Former top U.S. military officials who supervised the 2021 American withdrawal from Afghanistan testified at a congressional hearing on events surrounding the departure from the Middle Eastern nation.
Ret. Gen. Mark Milley, ex-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, labeled the pull-out from Afghanistan a “strategic failure” during his opening statement on Tuesday. He criticized the decision to delay troop removal, stating it occurred “too late.”

Milley, addressing members of Congress alongside Ret. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, former commander of the U.S. Central Command, lamented the outcome of the 20-year military effort. “At the end of 20 years, we helped build an army, a state, but we could not forge a nation,” he remarked.

Reflecting on the chaotic events of August 2021, Milley highlighted the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and military, leading to the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul. He expressed his belief that the government’s collapse was inevitable and foresaw the Taliban’s ascension to power.

McKenzie, attributing the crisis to policy decisions, echoed Milley’s sentiment that the withdrawal came too late. He pointed out delays in initiating noncombatant evacuation operations, stressing that the decision ultimately rested with the Department of State.

Despite early positioning of forces in the region, McKenzie noted the inability to take action until later stages of the crisis. The White House previously released a joint report by the Pentagon and State Department in April, supporting President Joe Biden’s decision to end the military intervention in Afghanistan.

In a poignant moment, Milley acknowledged regrets over the chaotic withdrawal, particularly the loss of American lives and Afghan civilian casualties. However, he commended the U.S. military for executing a remarkable evacuation operation amidst challenging circumstances. “In short, the United States military performed one of the most incredible evacuations, under pressure, in recorded history and in an extremely difficult, dynamic and dangerous environment,” Milley concluded.