We didn’t PLAN for the withdrawal. SecDef is so busy looking for white supremacists under his bed that no one PLANNED for this!
I knew when I left Afghanistan that the Taliban would take over extremely fast when we left - UNLESS we took measures to slow them. That was 15 years ago. Things like having supply and evacuation routes in place, forces to hold evacuation points, air support for the Afghan Army AFTER we left (we screwed Vietnam the same way).
It takes planning and pre-positioning troops and supplies to allow an orderly retreat under fire - which is what this was always going to turn into. But Gen Milley (sp?) is too busy chasing conservatives out of the military. The bastards would rather fight REPUBLICANS than the TALIBAN!
“I knew when I left Afghanistan that the Taliban would take over extremely fast when we left - UNLESS we took measures to slow them.”
This reads like you, with on the ground experience, knew we were in a no win situation 15 years ago. Couldn’t stop it, only delay it. Surely you weren’t the only one. Why didn’t our leaders prepare the American people for this day? (I think I know the answer).