Milley calls war in Afghanistan a ‘strategic failure’ for US, warns Taliban ‘remain a terrorist organization

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley described the war in Afghanistan as a “strategic failure” during a testimony to the House Military Committee on Wednesday, warning that the Taliban “remains a terrorist organization” and is maintaining ties with al Qaeda.

Milley made the comments along with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chief of Central Command General Kenneth F. McKenzie testified for their second day of lawmakers’ questions about the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“The Taliban were and will remain a terrorist organization, and they still have not severed ties with al-Qaeda,” Milley testified. “I have no illusions about who we are dealing with.”

He added: Again, that the Taliban “have not broken with al-Qaeda”.

Milley’s testimony came after he and McKenzie stated at the Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing Tuesday that the US should maintain a presence of at least 2,500 soldiers in Afghanistan despite claims made by President Biden to the contrary.

But House Armed Services Committee chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., Called the discrepancy a “huge misunderstanding”.

“The president is in charge. That is ultimately civilian control of the military, and what I believe is that there were certainly military commanders who said no, we should hold on, we should keep 2,500.” there, “said Smith in his opening address.” I think you were wrong, and so was the President. “

Leading Republican on the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, Mike Rogers, R-Ala., Called the withdrawal an “extraordinary disaster” and one that “will go down in history as one of the world’s greatest failures” during his opening address on Wednesday. American leadership. ”

“I’m afraid the president is delusional,” said Rogers.

PSAKI CLAIMS MILITARY ADVISORS WERE “DIVIDED” TO TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN DESPITE MILLEY’S TESTIMONIAL

Biden and White House officials have repeatedly said that no military leader has advised him to leave a small military presence.

Despite her testimony, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said military advisers were “divided” over whether to maintain a US presence in Afghanistan.

“There were a number of points of view, as evidenced by her testimony, presented to the President and his national security team, as was to be expected when he asked for it – he asked for clear eyes – he asked them not to sugarcoat it – what their recommendations were, “said Psaki.

If the president had decided to listen to the advisers’ recommendations, said Psaki, the US would later “have had to increase troop levels, would have waged war with the Taliban, we would have more US casualties”.

MILLEY SAYS RESCISSION WAS “INCREDIBLE ACT OF POLITICAL MOTIVITY” UNDER COTTON PRINT

“There are some who thought we should have done that,” she said. “That is not the decision of the president. It is up to the commander-in-chief who makes these decisions.”

“Ultimately, regardless of the council, it is its decision,” said Psaki. “He’s the commander-in-chief. He’s the president. He makes decisions about what’s in the national interest, and he believed we should end the war.”

Psaki reiterated that the President “has made it clear that the Council is divided”.

“I think the American people should know that the president will always welcome a range of advice, he has asked for openness and directness … he is not looking for a bunch of yes men and women,” said Psaki. “Ultimately, he will have to make a decision about what is in the best interests of the United States.”

She added, “If there is conflicting advice, some people’s advice will necessarily not be taken.”

Milley has also been pressured into not stepping down after Biden ignored his recommendations.

“Senator, as a senior military officer, resigning is a really serious matter – it’s a political act – if I resign in protest,” Milley said. “My job is to give advice – my legal responsibility is to give the President legal advice or the best military advice, and that is my legal obligation. Such is the law. ”

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Milley added that the president “does not have to agree to the council” and said he “does not have to make these decisions just because we are generals”.

“It would be an incredible act of political defiance for a commissioned officer to resign simply because my advice is not being followed,” Milley said. “This country doesn’t want generals to find out what orders we accept and carry out or not. That is not our job.”

He added personally that “my father had no choice but to resign at Iwo Jima, and those kids at Abbey Gate have no choice but to resign.”

“I’m not going to turn my back – you can’t step back,” Milley said. “So I’m not going to resign. There’s no way.”

“If the orders are illegal, we’re in a different place,” Milley said. “But if the orders of civil authority are legal, I intend to carry them out.”

MILLEY SAYS RESCISSION WAS “INCREDIBLE ACT OF POLITICAL MOTIVITY” UNDER COTTON PRINT

Austin’s, Milley and McKenzie’s testimony comes almost a month after the Biden administration withdrew all US military funds from the region on August 31, after having been there for 20 years following the September 11, 2001 attacks. An August 26 suicide bombing killed 13 US soldiers – including 11 Marines, one Marine and one Army soldier. Eighteen other US soldiers were wounded. More than 150 civilians were also killed in the bombing.

When the Biden government began withdrawing military resources, provincial capitals across Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. In mid-August, the Taliban had taken control of two-thirds of Afghanistan. And when the US withdrew all US troops from the country on August 31, Kabul had also fallen to the Taliban. In mid-August, US intelligence agencies predicted that the capital could fall to the Taliban within 90 days.

The withdrawal ended on August 31 with the evacuation of more than 124,000 people through the United States – including 6,000 Americans.

But government officials admitted leaving more than 100 American citizens behind. However, government officials said their mission in Afghanistan had shifted from a military to a diplomatic one to evacuate the country.