During a recent congressional hearing, two senior generals who oversaw the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 pointed fingers at the State Department for the delayed initiation of a 'noncombatant evacuation operation' for remaining US citizens in the country.
Retired Gen. Mark Milley, former Joint Chiefs chairman, expressed that the decision to order the evacuation came too late, while retired Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, former commander of US Central Command, attributed the chaotic events in August 2021 to the delayed initiation of the evacuation plan.
Milley revealed that the military had recommended evacuating US Embassy personnel from Kabul concurrently with the withdrawal of military forces, emphasizing the urgency of the situation as the security deteriorated throughout the summer and fall.
McKenzie also criticized the US Embassy in Kabul for hindering coordination on a potential evacuation plan by withholding crucial information, which impeded the military's ability to prepare for the evacuation.
Rep. Michael McCaul, the Republican chair of the committee, has been vocal about holding the Biden administration accountable for the Abbey Gate bombing that claimed the lives of 13 US service members and numerous Afghan civilians during the tumultuous withdrawal.
McCaul initiated a separate investigation into the Afghanistan withdrawal in January 2023, aiming to shed light on the events leading up to the tragic bombing and the subsequent handling of the situation.
The recent hearing also addressed the completion of an additional review of the Abbey Gate bombing by US Central Command, which included interviews with service members and personnel not previously consulted during the initial investigation.
Both Milley and McKenzie had previously testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in September 2021, advocating for maintaining a small US military presence in Afghanistan to prevent the collapse of the Afghan government and military.
Their recommendations to retain a troop level of 2,500 in Afghanistan were consistent across both the Trump and Biden administrations, highlighting the strategic importance of maintaining a minimal US military presence in the region.
The hearing underscored the challenges and complexities surrounding the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent evacuation efforts, prompting calls for accountability and a thorough review of the decision-making process.
