Page 11 - Biden Whether News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

>> i would say this committee has always stressed that commanders on the ground should be listened to. would you agree with that? >> i would and i would tell you that they were listened to. i think there's a difference between us having an opportunity to have a voice and i think it's very important that the military has a voice, but i firmly believe in the military and i am required and the military commanders are required to give our best military advice. but the decision makers are not required in any manner, shape, or form to follow that advice. >> no, they are not, and i agree with you abo...

In fact, i would like to talk to you a little bit about that issue of time. the reason that our troops were able to get there so quickly is because we planned for just such a contingency. we began thinking about the possibilities of a non-combatant evacuation as far back as this spring. by late april two weeks after the president's decision military planners had crafted a number of evacuation scenarios. in mid-may i ordered central command to make preparations for potential need. two weeks later i began pre-position edforss in the region to include three infantry battalions on the 10th of augu...

>> sir, i was present when that discussion occurred. >> mm-hmm. >> and i'm confident that the president heard all of the recommendations and listened to them very thoughtfully. >> so one of the recommendations that was made by the three of you would be the recommendation that was originally made my general miller's two weeks ago. >> during the august 18th interview on abc, george stepnopoulos asked president biden whether u.s. troops would stay beyond august 31st if there were still americans to evacuate. president biden responded, and this is a quote, if there's american citizens left, we're ...

Concern, quote, about, quote, about actions that the taliban had taken up until this point meaning that the taliban was not constraining al qaeda as it had agreed to do so under the conditions-based agreement it signed with the trump administration, that it was a condition-based statement and position. around the same time general miller, who was then the commander of the u.s. forces afghanistan advised his chain of command to keep approximately 2,500 troops in the country. he warned that the taliban might otherwise take over. general mckenzie, you offered a similar warning when you last testi...

That there are many americans, whether it's green card holders or citizens or others still there. in connecticut we have a resettlement organization called iris. the person who heads us has told us of individuals who are there, more than 40 in kabul and i'm sure other organizations similarly know of such americans who are still there. >> senator cotton, please. >> thank you. general milley, it is your testimony that you recommended 2500 troops approximately stay in afghanistan? >> as i've said many times before this committee and other committees i don't share my personal recommendations to th...