miller as related to the end of 2021 troop levels in afghanistan? >> ranking member, i did. >> what was that advice? >> the advice, his view and my view were essentially the same. that we needed to maintain about 2,500 and we needed to work with our coalition partner. we had about 6,000 troops in there, nato and other core countries that would remain there. >> did your professional military opinion change over the course of the spring? >> it did not. >> did you -- well, i know you communicate to the president. you said you did. were you present in the room when general miller's recommendations were relayed to the president? >> general miller was president in executive sessions that involved myself, the secretary here, the chairman, and the president. and those recommendations of the parties, as secretary austin said, were debated fully? >> they were debated fully. i felt that my opinion was heard with great thoughtfulness by the president. >> well, you know, secretary austin just made the point that there was a fusome debate of