* U.S. Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said Thursday he is concerned that the Afghan military will collapse after U.S. and other foreign troops leave.
* On April 14, President Joe Biden announced he will withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, ending America’s longest war.
* “My concern is the ability of the Afghan military to hold the ground that they’re on now without the support that they’ve been used to for many years,” McKenzie told the Senate Armed Services committee at a hearing.
WASHINGTON — The head of U.S. forces in the Middle East said Thursday he is concerned that the Afghan military will collapse after U.S. and foreign troops leave the war-torn country.
Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie’s remarks come on the heels of President Joe Biden’s April 14 announcement that he will withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, ending America’s longest war.
“I am concerned about the ability of the Afghan military to hold on after we leave, the ability of the Afghan Air Force to fly, in particular, after we remove the support for those aircraft,” McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said during a Senate Armed Services committee hearing Thursday.
Afghan forces, he said, have gotten used to the support from U.S. and other nations’ militaries over several years.
Read more ....
More News On The Top U.S. General In Afghanistan Saying The Afghan Military Will Collapse Without Some US Help
General: Afghan military will collapse without some US help -- AP
Top U.S. general says Afghan forces could struggle to hold off Taliban without Washington's help -- NBC
Top general concerned about Afghan forces after US troops leave -- The Hill
US general ‘concerned’ about Afghan troops after US withdrawal -- Al Jazeera
General Says Afghan Government ‘Will Certainly Collapse’ if US Doesn’t Support Them Post-Withdrawal -- Sputnik
US military begins shipping equipment in Afghanistan pullout prep -- Military Times/AP
