A new documentary released by the Wall Street Journal offers stark testimony from American military personnel who witnessed the final, chaotic days of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The film, titled "The Road to Zero," presents firsthand accounts of the breakdown in order at Kabul's airport, culminating in the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate that killed 13 American service members and approximately 170 civilians.
According to accounts featured in the documentary, CIA-trained Afghan special forces units were called in to help manage the massive crowds attempting to enter the airport compound. American soldiers claim these units ran over people with vehicles and opened fire on civilians. "We witnessed atrocities, war crimes, and we couldn't do anything," said former Marine Joseph Laud in the film.
U.S. service members also described the agonizing decisions they faced at the airport gates as evacuation criteria shifted and many Afghans were turned away due to documentation that didn't meet constantly changing requirements. One former Marine recounted a woman who pleaded throughout the night to be allowed entry, fearing Taliban persecution, but he was forced to refuse her.
The documentary levels sharp criticism at the Biden administration, arguing that the decision to evacuate Bagram Air Base earlier and the insistence on reducing American troop presence to zero contributed to the collapse. Retired General Kenneth McKenzie placed responsibility on political leadership, which he said "chose to look away" until the situation spiraled out of control.
