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In a gripping testimony before US lawmakers, retired General Mark Millie and retired General Kenneth McKenzie, former top US military leaders, launched scathing criticism at the Biden Administration over the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.
During the rare public testimony, the generals laid bare the strains and differences they encountered during the final days in Afghanistan. They emphasized that the military had advised maintaining a presence of at least 2,500 service members to uphold stability, a recommendation that was not heeded by the administration.
Blaming the State Department for delaying the evacuation of US citizens from Afghanistan in 2021, the generals argued that the decision to initiate non-combatant evacuation operations came too late, resulting in chaos and the tragic loss of 13 US service members.
The turbulent withdrawal saw thousands of Afghans and US citizens clamoring to board US military flights, with over 130,000 civilians rescued before the final US military aircraft departed.
The generals' testimony ignited a fiery exchange among lawmakers, with Republicans demanding accountability while Democrats accused them of politicizing the hearing. The revelation of friction between the Defense Department and the State Department during the withdrawal raised significant questions about the ultimate responsibility for the debacle.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of the Afghanistan withdrawal, the testimonies of these former generals shed new light on the decision-making process and the challenges faced during the tumultuous exit from the country.
