Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley had cautioned the White House that a full withdrawal of forces would likely result in a Taliban takeover—but by the time President Joe Biden asked him directly in late August whether any forces should stay, it was too late, the nation’s top military leader testified Tuesday.
At a hearing of the Senate Armed Service Committee, members on both sides of the aisle had pointed questions about the evacuation and the longer-term mistakes, and the hearing was the first time that both Milley and U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Frank McKenzie were able to publicly state that they had wanted to keep as many as 2,500 U.S. forces in Afghanistan post-withdrawal.
Austin, Milley Say White House Was Advised to Keep US Troops in Afghanistan – Defense One
