Some key points, for those who can't get past the paywall: This article discusses how Biden was warned by his top military generals and US intelligence of the risks of a complete withdrawal, and was asked by some to maintain a small presence of US troops to maintain stability and allow diplomacy to continue. With the exit turning into a foreign policy disaster, many including officials of former administration, are criticizing Biden by noting that this was predictable and that not planning for it was a mistake. However, Biden was staunchly committed to pulling troops out of Afghanistan, a position he has held for a long time, dating back to his vice presidency. Some current and former administration officials have noted that Biden felt the Afghanistan government was corrupt and had squandered billions in aid, and that Biden preferred to reorient America towards more pressing international matters, including competition with China, and domestic issues including infrastructure and battling Covid.