Top Military Officials Reportedly Raised Concerns About Biden Decision for Afghanistan Withdrawal

President Joe Biden reportedly made the decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan this year after concerns from top military officials advising against it.

Politico reported Wednesday that top brass, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, “advocated for keeping a small U.S. presence on the ground made up primarily of special operations forces and paramilitary advisers, arguing that a force of a few thousand troops was needed to keep the Taliban in check and prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a haven for terrorists.”

One anonymous lawmaker told Politico, “The civilian leaders essentially overruled the generals on this.”

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was asked about the decision, and per Politico, he responded that the discussions were inclusive and added, “Their voices were heard and their concerns taken into consideration as the president made his decision… But now the decision has been made, I call upon them to lead their forces … through this transition.”

CNN’s Jim Sciutto filed a similar report, saying Wednesday afternoon that Biden “ordered this full withdrawal over the advice of some of his senior-most military commanders, as well as senior State Department officials.”

He similarly reportedly that officials like Milley were “concerned about the effect of a full withdrawal.”

“A senior administration official acknowledging to me that there was, as this official described, a rigorous debate inside the administration. The official says all points of view were considered, all arguments put on the table,” Sciutto said.

“The president deciding, in the words of another senior administration official, that Afghanistan has many problems plaguing the country, and there is no U.S. military solution to those problems.”

You can watch above, via CNN.