Milley admits mistakes over Afghanistan, didn’t know number of troops – shifts blame to Biden Admin

Leave a CommentMilley admits mistakes over Afghanistan, didn’t know number of troops – shifts blame to Biden AdminCommentary, National Security

Two of America’s highest-ranking retired generals testified on Tuesday that a series of errors during 20 years of war led to the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, but they also conceded that multiple mistakes were made by the Biden administration.

Gen. Mark Milley, a former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, former head of U.S. Central Command, appeared before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the retreat under fire had shredded America’s credibility and reputation.

“That damage will last for generations,” McCaul said.

Milley faulted the Biden administration for what he said was a poorly timed Noncombatant Evacuation Operations (NEO), or the withdrawal of nonessential civilian and military personnel, which did not come until mid-August, a little more than two weeks before the deadline to leave.

“The fundamental mistake, fundamental flaw was the timing,” Milley said. “I think that was too slow and too late. And that then caused a series of events that resulted in the very last couple of days. There’s a lot of other mistakes that [were] made along the way … [but] I think that was the key.”

Milley also testified that the U.S. lacked proper intelligence gathering ahead of the withdrawal because of the reduction of troops leading up to it.

Now he admits we left behind Afghan allies who were brutally punished and killed.

Milley

The men who were there disagree