Congressional District. From April 2021 to March 2023, she served as the Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council (NSC). In her own words, Conley’s role was to “counter Middle East terrorism and non-state actor threats,” along with overseeing the “domestic and global use of emerging technologies.”
During her NSC tenure, she experienced the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, which was criticized for failing to foresee the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and not adequately securing U.S. personnel against terrorist threats. Tragically, the withdrawal led to a terrorist attack near Kabul airport, resulting in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and many Afghans. Since beginning her congressional campaign, Conley has refrained from commenting on these events, which is reminiscent of President Biden’s omission of the service members’ deaths in his 2022 State of the Union address.
While at the NSC, Iranian funding for Hamas saw a noteworthy increase. After a conflict in May 2021, Iranian financial support surged. By early 2022, Hamas’s leader claimed that Iran contributed $70 million for missile and defense development, with reports suggesting that Iran’s total funding for Hamas rose from $100 million to $350 million annually in 2022.
From October 2022 to October 2023, there was a steady rise in violence across the Middle East, culminating in a significant attack on October 7, shortly after Conley left her position at the NSC. Meanwhile, antisemitic incidents surged during her time at the NSC, with the Anti-Defamation League reporting a 36 percent increase in such incidents in 2022 compared to the previous year, reaching the highest totals since it began tracking these events in 1979. The number continued to climb, with reports indicating a staggering 140 percent rise in 2023.
Iran also revealed its Shahed-136 drone in December 2021, aligning with her responsibilities at the NSC, which included countering emerging technologies. This drone has become a critical element in Iran’s military strategy against the U.S. and its allies, including Israel. Despite efforts to counter the drone attacks with Patriot missile defense systems, many of them continued to strike their targets, demonstrating a significant ongoing threat.
The military implications of these drones have been profoundly impactful. CNN military analyst Col. Cedric Leighton described the destruction of a U.S. AWACS surveillance aircraft by these drones as a serious setback for American surveillance capabilities. Such aircraft are often likened to the “quarterback” of military operations, essential for U.S. military effectiveness.
Conley has the backing of J Street, which has emphasized a need for a revised approach to U.S.-Israel relations among Democrats. Following a recent House vote, J Street noted that there is a general consensus within the party favoring a different strategy toward Israel, supporting members who voted to limit U.S. aid.
Both Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) and Ocasio-Cortez have endorsed Conley, and they have previously voted for measures aimed at restricting aid to Israel. However, Conley has yet to clarify whether she would have supported that vote.
Cale Brown, chair of POLARIS National Security, highlighted the significance of candidates being accountable for their roles in key national security decisions during their time in the Biden administration. He stated that the withdrawal from Afghanistan was a major foreign policy misstep, stressing that voters deserve transparency from those involved in high-stakes national security leadership.
He added that candidates should also be prepared to explain how their policies might have emboldened Iran and its proxies, as well as contributed to the rise in antisemitic violence both domestically and internationally. Ultimately, he concluded that Americans have a right to scrutinize both experience and judgment in their leaders.
