In a committee meeting on March 19, 2024, retired senior military officials expressed serious concerns over President Biden’s 2021 decision to pull American troops out of Afghanistan.
They feared this would leave a power vacuum and pose a threat to regional stability, particularly affecting the lives of women, young girls, and minority groups in the country.
The officials, including retired Army General Mark Milley and former Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, recalled the challenges they faced while supervising the hasty withdrawal and evacuation operations.
Despite their warnings, they were surprised by the swift downfall of the pro-western government in Kabul, resulting in a steep learning curve as they managed the unexpected circumstances.
They also underscored their commitment to aiding the Afghans in their struggle against the Taliban and expressed concerns about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
General Milley testified that he had advised against a swift withdrawal without any cease-fire or power-sharing agreement, but this advice was overlooked.
The crux of the problem, as identified by General Milley, was the indefinite timeline for achieving safe withdrawal conditions, potentially increasing risks with the Taliban.
Republican Michael McCaul from Texas, who presided over the meeting, criticized the August evacuation as poorly planned and too late. He blamed the State Department for not ordering a complete evacuation before the Taliban took over Kabul.
Both McCaul and the retired generals agreed that the delay in ordering a full Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) led to critical problems at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, with thousands of Afghans crowding in chaos.
Following the delayed declaration of the NEO, the Department of Defense commenced the evacuation operation amidst chaos and a backlog of desperate Afghans, leading to a state of crisis.
It was revealed that the State Department had initially banned staff from using the term ‘NEO’ until August, causing further confusion during the evacuation.
This chaotic evacuation resulted in the death of 170 Afghans and 13 American service members by the end of the mission on August 30, 2021.
Both General Milley and General McKenzie expressed their deep remorse and condolences for the tragic outcome while acknowledging their part in the events.
