Biden with Afghanistan

Ahead of the US withdrawal within August, the top 2 US Generals had recommended to keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan.

A testimony by Gen Mark Milly and Gen Frank McKenzie to congress had seemed to conflict with President Joe Biden’s statement saying he didn’t recall to any such advise made. The two US generals had been taken into questioning by the Senate armed services committee along with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday.

The US had been surprised by the rapid advancement of Taliban taking over Afghan’s collapse of the government.

A suicide attack killed 182 people during the withdrawal operation, 13 US service personnel and at least 169 Afghans were killed by the airport gate on 26th august. This occurred at Kabul airport as foreign powers sought to get their citizens home and thousands of desperate Afghans begged for rescue too.

Keeping troops grounded

Gen McKenzie, head of US Central Command, oversaw the withdrawal from Afghan, said under questioning from Republican senators that he recommended keeping a small force of 2,500 troops in Afghanistan. Whereas President Joe Biden had said to an ABC journalist on 19th August that he didn’t recall anyone giving him such advice.

When Gen Milley was under questioning from Alaska Republic Dan Sullivan whether Mr Biden’s comments were a “false statement”, he said he agreed with the recommendation yet refused to give a direct answer upon the comments being false or not.

“The president values the candid advise of… the joint chiefs and the military,” said Jen Psaki, White House spokeswoman, addressing the issue. “That doesn’t mean he always agrees with it.” She stressed the issue that after the August deadline if the US troops were to remain in Afghan the US would now be at war with the Taliban.