Middle East

General Mark Milley and Secretary Lloyd Austin face calls to resign from nearly 90 retired flag officers

Published

2 years ago

August 31, 2021

Staff Writer

By Jenny Goldsberry

Nearly 90 retired generals and admirals called for the resignations of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley. Flag Officers for America published the statement demanding the resignations Monday.

They wrote the statement “based on their key roles involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan,” it read. “The hasty retreat has left an unknown number of Americans stranded in dangerous areas
controlled by a brutal enemy along with Afghans who supported American forces.”

As generals themselves, they feel as though Austin and Milley could have done more to prevent the disaster. “As the principal military advisors to the Commander In Chief/President, the SECDEF and CJCS were the two top military officials in a position to recommend against the dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms,” the statement read.

For my part, I am proud of the part that we played in this war. I am proud of the men and women who led me. I am proud of those with whom I served and led. And I am proud of the intrepid, resilient families who made what we did possible. (5/5) https://t.co/HF7gy9810W
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) August 31, 2021

Meanwhile General Austin tweeted Monday that he still held some pride. “We lost 2,461 troops in that war, and tens of thousands of others suffered wounds, seen and unseen,” Austin tweeted. “For my part, I am proud of the part that we played in this war. I am proud of the men and women who led me. I am proud of those with whom I served and led. And I am proud of the intrepid, resilient families who made what we did possible.”

As of Monday, our United States military had evacuated over 123,000 people from Afghanistan.

You can follow Jenny Goldsberry on Twitter @jennyjournalism.

International

Mental health crisis spikes among Afghan women after Taliban regained control two years ago

Published

1 week ago

September 21, 2023

Sara Carter Staff

The women of Afghanistan are suffering a mental health crisis since the Taliban regained power two years ago. According to a joint report from three U.N. agencies released Tuesday, approximately 70% of women experience feelings of anxiety, isolation and depression.

The numbers continue to rise, as there has already been a significant jump between April and June of this year alone, with an increase from 57% the preceding quarter.

The report, conducted by U.N. Women, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, interviewed women online, in-person and in group consultations as well as individual telesurveys.

592 Afghan women in 22 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces took part in the study. The Associated Press reports:

They have barred women from most areas of public life and work and banned girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade. They have prohibited Afghan women from working at local and non-governmental organizations. The ban was extended to employees of the United Nations in April.

Opportunities to study continued to shrink as community-based education by international organizations was banned and home-based schooling initiatives were regularly shut down by the de facto authorities — a term use by the U.N. for the Taliban government.

Afghanistan is the only country in the world with restrictions on female education and the rights of Afghan women and children are on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The report also served as a vessel for Afghan women to send a message to the rest of the world: do not validate the Taliban government. Forty-six percent of women said international recognition of the Taliban government should not happen under any circumstances, while 50% warned that recognition should only occur under specific conditions contingent on improving women’s rights.

The report notes that the women expressed concern that recognition would only encourage the Taliban government to continue becoming stricter in their policies and practices against women and girls.

Afghan women had specific ideas and suggestions: they “urged the international community to continue political and economic sanctions against the Taliban, including by not granting exemptions to a travel ban. They urged an increase in engagement with the Taliban on gender equality and women’s rights, including by engaging community and religious leaders in awareness and advocacy efforts” writes the Associated Press.