Retired Generals’ Testimony on US Exit from Afghanistan
The top two US generals who led the chaotic evacuation of US forces in Afghanistan as it fell to Taliban control in August 2021 squarely blamed the disastrous American exit on the Biden administration’s inadequate planning and delayed orders.
Background of the Situation
- The Biden administration had initially blamed the Trump administration and their agreement with the Taliban for the disastrous exit of US forces from Afghanistan.
- The US military had advised maintaining a presence of at least 2,500 service members in Afghanistan to uphold stability post the Doha agreement signed between the Taliban and the United States.
Testimony Highlights
- General Milley highlighted the collapse of Afghan security forces and the limited presence of US soldiers in Kabul before the Taliban took control.
- The internal White House review cited constraints from previous withdrawal agreements for the tumultuous Aug 14 withdrawal of US forces.
- Thirteen US service members were killed in a suicide bombing at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate as the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.
Evacuation Efforts
- Thousands of Afghans and US citizens scrambled to board US military flights for evacuation amid the chaos following the Taliban takeover.
- Over 130,000 civilians were rescued before the final US military aircraft departed.
Recommendations for Future Actions
General Milley advocated for maintaining a residual force to support Afghanistan’s special forces and retain control of Bagram Air Base for critical leverage against Taliban advances.