The nation's top military leaders faced lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday for their handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley, the highest-ranking officer in the military, defended himself against personal accusations that he’d acted improperly in calls with his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Li Zuocheng of the People’s Liberation Army. Milley largely confirmed the account in a recent book by Washington Post reporters that he’d spoken with Li to reassure him that the U.S. would not launch a nuclear strike against Beijing. Milley said the calls were “generated by concerning intelligence that caused us to believe the Chinese were anticipating an attack by the United States” and he was told to diffuse the concerns. He said the calls were in full communication with the Trump administration’s Defense Department and that he “routinely calls” his Chinese counterparts, adding that such calls are “critical for the security of the United States” and “to prevent war with great powers.” “By law, I am not in the chain of command and I know that,” Milley said. “But I am in the chain of communication. “I firmly believe civilian control of the military is a bedrock principle of the republic.” #afghanistan #usmilitary #markmilley