US Withdrawal from Afghanistan Damaged Washington’s Credibility, Hegseth Says

DID Press: US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has described the chaotic withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan in 2021 as a major strategic failure that seriously damaged Washington’s international credibility, calling for a thorough and candid examination of the events in Kabul.

Hegseth criticised the way the United States has examined its military and strategic failures, saying the withdrawal from Afghanistan should be scrutinised without hesitation or political considerations.

He said that five years ago, the United States faced a situation in Kabul that humiliated the country on the international stage, adding that Washington’s adversaries were closely watching the events unfold.

Hegseth also stressed that U.S. military educational institutions should openly and comprehensively examine the country’s strategic failures, particularly the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

His remarks were made as part of a broader criticism of U.S. military institutions for avoiding in-depth assessments of past strategic failures, including the collapse of the former Afghan government and the chaotic evacuation from Kabul in August 2021.