were the troops ready and trained before we pulled out with no residual force to give the command, training control and direction. all that went away in a hurry. that created the problem we have today. i believe that special capability forces the admiral referenced that kind of operation, need to be on the ground. what we found in any engagement afghanistan, iraq, smol ya em yemen, they get all of the lo git ticks that go with that, including medevac, those soldiers will stay and fight to the bitter end. they ve lost that part. without regaining that control on the battlefield, you didn t get you don t need 100,000, you don t need 150,000. you need to supplant the forces or you re going to get into a sectarian bat wl iraq shia militias sue