During a recent testimony in front of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, former U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. Kenneth McKenzie (Ret.) expressed concerns about the timing of the decision to authorize a non-combatant evacuation during the final days of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. McKenzie, who was in charge of all U.S. forces in Afghanistan in the war's closing stages, highlighted that the military had cautioned leaders and the Biden administration about potential risks associated with the pace of the withdrawal.
McKenzie emphasized that the State Department, responsible for coordinating the evacuation of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies, lagged behind the Defense Department in overseeing the withdrawal of troops and equipment. He warned that the faster military withdrawal could lead to security challenges and a swift Taliban takeover of the country, as the U.S. would no longer be able to provide adequate security for the evacuation.
