Almost 90 retired generals and admirals signed a letter this week in which they called for the resignations of Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, over their roles surrounding the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The retired flag officers say that as the principal military advisors to President Joe Biden, the two “should have recommended against this dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms.”
In the letter, the retired flag officers wrote, “If they did not do everything within their authority to stop the hasty withdrawal, they should resign.”
The text of the letter:
“The retired Flag Officers signing this letter are calling for the resignation and retirement of the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) based on negligence in performing their duties primarily involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. The hasty retreat has left initial estimates at ~15,000 Americans stranded in dangerous areas controlled by a brutal enemy along with ~25,000 Afghan citizens who supported American forces.
“What should have happened upon learning of the Commander in Chief’s (President Biden’s) plan to quickly withdraw our forces and close the important power projection base Bagram, without adequate plans and forces in place to conduct the entire operation in an orderly fashion?
“As principal military advisors to the CINC/President, the SECDEF and CJCS should have recommended against this dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms. If they did not do everything within their authority to stop the hasty withdrawal, they should resign. Conversely, if they did do everything within their ability to persuade the CINC/President to not hastily exit the country without ensuring the safety of our citizens and Afghans loyal to America, then they should have resigned in protest as a matter of conscience and public statement.
“The consequences of this disaster are enormous and will reverberate for decades beginning with the safety of Americans and Afghans who are unable to move safely to evacuation points; therefore, being de facto hostages of the Taliban at this time. The death and torture of Afghans has already begun and will result in a human tragedy of major proportions. The loss of billions of dollars in 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. We are now seen, and will be seen for many years, as an unreliable partner in any multinational agreement or operation. Trust in the United States is irreparably damaged.
“Moreover, now our adversaries are emboldened to move against America due to the weakness displayed in Afghanistan. China benefits the most followed by Russia, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and others. Terrorists around the world are emboldened and able to pass freely into our country through our open border with Mexico.
“Besides these military operational reasons for resignations, there are leadership, training, and morale reasons for resignations. In interviews, congressional testimony, and public statements it has become clear that top leaders in our military are placing mandatory emphasis on PC “wokeness” related training which is extremely divisive and harmful to unit cohesion, readiness, and war fighting capability. Our military exists to fight and win our Nation’s wars and that must be the sole focus of our top military leaders.
“For these reasons we call on the SECDEF Austin and the CJCS General Milley to resign. A fundamental principle in the military is holding those in charge responsible and accountable for their actions or inactions. There must be accountability at all levels for this tragic and avoidable debacle.
RADM Philip Anselmo, USN, (ret)
MG Joe Arbuckle, USA (ret)
BG John C. Arick, USMC (ret)
BG Billy A. Barrett, USAF (ret)
RADM Jon Bayless, USN, (ret)
BG Charles Bishop, USAF (ret)
BG Don Bolduc, USA (ret)
MG William Bowdon, USMC (ret)
LTG William Boykin, USA (ret)
MG Edward Bracken, USAF (ret)
VADM Toney Michael Bucchi, USN (ret)
MG Bobby Butcher, USMC (ret)
BG Jim L. Cash, USAF (ret)
LTG James E. Chambers USAF (ret)
MG Carroll D. Childers, USA (ret)
RADm Arthur Clark, USN (ret)
VADM Ed Clexton, USN, (ret)
MG John J. Closner III, USAF, (ret)
BG Peter b. Collins, USMC (ret)
MG David L Commons USAF (ret)
MG James l. Dozier, USA (ret)
BG Keith B. Connolly USAF (ret)
BG Bob Floyd, USA (ret)
MG Larry Fortmer, USAF (ret)
BG Jerome V. Foust, USA (ret)
BG Jimmy E. Fowler, USA (ret)
BG Jerome V. Foust, USA (ret)
RADM J. Fraser, USN (ret)
MG John T. Furlow, USA (ret)
MG Francis C. Gideon, USAF (ret)
MG Lee V. Greer, USAF (ret)
BG John H. Grueser, USAF (ret)
MG Ken Hageman, USAF (ret)
Gen Alfred Hansen, USAF (ret)
MG Bryan G. Hawley, USAF (ret)
MG John W. Hawley, USAF (ret)
BG Norman Ham, USAF (ret)
RADM Donald Hickman, USN (ret)
MG William B. Hobgood, USA (ret)
MG Bob Hollingworth, USMC (ret)
MG Jerry D. Holmes, USAF (ret)
ADM. Jerome L. Johnson USN (ret)
RADM John King, USN (ret)
BG Douglas E. Lee, USA (ret)
MG J.S. Lynch, USMC (ret)
RADM(L) Grady L. Jackson USN (ret)
RADM Ronny Jackson USN (ret)
MG Anthony Kropp USA (ret)
RADM Chuck Kubic, CEC, USN (ret).
MG James E. Livingston, USMC, MOH (ret)
MG John D. Logeman, USAF (ret)
MG Jarvis D. Lynch, USMC (ret)
LTG Fred McCorkle, USMC (ret)
LTG Thomas McInerney, USAF (ret)
BG Michael P. McRaney, USAF (ret)
BG James M. Mead, USMC (ret)
BG Joe Mensching, USAF (ret)
MG John F. Miller, USAF (ret)
RADM John A. Moriarty, USN (ret)
RADM David R. Morris, USN (ret)
BG Ben Nelson, USAF (ret)
BG Joe Oder, USA, (ret)
MG Ray O’Mara, USAF (ret)
MG Joe S. Owens, USA (ret)
BG John a. Paterson, USAF (ret)
RADM Russ Penniman, USN (ret)
MG Richard Perraut, USAF (ret)
VADM John Poindexter, USN (ret)
RADM J.J. Quinn, USN (ret)
LTG Clifford H. Rees, USAF (ret)
BG Teddy E. Rinebarger, USAF (ret)
RADM Norman Saunders, USCG (ret)
LTG Hubert G. Smith, USA (ret)
MG James Stewart, USAF (ret)
RADM Jeremy D. Taylor, USN (ret)
LTG William Thurman, USAF (ret)
BG Robert Titus, USAF, (ret)
LTG Lansford E. Trapp Jr, USAF (ret)
BG Richard J. Valente, USA (ret)
MG Paul Vallely, USA (ret)
BG William L. Welch, USAF (ret)
MG Kenneth W. Weir, USMCR (ret)
MG Mike Wiedemer, USAF (ret)
MG Richard O. Wightman, Jr. USA (ret)
BG Robert E. Windham, USA (ret)
RADM Denny Wisely, USN. (ret)
BG Robert V. Woods, USAF (ret)
They need to be held accountable for leaving US citizens and soldiers behind. That was despicable!
First the resignations.
Then the courts martial.
Then the hangings.
Yes! Sadly, hangings won’t happen. They don’t do that anymore.
This is useless, out with the Depends Diapers and in with Hyena Cackles? States will start seceding early next year.
Firing Squad also sends a strong message.
“…il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres.”
-Voltaire
All of the signatures are of retired officers. Do they really believe they had an understanding of what was involved in evacuating Afghanistan? Were any of them involved with planning or implementing the disastrous occupation? There’s something about this document that doesn’t smell right. From their easy chairs they are second guessing the active duty officials put into a no win situation.
You’re right. Removing the military before the civilians was a stroke of genius. Leaving 90 Billion in military gear for the terrorists was smart, strategically… sending Marines out to die for a photo op wasn’t a treasonous abuse of power, it was the right thing to do..
Give me a break. The folks that signed that letter have acumen, know how, experience, and integrity. ALL of those things are missing from the current crop of CCP puppets that have been installed in DC.
Are you mocking Trump’s decision making? Because let’s not forget, that was all accomplished prior to January of 2021.
A patent lie, but not surprising you would try to run with that. There was never a plan to leave the equipment, or remove the military before the civilians, in fact Trump went on record and said there was no way he would do that, in 2017, and his Sec of State went into detail as to the conditions of the withdraw which are about 180 degrees off from the Biden bloodbath. Your guy got many killed and gave 90 billion to terrorists. Own it. You want to hide under the fact that most Americans wanted to leave, including Trump, to justify the traitorous way your twisted avatar did it. It’s a losing proposition. History will record that your guy got people murdered for a photo op. His hand was on the detonator as sure as the jihadis, and you put it there. Live with it.
Now THIS is a classic example of servile bootlicking and pandering to (corrupt and incompetent) power!
I mean, honestly, Homo, have you not an iota of independent judgement, or shame, at all?
No, homo is a gutless wonder who just likes to troll, which is why he has to use a fake name.
Uh, I worked with a couple of them and they did much of the planning to fight. They know the ground situation, probably better than the incompetent boobs that created the current mess. In the military today politics trumps competence. We need another George Patton.
Some people go to great lengths to prove themselves stupid.
Then there’s this post
It’s also signed by many of the same individuals who sided with the rioters on January 6th and attempted to reverse the results of our certified election. These retired military personnel are traitors.
Breathtakingly stupid. Astonishingly so.
Whatever happened to “dissent is patriotic”? Oh yeah-a Faux Republican was in charge.
Same as “my body, my choice”. Only as long as the “proper” people are on charge.
The behavior of the Biden administration ‘in toto’ is treasonous.
Time for these cowards to ‘walk the plank’. You first Joe.
Exactly, and the Jackal along with him.
HR….Not only do I believe those officers, signing this letter had a good understanding, of what needed to be required before serving up a disastrous operation to America but they also know, as the vast majority of Americans as they watch the cover up underway by the Media and a hopelessly misguided State department and Department of Defense with NO real plan from the White House with a president that might well not know for sure just where Afghanistan is…..or just who these guys are..!!
Only a hardened cynic would suspect this letter has much more to do with the abrupt loss of lucrative, never-ending military contracts in Afghanistan,
.
…managed undoubtedly by more than a few of the same retired senior military officers.
Nothing will happen to them. Just like the White House guard who killed the unarmed woman.
The real shame is that Afghan women no longer have the right to choose.
All women over there have no choice now.
Including leaving…
This is the same organization that signed a letter, along with Mike Lindell, claiming the US election was rigged, despite failing to shed any light on any evidence. It is the same routine here. No substance. Just rhetoric.
Plenty of evidence about presidential election fraud, its all true, the evidence is piling up.
Don’t kid yourself, there’s a fraud being perpetrated against we he people.
You bought the lie, try learning the truth and speaking against those trying to do us harm.
Plane loads of trouble are flying into every state in the nation.
Need to add Blinken to the list as well.
Patriot Guards
We need to take a look at the number we are promoting to General and Flag rank. How does that number compare to the number during WWII? Politics plays a part in the punching your card promotion system and unfortunately there is political partnership involvement once the 07 grade level is reached. We need to prohibit by law which allows generals and admirals to move after retirement into Defense industry related employment. How many of the weapons, or weapon systems, and facilities are unneeded or unwanted because of the “bring home the bacon” politics”? We need fewer generals. We just need more lean and mean General Patton’s.
If I may use what seems to be the hyperbole of the day “LET ME BE CLEAR.”
I DO NOT support a cut in military force strength. I just happen to believe we have an over supply of general and flag officers. In fact, I believe we need more combat ready NCO’s. War is still in progress and it’s going to become larger as our enemies are emboldened. It’s just a matter of how soon. We have weak leadership. Weakness begets war.
You are absolutely correct.
Does anyone recall the list of General Officers that signed the letter supporting Biden and dumping Trump just before the 2020 election? There were over 170 signatures I believe, well they got what they voted for.
Comments are closed.