General Austin should know better. He was in charge of the drawdown in Iraq. He knows what is involved. The question is, was Austin so busy doing crap with the military that had zero to do with killing and breaking things. Was he being woke with Milley & Company?
Regardless, he is SecDef. The responsibility falls on his shoulders to do the right things. The right things was not done. In a way, if he is being subordinate now, it is to save his own ass. That shows a lack of character.
A buck private who loses his rifle is punished more than woke generals that lose a war.
Lose a war and a couple hundred Blackhawks, some biometrics gear, some humvees, a few thousand Americans, etc etc etc.