Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the United States' 'work is not done' in Afghanistan and defended the 20-year occupation as a 'necessary war of self-defense' on Tuesday.

In a statement marking one year since the last American soldier left Kabul, Austin commended the 'noble service' of the military and the 2,461 troops who died while in Afghanistan since 2001.

He also called on Americans to 'keep having' discussions 'about the costs of the war and what their sacrifices meant' even as Republicans accuse the Biden administration of trying to bury the chaotic withdrawal effort that marked the end of it.

As the midterm elections draw near, GOP lawmakers have vowed to further investigation the withdrawal if they win the Congressional majority next year - as well as what led to the Taliban toppling Afghanistan's democratically-elected government within a matter of weeks.