Nearly 90 retired generals and admirals signed a letter calling for the resignation of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, based on their key roles involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“A fundamental principle in the military is holding those in charge responsible and accountable for their actions or inactions,” said a press release from the Flag Officers for America. “There must be accountability at all levels for this tragic and avoidable debacle.”
The hasty retreat has left an unknown number of Americans stranded in dangerous areas controlled by a brutal enemy along with Afghans who supported American forces, said the letter, according to conservative podcaster Todd Starnes.
With the Democrat administration’s Aug. 31 deadline coming to a close, President Joe Biden broke his earlier pledge to bring home all Americans who wanted to return.
The administration itself estimated the number remaining to be in the hundreds, although in reality it may be much higher.
As the principal military advisors to the commander in chief, Austin and Milley were the two top military officials in a position to recommend against the dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms, said the generals in their letter.
Even if they—knowing the disastrous consequences looming—did everything within their authority to stop the hasty withdrawal and the president did not accept their recommendations, then these top military advisors should have resigned as a matter of conscience and public statement, said the letter.
However, many have noted that during the crucial months needed to prepare for the withdrawal, both Austin and Milley seemed more concerned with indoctrinating troops to a radical set of leftist beliefs, including Critical Race Theory.
Critics at the time warned that the divisive programming of service members to woke ideologies was likely to undermine military preparedness under the best of circumstances.
According to the generals in their letter, the consequences of this disaster are enormous and will reverberate for decades.
To begin with, Americans and Afghans who are unable to move safely to evacuation points have now become de facto hostages of the Taliban.
Because the Biden administration provided what amounts to a “kill list” of US sympathizers in the country, the death and torture of Afghans has already begun and would result in a human tragedy of major proportions, they said.
In addition, the loss of billions of dollars in our advanced military equipment and supplies falling into the hands of our enemies is catastrophic.
“The damage to the reputation of the United States is indescribable,” they said. “We will be seen for many years as an unreliable partner in any multinational agreement or operation.”
Moreover, now our adversaries are emboldened to move against America due to the weakness displayed in Afghanistan, the generals said.
China benefits the most followed by Russia, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and others. Terrorists around the world are energized and can pass freely into our country through our open border with Mexico and among the inadequately vetted Afghan refugees.
