CENTCOM Commander Contradicts Biden: 'I Recommended That We Maintain 2,500 Troops in Afghanistan'
The head of the U.S. Central Command, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, testified Tuesday that he recommended to President Joe Biden that the United States maintain 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, contradicting what Biden stated last month.
McKenzie further testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that his assessment was if the U.S. withdrew its forces, it would lead to the collapse of the Afghan military and ultimately its government.
“I won’t share my personal recommendation to the president, but I will give you my honest opinion and my honest opinion and view shaped my recommendation,” McKenzie testified, according to Fox News.
“And I recommended that we maintain 2,500 troops in Afghanistan.”
Gen. McKenzie: “I recommended we keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan… withdraw of these forces would lead inevitably to collapse of Afghan military forces and eventually Afghan government.’
Milley agreed with it but yet Biden completely disregarded all the recommendations. pic.twitter.com/E6TGb1eHcJ— Americanka????? (@Americanka4) September 28, 2021
McKenzie added that he recommended in the fall of 2020, during the Trump administration, that the U.S. maintain a force level of at least 4,000 troops.
“I also have a view that the withdrawal of those forces would lead inevitably to the collapse of the Afghan military forces and eventually the Afghan government,” McKenzie testified.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley concurred with his CENTCOM commander’s determination.
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“Yes my assessment was back in the fall of ’20 and remained consistent throughout that we should keep a steady state of 2,500, and it could bounce up to 3,500, maybe something like that, in order to move toward a negotiated, gated solution,” the general testified Tuesday.
This morning, under oath…
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Milley: “Yes, my assessment was…that we should keep a steady state of 2,500 [troops]”
WATCH ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/l9wdgQdMnf
— Chad Gilmartin (@ChadGilmartinCA) September 28, 2021
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin further testified that Biden did receive these recommendations from McKenzie and Milley.
“Their input was received by the president and considered by the president for sure,” Austin testified.
Did this recommendation to keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan make it to President Biden’s desk?@SecDef Austin: “Their input was received by the president and considered by the president, for sure.”
WATCH ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/7G86EjSIvW
— Chad Gilmartin (@ChadGilmartinCA) September 28, 2021
On Aug. 19, ABC News host George Stephanopoulos questioned Biden about the recommendations offered by his top military advisers.
“Your top military advisers warned against withdrawing on this timeline. They wanted you to keep about 2,500 troops,” Stephanopoulos said.
Biden interjected, “No they didn’t. It was split. That wasn’t true.”
STEPHANOPOULOS to BIDEN in August: Your military advisers wanted you to keep 2,500 troops…
BIDEN: No they didn’t! That wasn’t true.
Gen. McKenzie in September: I recommended that we maintain 2,500 troops, and 4,500 in fall 2020. pic.twitter.com/lYi0s4Hhze
— August Takala (@RudyTakala) September 28, 2021
Stephanopoulos followed up, asking, “So no one told — your military advisers did not tell you, ‘No, we should just keep 2,500 troops. It’s been a stable situation for the last several years. We can do that. We can continue to do that’?”
“No. No one said that to me that I can recall,” Biden answered.
In a Tuesday statement, former President Donald Trump said, “The horrible ‘withdrawal’ was caused, in particular, because the Military was taken out before American citizens and $85 Billion worth of the highest-grade Military equipment anywhere in the world.”
“This withdrawal was developed by a child’s mind, and only the Biden Administration is responsible for it,” the former president said.
“When I left office, the Taliban was held at bay, we had as long as we wanted,” Trump continued.
NEW!
NEW!
“…The horrible “withdrawal” was caused, in particular, because the Military was taken out before American citizens…This withdrawal was developed by a child’s mind, and only the Biden Administration is responsible for it.” pic.twitter.com/XKav28QWmR
— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) September 28, 2021
“[T]here was no reason to rush, no soldiers were killed or even shot at for over 18 months, and if they didn’t meet certain conditions, we would have hit them very hard,” the 45th president said.
“But then Biden and Milley removed the Military in one of the dumbest Military moves in history, and it all began. So sad for our Nation!”
