• Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock
Editor's Pick

Mark Milley pardoned: General at center of Afghanistan withdrawal predicted it wouldn’t be a Saigon moment

by January 20, 2025
written by January 20, 2025

Former President Biden issued a preemptive pardon to Gen. Mark Milley on Monday, capping off a presidency marred by the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021.

Milley accepted the pardon, saying in a statement he does not want to spend the remainder of his life fighting ‘retribution.’ 

But critics of the withdrawal in Congress say they aren’t done with him. 

‘Mark Milley might be pardoned, but we will continue to explore ways to hold him accountable,’ said Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., an Afghanistan veteran.

Post-withdrawal assessments largely question why the military pulled out of the region before civilian evacuations were complete. 

Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has admitted the withdrawal where 13 U.S. troops lost their lives was a ‘strategic failure.’ 

During a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in 2024, Milley blamed the State Department for delaying a Noncombatant Evacuation Operations (NEO), or an order to withdraw U.S. civilians working in the country, but praised the military’s actions.

That order did not come until mid-August 2021, just two weeks before the deadline Biden had set to leave the country. 

‘I think that was too slow and too late. And that then caused a series of events that resulted in the very last couple of days. There’s a lot of other mistakes that [were] made along the way… [but] I think that was the key.’ 

‘The U.S. military is responsible for supporting the State Department in a non-combatant evacuation operation, however, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from a combat theater as it relates to an act of war is the responsibility of the Department of Defense, and at the end of the day, we did not leave a residual force behind,’ Alex Pritsas, a former counterterrorism official at the Defense Department, told Fox News Digital. 

Milley said in congressional testimony in June 2021 that the U.S. would not see scenes reminiscent of the fall of Saigon in Vietnam, where U.S. personnel were being airlifted from rooftops.

‘I don’t see Saigon 1975 in Afghanistan. The Taliban just aren’t the North Vietnamese Army.’

Milley’s pardon was part of a group of preemptive pardons that included Anthony Fauci and members of the January 6th Committee. 

‘My family and I are deeply grateful for the President’s action today,’  Milley said in reaction to the pardon. 

He went on: ‘After 43 years of faithful service in uniform to our nation, protecting and defending the Constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights. I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I served through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety.’

Jerry Dunleavy, former top investigator on the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Afghanistan probe, told Fox News Digital of the pardon: ‘Milley wrongly dismissed the obviously correct comparison between the fall of Saigon and the impending fall of Kabul, massively inflated size of the Afghan forces, woefully underestimated the speed and scope of Taliban district control, then pushed fiction that Afghanistan fell in only 11 days.

‘After a disaster where 13 troops were murdered at Abbey Gate and the Taliban regained power, Milley then wrongly predicted Ukraine would fall to the Russians in just three days,’ he added, referring to remarks Milley made in a closed-door briefing with lawmakers. 

Related Topics

Afghanistan
Joe Biden
Foreign Policy

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

previous post
White House website now lists Trump as president, removes Biden, Harris content
next post
Dems promise to ‘stand up to’ Trump but laud ‘peaceful transfer of power’ after speech

related articles

More lawmakers say they’re rejecting paychecks as government...

October 6, 2025

Self-described ‘unapologetic supporter of Israel’ John Fetterman weighs...

October 6, 2025

Trump warns of ‘massive bloodshed’ if Hamas fails...

October 5, 2025

Trump announces Israel agrees to Gaza ‘initial withdrawal...

October 4, 2025

‘Schumer shutdown’ already cost taxpayers $1.2B in pay...

October 4, 2025

Mike Johnson rallies House Republicans on government shutdown...

October 4, 2025

Mike Waltz sees Trump’s Gaza plan as ‘once-in-a-generation...

October 4, 2025

FBI busts alleged Maduro-linked money laundering network spanning...

October 4, 2025

Democrats roll out new campaign ads targeting Republicans...

October 4, 2025

Supreme Court’s emergency docket delivers Trump string of...

October 4, 2025
Enter Your Information Below To Receive Free Trading Ideas, Latest News, And Articles.


Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

Latest News

  • Tesco Share Price: Forecast and Live Update

    August 2, 2024
  • Harris slammed as ‘CopyCatKamala’ for following Trump’s lead on exempting taxes on tips

    August 11, 2024
  • SCOOP: Freedom Caucus threatens to force vote on Al Green measure if Johnson doesn’t act

    March 12, 2025
  • Dogecoin and the Shiba Inu: new step back for Dogecoin

    August 15, 2024
  • GOP lawmakers rebuke Elon Musk’s primary threats, say Trump’s legislation ‘something we’ve got to do’

    July 3, 2025

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Secret Service admits leaning on ‘state and local partners’ after claim it ignored Trump team’s past requests

    July 21, 2024
  • 2

    Five more House Democrats call on Biden to drop out, third US senator

    July 19, 2024
  • 3

    Forex Profit Calculator: Maximize Your Trading Potential

    July 10, 2024
  • 4

    Elon and Vivek should tackle US funding for this boondoogle organization and score a multimillion dollar win

    December 4, 2024
  • 5

    Biden calls to ‘lower the temperature’ then bashes Trump in NAACP speech

    July 17, 2024

Categories

  • Economy (829)
  • Editor's Pick (6,269)
  • Investing (634)
  • Stock (935)

Latest Posts

  • State Department to merge Palestinian Affairs Office with US Embassy in Jerusalem

    May 6, 2025
  • Barron Trump, celebrating 19th birthday, praised as ‘smart guy’ by his father

    March 20, 2025
  • Supreme Court lets Trump’s ‘wrecking ball’ federal job cuts proceed while legal fight continues

    July 8, 2025

Recent Posts

  • Trump outperforming 2020 support among Hispanics, who prefer him on immigration, poll shows

    September 3, 2024
  • Fox News Poll: Trump ahead of Harris by 2 points nationally

    October 16, 2024
  • Rep Gimenez warns China is ‘greatest threat’ to US, Trump admin will ‘project strength’ to CCP

    December 15, 2024

Editor’s Pick

  • Following key wins, Trump poised for cabinet completion in record time

    February 23, 2025
  • CIA releases new analysis on COVID origins favoring lab leak theory

    January 26, 2025
  • Kamala Harris’ treatment of staff under scrutiny as reports of poor office culture resurface

    July 30, 2024
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer: moneyrisetoday.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

Copyright © 2025 moneyrisetoday.com | All Rights Reserved

Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock