Retired American generals condemn Afghanistan withdrawal as ‘Strategic Failure’ after 2.5 years

It has been two and a half years since August 15, when the previous Afghan government collapsed. This event triggered the swift withdrawal of all international forces, predominantly led by the United States, from Afghanistan within a condensed timeframe from August 15 to 30, 2021. After this significant period, two retired American generals labeled this […]

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It has been two and a half years since August 15, when the previous Afghan government collapsed. This event triggered the swift withdrawal of all international forces, predominantly led by the United States, from Afghanistan within a condensed timeframe from August 15 to 30, 2021. After this significant period, two retired American generals labeled this event a “strategic failure.”

The House Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States has been holding hearings since last year to examine the collapse of the previous government and the chaotic withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan. In the committee’s latest session on Tuesday, two retired American generals, including Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Kenneth McKenzie, the former Commander of the U.S. Central Command, testified.

General Mark Milley stated during his testimony at this hearing that the “fundamental violation in timing” of the withdrawal of American forces “resulted in a series of events that culminated a few days [before the complete withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan].” According to him, “other mistakes were made along this path.”

According to Voice of America, Mr Mark Milley reported that foreign forces were in an intelligence vacuum from the collapse of the previous Afghan government until the complete withdrawal of foreign troops. All their information relied on “electronic intelligence,” which, according to him, was not sufficiently accurate, adding, “We blinded ourselves.”

This retired American general stated, “I think everything was a strategic failure.”

Mark Milley and Kenneth McKenzie testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States for the first time regarding this matter since the collapse of the previous Afghan government and the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country.

According to Voice of America’s report, these two generals had presented a plan to maintain 2,500 American troops to the Biden administration before August 15, 2021. Still, this plan was not only not approved, but the Biden administration decided at the last moment to withdraw all American forces from Afghanistan within a compressed time frame (until the end of August).

The reasons for the collapse of the previous Afghan government in the past two and half years have been evaluated by strategic and research centres. Still, these two retired generals have stated that the sudden collapse of the previous Afghan government was not anticipated.

According to them, the escape of Ashraf Ghani, the former President of Afghanistan, and the cabinet’s collapse led to the country’s rapid collapse of the previous government.

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