Ones left behind know the actual story. US citizens have damaging stories to tell, and and Afghan informers would know who was really on those 1st rides out.
Lives abandoned and endangered for the purpose of damage control.
Incompetents have been doing this since time immemorial. Can't pass muster on merit alone and have to resort to power plays and manipulation.
We're on the tip of cracking that pattern with the gang clinging to power now. People with lots of on the ground info are coming out of AFG. Wonder who's underwriting that?