1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: Peers from DC's top name stamfrastructural bill or create jobs 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: that we desperately need in this country, good paying jobs. 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: We need to go all out through a green, renewable 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: economy and all of the infrastructures to make that happen. 5 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: Bloomberg snowned On with Joe Mavew on Bloomberg Radio. Somehow, 6 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: it's Friday, which means only four sleeps until the US 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: leaves Afghanistan, and the President's advisors are telling him the 8 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: threat of another terror attacking Cobble is credible and specific. 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: We'll talk about it in a moment with Congressman Jake Aukin, 10 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: class Democrat from Massachusetts, a marine who fought in Afghanistan. Later, 11 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: we'll get an update from Bloomberg Defense correspondent Tony Capaccio, 12 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: who's been at the Pentagon all week for this. Also 13 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: our conversation this hour with Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution. 14 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: He's got an op ed urging the Biden administration to 15 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: not accelerate America's withdrawal, and it may be too late 16 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: for that. So welcome to the Friday edition of sun On. 17 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: As we keep an eye on the situation in Cobble. 18 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: This is the most dangerous part of the mission. This 19 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: is the retrograde period of the mission, and what that 20 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: means is that this is the period of time when 21 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: the military commanders on the ground and forces begin to 22 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: move not just troops home, but also equipment home. White 23 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: House Press Secretary Jen Psaki a short time ago, briefing 24 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: reporters at the White House the withdrawal still set for 25 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: August thirty one, Zaki reiterating what we heard from the 26 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: Pentagon earlier today at the threat of another terror attack 27 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: will only increase as we approach August. The national security 28 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: team the President met with this morning advised the President 29 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: and Vice President that another terror attack and Kabbal is 30 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: likely uh and they are taking maximum forced protection measures 31 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: at the Kabbal airport and the surrounding areas with our 32 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: forces as a result of very similar language earlier today 33 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: from Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. And with that in mine 34 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: as we head into this weekend, potentially dangerous week and 35 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: we bring in Congressman Jake Aukin, class Democrat from Massachusetts, 36 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 1: who served in Afghanistan as a Marine Corps captain who 37 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: led an infantry unit in Hellman Province and supports still 38 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: President Biden's plan to withdraw, as we've heard in previous 39 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: conversations here on Bloomberg Radio. So we wanted to bring 40 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: him back, and he's here now. Congressman Aukin Claus, Welcome 41 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: back to Bloomberg Radio. Good to be back. I've had 42 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: a chance to speak with you a couple of times 43 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: since the fall of Cobbal, and you have stood by 44 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: President Biden's plan to withdraw troops by the end of 45 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: the month. As a Marine, I'm sure you're heartbroken, however, 46 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: by what happened yesterday, and I wonder if you think 47 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: this is something that could have been or should have 48 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: been prevented. The United States Marines are no better friend, 49 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: no worse enemy our Afghan allies have seen over the 50 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: last several weeks. The United States Marines is no better friend. 51 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: They have been pulling them to freedom at h Kaya 52 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: in the months and year US to follow. Isis k 53 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: is going to understand that the United States Marines are 54 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: no worse enemy. We will get justice for this atrocity 55 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:11,239 Speaker 1: and the perpetrators will be hunted down and killed. How 56 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: do we do that? We heard President Biden speak to 57 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: that end last evening, considering what we know about isis K, 58 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: maybe I should say how little we know about isis 59 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: K and what took place yesterday? How do you retaliate 60 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: against a group like that? The United States over the 61 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: last two decades has evolved a highly sophisticated kind of 62 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: terrorism operation that really has two arms. To put it simply, 63 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: one is an intelligence arm and one is a special 64 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: operations arm, so intel to understand where and who you're 65 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: trying to target, and a special operations arm that can 66 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: surgically insert, neutralize the target, and extract within a matter 67 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: of hours. We have an operation that is able to 68 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: do this in dozens of countries throughout Africa, Middle East, 69 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: and Central Asia. Is it easier when you've got thousands 70 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: of troops on the ground, Yes, of course is but 71 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: it is still possible without that boots on the ground footprint. 72 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: I would also add that although our human intelligence is 73 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: degraded by not having troops on the ground, our signals 74 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: intelligence has improved markedly over the last several years as 75 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 1: technology has gotten better, and we actually have the Taliban 76 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: as self interested party in also trying to bring to 77 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: heal the worst elements of ISIS k Your Republican colleague 78 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 1: from Wisconsin Congress from Mike Gallagher, who also served as marine, 79 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: joined us on the program yesterday. I'm sure you're aware 80 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: of his legislation that would require troops to stay in 81 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 1: Afghanistan until all Americans are evacuated. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy 82 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: is calling on Speaker Pelosi to bring you all back 83 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: to vote on this bill. Would you vote against it? 84 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: All Americans who want to leave Afghanistan and who passed 85 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: the security clearance are going to be able to leave 86 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: in a matter of days. It's down to a couple 87 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: of hundred. We have gotten a hundred thousand people out 88 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: of Afghanistan in the last month in probably the greatest 89 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: military airlift operation in modern history. We can get the 90 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: remaining Americans out in a short order. Therefore, you would 91 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: not make that requirement for troops to stay. It's it's 92 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: a political stunt to to be candid, because the question 93 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: of whether we're going to get Americans out has never 94 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: been in in for dispute. No American is going to 95 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: be left behind in Afghanistan who does not want to 96 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: be in Afghanistan. The Taliban do not have a say 97 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 1: in that we do not leave Americans behind in that 98 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: country when we're leaving. Now. There are some Americans who 99 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: may not want to leave, and there are some Americans 100 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: who bluntly may have been there for nefarious purposes that 101 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: we have to be cautious about and need further investigation. 102 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: But we are able to evacuate all Americans who want 103 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: to leave in very short order. And indeed, the State 104 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: Department over the last several months issued almost two dozen 105 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: warnings to Americans to leave quite early in this withdrawal, 106 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: and have continued to work with NGOs and directly with 107 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: those Americans and isolated areas to get them out. It 108 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: wouldn't as we transition away from a military evacuation. We 109 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 1: still can do evacuations of our Afghan allies through NGOs 110 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:18,919 Speaker 1: past the August thirty first deadline. I mean, we have 111 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 1: leverage that we can use to keep that evacuation stream running. 112 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: It's going to be more challenging, of course, but the 113 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: Taliban need to be able to access their foreign currency reserves, 114 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: they need access to the international donor community, they need 115 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: technical support and running the airport. We still have leverage. 116 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: It would be precedent setting to have Congress making a 117 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: tactical decision like that as opposed to the commander in chief. 118 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: I wonder, Congressman Akin Class, if you also believe, though, 119 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 1: that it's time to re evaluate and re establish the 120 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: use of force in Congress without question, And I've been 121 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 1: a very strong advocate for repealing and replacing the authorizations 122 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: for the use of military force because Congress, under Article 123 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: one of the Institution, is the body that declares war, 124 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: and we really advocated that responsibility since Vietnam, we need 125 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: to reclaim it. No president should be able to sustain 126 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: boots on the ground without Congressional approval and without a 127 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: clear explanation of what the mission is and what the 128 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: endgame is. That has really been the core national security 129 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: failure of the last twenty years. What began as a 130 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: counter terrorism mission, relatively well scoped, relatively successful, was allowed 131 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: to mutate under Bush and Rumsfeld into a boondoggle of 132 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: a counterinsurgency mission where we kept on thinking time, troops, 133 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: and treasure, with the hope, with the sunk cost bias, 134 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: that with just additional measures we could finally make it work. Well, 135 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: it really could never work because there was no political 136 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: partner in Kabul to counter the insurgence with Congress, when 137 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: you know what it's like to be in uniform as 138 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: a marine in Afghanistan? Is it fair to ask our 139 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: marines to stand on that wall around the airport now, 140 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: knowing that that area is a target for terrorism. US 141 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: Marines take great pride in being the ones to execute 142 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: the hardest challenges the President United States gives them. Will 143 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: it be marines to conduct the over the Horizon as 144 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: the President and Pentagon have described it, over the Horizon 145 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: missions going potentially back into Afghanistan to fight terrorism. Well, 146 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: As a former reconnaissance officer who trained for over the 147 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: Horizon operations, I would love that to be the case, 148 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: and of course there would be a fitting justice to it. 149 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: But that is not a decision that a member of 150 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: Congress makes. That will be made by the chain of 151 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: command based on what is most appropriate for the mission. Well, 152 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: as we prepare for that that new mission over the Horizon, Congressman, 153 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: where would those be born? Would that be a carrier 154 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:42,959 Speaker 1: based mission, would we come from elsewhere in the Middle East? 155 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: Where will we stage our counter terrorism activity? Well, that 156 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: is the critical national security question of the coming months. 157 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: I have been questioning for weeks now why we withdrew 158 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,559 Speaker 1: from Bagram Air Based as early as we did. Bagram 159 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: Air Base is a key counter terrorism installation. It was 160 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: a prison for a number of terrorists who have now 161 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: been freed. With the Taliban advance, Bagraham would have been 162 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: an important installation for us for our c T mission. 163 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: What our footprint is now is going to be an 164 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: important consideration for the Administration to determine and then to 165 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: communicate clearly to Congress would it be worth the fight 166 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: and the potential loss of life to retake Bogram. There 167 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: are members of Congress calling for that to happen. I 168 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: don't have access to the intelligence and the real time 169 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: operational insight to be able to answer that in a 170 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:41,079 Speaker 1: way that I would feel like it's responsible. I don't 171 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: want to just armchair a Pine on that issue. That 172 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: is certainly a worthy question to ask, and the Administration 173 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: needs to give a coach and answer and its classified 174 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: briefings with the next couple of days in mind, this 175 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: coming weekend, the beginning of next week, Congressman, how concerned 176 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: are you about getting everyone else out and that include 177 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: our troops without seeing again what we saw yesterday, Well, 178 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: the threat increases, we draw nearer to August thirty one, 179 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: I'm gravely concerned. I don't want to speak about threat level, 180 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: because again, that is a determination made by people with 181 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: access to real time intelligence. But you don't have to 182 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 1: be a four star general to understand that the most 183 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 1: vulnerable parts of a withdrawal are the very very end, 184 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: when you're collapsing the perimeter, when security is having to 185 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: draw down. And I'm gravely concerned. It is one of 186 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: many reasons why I support the President's commitment to wrap 187 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: up this evacuation expeditiously. We have got to remove UH 188 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 1: for force protection reasons. This this military presence that we 189 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: have at the airport. You've said before there is no 190 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: military solution, it must be a political one. You still 191 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: feel that way today, absolutely, And again I just think 192 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 1: it's really important to differentiate between counter terrorism counterinsurgency. Counter 193 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: Terrorism is a military mission that does of military solution. 194 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: We knocked down doors and you neutralize the terrorists. Kind 195 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 1: of insurgency is about nation building. It's about creating a 196 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: flourishing civil society, confidence in the rule of law, the 197 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: provision of basic services, and economy in which low level 198 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: fighters can access meaningful improvements in the standard of living. 199 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: This is what worked in Colombia over the course of 200 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: fifty years, and for which their president earned a Nobel 201 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: Priest prize. The Afghan president fled the country the first 202 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: sign of danger, so we just never had the political 203 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: partnership in Kabul to really counter the insurgents with the 204 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: ingredients necessary to build a nation. Lastly, Congressman, I wonder 205 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 1: if you've been speaking with your fellow veterans. I know 206 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 1: this is a personal time. It's a tragic time for 207 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 1: Marines to watch these headlines. Have you been in touch 208 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: with your men from Afghanistan. I've had contact with a 209 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: number of fellow veterans, including people with whom I served 210 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan. We've been helping with getting interpreters out with 211 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: resettlement for refugees. I've heard from a number of people 212 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: who saw my op ed in the Washington Post offending 213 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: the president's decision, that they appreciated that I would take 214 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: that stand, because even in two so many of us 215 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: saw that we were there in pursuit of a mission 216 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: that could not be solved with force of arms. I 217 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,320 Speaker 1: appreciate your being so forthright with us through a difficult time. 218 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: Congressman Thanks for talking with us again. Thank you for 219 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: your service. Always good to be on. Thank you for 220 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: joining us on the Friday edition of Bloomberg. Sound On. 221 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: I'm Joe Matthew in Washington. As we make our way forward, 222 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: we're gonna be talking about what's going on at the 223 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: Pentagon coming up here. Next, we'll talk more about planning 224 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: and the fog of war that has made this such 225 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: a difficult story to cover. Did you hear there was 226 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: only one blast yesterday? Bloomberg's Pentagon correspondent Tony Capaccio is 227 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: up next. You're listening to Bloomberg You sound on with 228 00:12:56,360 --> 00:13:01,559 Speaker 1: Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. At this time yesterday, the 229 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: Pentagon was reporting two blasts and cobble. You heard it 230 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 1: right here on Bloomberg. Two explosions when they sit at 231 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: the abbey gate of the airport, the other at the 232 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: Barren Hotel. Remember this morning, though General Hank Taylor brought 233 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,719 Speaker 1: a correction to the briefing room, we're not sure how 234 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: that report was provided in correctly, but we do know 235 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: it's not any surprise that in the confusion of very 236 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: dynamic events like this can cause information sometimes to be 237 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: misreported or Garbel. We felt it was important to correct 238 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: the record. With you all here, there's only one blast. 239 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: Tony Capaccio is Bloomberg's reporter who covers the Pentagon and 240 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,680 Speaker 1: asks questions in these important briefings, and he's with us now. 241 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: And Tony, thanks for being here. You've had a week. 242 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: What did you make of this update, this change in 243 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 1: the story. What does it tell us about the situation 244 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: on the ground. It tells us aid that the explosions, 245 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: the explosion must have resonated, must have echoed quite quite 246 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,680 Speaker 1: a bit in area there is in the abbe gated 247 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 1: area because the hotel is only a few blocks away. 248 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: This is not an unusual situation here. You made your 249 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 1: Your viewers may remember that the late nineteen eighties there 250 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: when the when we shot down an Iranian airplane by mistake. 251 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: The initial portsman Tentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman 252 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 1: said the plane was approaching the ship that eventually shot 253 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: at it. When that turned out not to be the case, 254 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: so this is to be expected. It was good that 255 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: they came out and said it ahead of time. But 256 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: I'm thinking that place was an echo chamber, that area, 257 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: and that's probably what happened. Well, it also speaks to 258 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: the confusion there, right, Tony. I guess I brought this 259 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: to you because you know more than most how difficult 260 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: it is to cover a story like this, and a 261 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: lot of times we get bad information in the outset, well, 262 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 1: especially this that they don't have an organized public affairs 263 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: uh unit down there at Cobble Airfield, you know, getting 264 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: out of reliable information. This is clutch and grab with 265 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: cell phones, Twitter and masses of people surrounding not only 266 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 1: any reporters there, but also the units. So I wouldn't 267 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 1: make too much of it. I mean, the tragedy was 268 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: the people killed. The initial reports usually always wrong. Well 269 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: that's that's that's the point that we're trying to make here, 270 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: or at least I am, Tony, because there's probably going 271 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: to be more of this, And I just wonder what's 272 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: on your mind as we head into this weekend, what 273 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: kind of planning the Pentagon might be making. And I 274 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: realized they're not being very specific about this, very detailed 275 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: about it. But John Kirby made clear they've got credible 276 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: threats they're dealing with you, They've got credible threats are 277 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: dealing with also I'm thinking there's greater communication with the Taliban, 278 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: and you might see a show of force by the 279 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: Taliban over the next two or three days in in 280 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: the lark lockstep with the United States got visible show 281 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: of force to show the world that they're also opposed 282 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: to what was going on. I don't think that's out 283 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 1: of the realm of possibility. And then there's also going 284 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: to be more intense flights over Couple airfield with drones 285 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 1: and these a C one thirty gun ships that have 286 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: great precision cameras. They could spot people on the ground 287 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: with handheld weapons, possibly aiming at airplanes. How much of 288 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: a threat is that? Uh? Tony John Kirby has spoken 289 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: about that they've taken shots at some of our planes, 290 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: but until now they haven't had the firepower to make 291 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: a difference, is what I understand. What can you tell 292 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: us about them? Yeah, look, I don't think the I 293 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: don't I'm sure we did not provide the Afghan Army 294 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: with stingers or man man portable ground air missiles because 295 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: and that's what it would take that kind of thing. 296 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: They don't have any They didn't have an aircraft, So 297 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: what the threat would be RPGs possibly to being shot 298 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: at helicopters or one of the planes taking off. And 299 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: I think the US has got the range of those 300 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: RPGs calibrated and have pushed out cordons or guard posts 301 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: so that you could pushing it up beyond the range 302 00:16:57,120 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: of what those RPGs can range too. But they could 303 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: be a active and they could be fired. And we 304 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 1: understand that some if not all, of our aircraft have 305 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: been using countermeasures. Are are are they Are they shooting off 306 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: chafe when they take off? How how do you do that? 307 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: Or is it just the distancing that you're talking about. 308 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 1: So I've been on many, many C seventeen flights, So 309 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: these things can fly, can tick off on a dime 310 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: and then shoot, shoot very fast up in the air 311 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: very fast. They have sensors on there, they could pick 312 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: up infrared missiles, they have flair they have to flare 313 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: and chafe systems, but they've got pretty sophisticated countermeasure systems 314 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: for detecting a rocket or missile. And White and see 315 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: seven teams have been in battle zones throughout the world 316 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: of since when they're first fielded. Those palaces know how 317 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:47,959 Speaker 1: to take off on a dime and shoot way up. 318 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: This is fascinating. This is why we wanted Tony to 319 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: join us today because he lives this stuff, not just 320 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: when these are mainstream stories. Tony, talk to me more 321 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: about your thought there on on the US military working 322 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: with the Taliban this weekend. Would that be going after 323 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: the people who did this yesterday or or some other 324 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: show of force that you have in mind. I think 325 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 1: it's all speculation, but it's within the realm of possibility 326 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: to show a force outside the airport, just basically with 327 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:22,120 Speaker 1: cameras on arm Taliban, maybe with the United States close by, 328 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: just to show the world that they're there for the 329 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: last hours, last couple of days, to help the United 330 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 1: States get out so they can take over the airfield. 331 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: I mean, it would be a final kind of thumb 332 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: in your nose at the US. But it's in the 333 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 1: in the role of possibility. I don't think they're sharing 334 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 1: intelligence right now on who did the bombing. I mean 335 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: that's going to come eventually, but whoever did that bombing, 336 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,639 Speaker 1: they've escaped, they've dispersed, and that's going to take a 337 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: real effort if we're going to attrack them. So the President, 338 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,920 Speaker 1: I thought, raised expectations a little too high yesterday when 339 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: he said, you know, we'll seek you out wherever. Wherever 340 00:18:57,440 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: means where you have people in the ground providing intelligence 341 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:04,159 Speaker 1: to strike with Tomahawk cruise missile's drones or commando teams. 342 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 1: Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg Pentagon reporter is going to come back 343 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: with us a little bit later on this hour. We 344 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 1: could We've all agreed we could do an hour with 345 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: Tony because he's got a lot of great information that 346 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: we want to be talking to him about. Coming up next, though, 347 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk the timeline here with Michael O'Hanlon, the 348 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution. He's urging President 349 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: Biden to resist the urge to accelerate our withdrawal and 350 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: an op ed we'll talk about next. I'm Joe Matthew. 351 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg. As we turned to the op ed 352 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: that was splashed across pages front pages of USA Today 353 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 1: across the country, Biden's blundered Afghanistan withdrawal requires keeping military 354 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: and country. The words of Michael O'Hanlon, director of Research, 355 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: Senior Fellow Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, an author 356 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 1: of the book The Art of War in an age 357 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: of peace. Michael writes, the temptation will be to accelerate 358 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 1: America's withdrawal following, of course, what we saw yesterday that 359 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 1: of our allies. He says that would be a mistake. Michael, 360 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: thank you for being with us, And what do you 361 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,199 Speaker 1: mean by keeping the military in country? Thank you for 362 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: having me. Well, you know, we've been talking for weeks 363 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: that we probably won't be able to get all of 364 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: the Afghans who are most threatened by the Taliban or 365 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: potentially threatened, out of the country by the end of 366 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 1: the month. And I still feel that that's the case, 367 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: and that in some ways the stakes are now even 368 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: greater because we need to make it pretty clear to 369 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: the world we're not being driven out by this, and 370 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: a false narrative could easily emerge that we are, that 371 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: we are in fact running with our tails between our 372 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 1: legs because the ISIS bombing eliminated any further doubt we 373 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: might have had about the date, and which was always 374 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: President Biden's date, not something written in stone or in 375 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 1: any deal we have with the Taliban, and the deal 376 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: we have with the Taliban, by the way, they violated 377 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: multiple times. So my feeling is we have a loyalty 378 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: to Afghan friends not to mention the thousand or so 379 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: or several hundred Americans still there may still be some 380 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 1: stranded next week. We also have an obligation or a 381 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: strong interest in showing that we are not going to 382 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:11,880 Speaker 1: be pushed out by extremist or terrorist organizations. I'm not 383 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 1: saying you do everything in life for credibility, but I 384 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,360 Speaker 1: do know that when Isis took a lot of rock 385 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: and Syria, and they used that success against our friends, 386 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 1: especially the Iraqi government, as a motivator, as a recruiting 387 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: device than they got, you know, followers from a hundred 388 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,920 Speaker 1: countries around the world. They that they infiltrated into the 389 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: refugee flows into Europe and set off all those bombs 390 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 1: and you know, tragic events in Europe in those years. 391 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,640 Speaker 1: In other words, they used the perceived victory to their 392 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: great advantage. And so I want to take away that option, 393 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 1: even if it's just a few more days. You know, Uh, 394 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 1: we can't get everybody out who might want to leave. 395 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: And we're also going to have to work with the Taliban, 396 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 1: or try to pressure the Taliban and incentivize them to 397 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,439 Speaker 1: be a little more moderate than they had been twenty 398 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 1: five years ago. There's a chance that will work. It's 399 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 1: not all about you know, it's not all about the evacuation. 400 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 1: It's also about what comes next. And I don't want 401 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: to just dwell on the evacuation, but I would like 402 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: to see us stay at least a few more days, 403 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: get a few more of those friendly Afghans out and 404 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: show the world and show these too harorists, that we're 405 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: not being driven out by them. And when you say that, 406 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:20,160 Speaker 1: you mean beyond August thirty one, not a few days 407 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: from now, correct, correct, right, beyond August thirty You know, 408 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 1: I almost feel like it's a I mean, I don't 409 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: like to do a lot of things in international affairs 410 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: as sort of a test of our resoluteness or resolve, 411 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,919 Speaker 1: but this one may fall into that category, you know, 412 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 1: the top Montor saying it's a red line that we 413 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: get out by Tuesday, and I just don't like being 414 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: issued dictims and dictates and redlines by terrorist organizations. Well, no, 415 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: you're echoing the concerns of a lot of people, Michael. 416 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 1: And you know it might seem counterintuitive to some, but 417 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: there is a thought that what happened yesterday requires us 418 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:54,679 Speaker 1: to stay beyond August thirty one, because whether it's Americans 419 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: who are still there or are Afghan allies, that it 420 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: underscores the extreme danger that they will be in after 421 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 1: next Tuesday, right, especially if we seem unable to come 422 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 1: to their defense thereafter. So I want the Taliban, and 423 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,880 Speaker 1: I mean ISIS is sort of just a murderous organization 424 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: with no particular strategy or discipline, So I'm not sure 425 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: how much they are persuadable, but I want the Taliban 426 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: to know that while we are going to try to 427 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 1: develop a semi workable relationship with them in the future, 428 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 1: and we're willing to think about how to do that, 429 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 1: we are not going to let them set the terms 430 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 1: for those kinds of interactions, even even on their own soil. 431 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: And we're gonna be watching carefully how they treat Americans, 432 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 1: pro American Afghans, women and minorities, and these decisions they 433 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: make will set the terms for not only whether we 434 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: give them diplomatic recognition, but whether we allow them access 435 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 1: to their bank accounts, whether we give them any humanitarian assistance, 436 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:50,719 Speaker 1: and whether we strike them militarily, at least you know, 437 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 1: from from the air in places where they might not 438 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,439 Speaker 1: want to be hit. Um. So I just want to 439 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: sort of get our little bit of our swagger back 440 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: on this. Uh. And even though it's a tragedy and 441 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: we've not won the war, um, the Taliban needs to 442 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 1: continue to be reminded that that we have a lot 443 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 1: of tools to employ against them as well. I'm talking 444 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 1: with Michael Lohanlon from the Brookings Institution about his obed. 445 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 1: You're right that leaving now or at least on the 446 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,119 Speaker 1: thirty first, would signal to isis K as well as 447 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 1: the Taliban that we don't have the stomach to stand 448 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: up to them. So what could we do to send 449 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 1: the opposite signal? Is it just staying around or is 450 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 1: it in fact finding who did that yesterday? That the 451 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: suicide bombing yesterday. I don't know how productive the ladder 452 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: will be. We should try. I'm just not predicting any 453 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: great success. And I think that isis has been our 454 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: enemy all along and we've never had any particular restraint 455 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 1: towards them, nor should we. Uh. You know, I think 456 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: it's useful to send a Taliban a message, as I 457 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: think President Biden did pretty well yesterday, that we're going 458 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 1: to do what we have to if we find any 459 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: perpetrators or planners, and that that implies on Afghan soil. Right, 460 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: So the Taliban is not going to be able to 461 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 1: claim the sovereign right to deny a to access to 462 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,959 Speaker 1: airspace if we find an ISIS target and we can 463 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: implicate that target in an attack on Americans like that 464 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,880 Speaker 1: of yesterday. So I think that message was was worth sending. 465 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: You know, my senses, the Taliban really don't want to 466 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: be implicated in global terrorism. They will be content to 467 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:18,239 Speaker 1: run their own country as they see fit, and they 468 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: want some help along the way. So I think we 469 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: have some ability to modify their behavior, at least at 470 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: the margin, and that's what we should be trying to 471 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 1: use now. So Michael, tell us in our remaining moment here, 472 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: what it is that the Taliban wants, and and do 473 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: you buy this two point oh argument that might find 474 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: us actually working with a Taliban government as some sort 475 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: of partner against terror. On the latter point, I'm not 476 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 1: so convinced they're going to be partners. I think it 477 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,200 Speaker 1: would be enough just to have them not be enemies. 478 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: I don't want them to cooperate with ISIS or al Qaeda, 479 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: and they do have ties to al Qaeda, you know, 480 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: in their leadership and elsewhere, so we're gonna have to 481 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,639 Speaker 1: watch that one closely. But I think we have no 482 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: choice but to try to steer the Taliban towards a 483 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: two point zero because they did sort of win the war, 484 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: and to the extent that we have human rights concerns 485 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: for the well being of the Afghan people, it's gonna 486 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: be largely the Taliban to determine how those play out, 487 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: and so our tools for influence are limited, but they're real. 488 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 1: The Taliban running a very poor country that needs help, 489 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: and most of them don't want to live in the 490 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 1: Stone Ages again like they might have been willing to before. 491 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: So I think we've got some leverage leverage, says Michael O'Hanlon, 492 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 1: Senior Fellow Director of Research and Foreign Policy at the 493 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: Brookings Institution. I appreciate the time here, Michael. You can 494 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 1: find the op ed at USA today. Coming up our 495 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: Friday Reporters round Table. We'll bring back Justin Sink from 496 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: the White House, Tony Capaccio from the Pentagon. I'm Joe Matthew. 497 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg you Sound on 498 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio headline on the terminal 499 00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: deadly cobble attacks, shakes Biden's Afghan exit strategy. White House 500 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:04,719 Speaker 1: correspondent justin sync with the byline, and he joins us 501 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,439 Speaker 1: now as part of our Friday Reporters round table, and 502 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: we're bringing Tony Capaccio back in as well, our Pentagon correspondent. 503 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: After a day that many will remember in political, geo, 504 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 1: political and military history. To those who carried out this 505 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 1: attack as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this, 506 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:36,880 Speaker 1: we will not forgive. We will not forget. We will 507 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 1: hunt you down and make you pay. Justin sink, It's 508 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 1: great to have you with us on Bloomberg Sound On. 509 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: Was that promise and over promises that something that's going 510 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: to be played back for the next year while we 511 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 1: look for these people. Well, I think one of the biggest, 512 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:57,879 Speaker 1: you know, questions and challenges facing the White House is 513 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: how they're going to bring the people, the iss K 514 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 1: terrorists that they've sort of described responsibility uh for the attack, 515 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: to justice. When you know, the US plans to remove 516 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: its military and diplomatic presence from the country by next Tuesday, 517 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: and it's going to be a real test of I 518 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 1: think what one of the central premises or promises of 519 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 1: of Joe Biden's decision to pull out of Afghanistan is, 520 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 1: which is whether or not we can continue to run 521 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 1: counter terrorism options operations in the country without a physical 522 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: presence there. He and military leaders of the Pentagon have 523 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: assured that they have this sort of over the horizon 524 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 1: capability that they'll be able to monitor and deter potential 525 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 1: terrorist threats and and sort of handle it. But this 526 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: is going to be a very quick and initial test 527 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: of that that sort of theory. Tony, you cover the 528 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: Pentagon as so we discussed a little bit earlier this hour. 529 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 1: Talk to us more about these over the horizon missions. 530 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,479 Speaker 1: I got knew it briefly with Congressman Akin class at 531 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: the beginning of the program. It's something he was very 532 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: familiar with as a marine. But once we are gone, 533 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: whether it's next Tuesday, before or after that, where would 534 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 1: these missions be sourced or are we talking about drones 535 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: in the air. We're talking about aircraft off of aircraft 536 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: carriers or actual basis in the Middle East. So over 537 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: the horizon capabilities depend a lot on having some kind 538 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 1: of discreet intelligence, ground intelligence that can que or direct 539 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: a drone to circle an area repeatedly at high altitudes. 540 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: They just can't aimlessly look down at an area. That's 541 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 1: where you remember we took it took ten years to 542 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 1: kill Osama bin Lad and that was Paine taking interagency 543 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: development based on they tracked his career into Pakistan's This 544 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: is arduous work. He over promised. Biden overpromised. I mean, 545 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: I don't think the public is going to be satisfied 546 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 1: with cruise missile Tomahawk cruise missiles, our former counter terrorism 547 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: weapon of choice, being fired at some locations in Afghanistan 548 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 1: and then we declare we got him, you know, like 549 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 1: remember we got thought him was saying, I think you overpromised. 550 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: It does depend on some good ground intelligence that helps 551 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: cue the effort. Justin can give us a sense to 552 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: the extent of your knowledge of what Joe Biden is 553 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 1: going through the president behind the scenes here. He was emotional, 554 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 1: apparently certainly somber in his address last night, But the 555 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: American people typically do not know what the president knows. 556 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: We don't know what awful thing he just heard, what 557 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 1: briefing he just had, what information that is in his 558 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: head that is keeping him up at night. How many 559 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: briefings is he getting a day? How is his schedule 560 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:49,440 Speaker 1: being impacted by this? Yeah, I mean, I think what 561 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: we've certainly seen throughout the last week plus the Afghana 562 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: sounds really been plunged from the chaos, but the president 563 00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: hasn't been entirely regular briefings. Yesterday was perhaps the most 564 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: intense version of that, where the President stayed in the 565 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: situation room for most of the day until he came 566 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 1: out and addressed the nation in the late afternoon. He 567 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: had originally had meetings with the Israeli Prime Minister, with governors, 568 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: all on the schedule. All that stuff kind of pulled 569 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 1: down and pushed off as he was going to those briefings. 570 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 1: You asked about his sort of mood personally. He speaks, 571 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:30,320 Speaker 1: I think authentically and personally about how as the father 572 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: of a former member of the military that he has 573 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 1: sort of um grappled with the personal toll of this 574 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 1: as somebody who has lost family members, he has as well, 575 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 1: and so you know, I think he would say that 576 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 1: his decision to pull out of the Afghanistan the first 577 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: place was sort of driven by the desire not to 578 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: put service members in harm's way, and so that makes 579 00:31:54,920 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 1: of course what happened yesterday, particularly traffic. President made clear 580 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: as he spoke to the American people Tony yesterday that 581 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: whatever the military needs, it will get. I was struck 582 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:11,120 Speaker 1: at the military. Whatever they need, if they need additional force, 583 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: I will granted. But the military, from the Chairman of 584 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: the Joint Chiefs, the Joint Chiefs, commanders in the fields 585 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 1: have all contacted me one way or another, usually by letter, 586 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: saying they subscribe to the mission is designed to get 587 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: as many people out as we can within the timeframe. 588 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: There's a lot of Tony. Is is that thought consistent 589 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 1: throughout the ranks at the Pentagon at least the people 590 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: you interface with that August thirty one is in fact 591 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: the day they're telling him, Mr President, this is the 592 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: day to leave. Yeah, it's it's consistent that that's the 593 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 1: day to leave because of the threat. But then you've 594 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 1: got another thing here, given what they want, is that 595 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 1: given what they want up until next week or that 596 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,480 Speaker 1: like a bigger budget. He was little. It was a 597 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 1: little unclear to me. If you come back to Haunt 598 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: and his defense budget for like one a half percent 599 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 1: lower when adjusted for inflation than than the request. So 600 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 1: I'm not sure what he was talking about their current 601 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: or more long term justin think do you have a 602 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 1: sense of what he meant with that statement. Yeah, I 603 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 1: think the President and Press Secretary John Sackey talked about 604 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: this before, but in you know, each of those conversations 605 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 1: over the last couple of weeks, has basically talked to 606 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: his military leaders and asked them if they need particular resources, 607 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:38,240 Speaker 1: if they want to bring more troops um into Afghanistan 608 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: to sort of secure the airport as they worked through 609 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 1: the operations. Obviously, now we're at the point I'm starting 610 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 1: to pull those folks out. But Biden didn't necessarily want 611 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 1: to bring more soldiers in and was asked by the military, 612 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: you know, to do so, to authorize more troops going in, 613 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: and so I think that this is sort of a 614 00:33:56,240 --> 00:34:00,720 Speaker 1: more limited promise to the the idea of executing this 615 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: evacuation to vote to the greatest extent possible by the one. 616 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:09,120 Speaker 1: As Tony mentioned, there's obviously an effort within the White 617 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:13,320 Speaker 1: House to roll back the military budget to some extent. 618 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 1: I'm not sure that's going to change either, but the 619 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:19,240 Speaker 1: President has shown wellingness to sort of deferred and military leaders, 620 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 1: or at least he says that he has um on 621 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 1: these sort of operational questions. By bit, we know there's 622 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,600 Speaker 1: acute danger here, the risk of another terror attack. We 623 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:34,439 Speaker 1: were told that it was specific incredible today from John 624 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:36,960 Speaker 1: Kirby at the White House. I'd love to hear from 625 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: both of you in our remaining moments about what you 626 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,879 Speaker 1: you might expect to see this weekend, not in terms 627 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:45,880 Speaker 1: of an attack, but the posture of our military. Tony 628 00:34:45,960 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: expanding the perimeter around the airport. Possibly you suggested maybe 629 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,040 Speaker 1: even working with the Taliban in some sort of a 630 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:55,799 Speaker 1: mission here. But why don't you start off, Tony and 631 00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 1: what we might see. It's dark now and cobble as 632 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: we head through Saturday and Sunday. How concerned you are 633 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:03,759 Speaker 1: and what we might see the military up to the 634 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,240 Speaker 1: next two days. Well, I would think if they're smart, 635 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:08,759 Speaker 1: that will show some footage of a C one thirty gun, 636 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:13,399 Speaker 1: ships circling orbiting over the area, the m Q nine 637 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 1: Reaper orbiting over the area. General Mackenzie mentioned these the 638 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 1: other day. Yes, they're smart, they will show some of 639 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: that as a visual presentation. They might show expanded uh 640 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:29,319 Speaker 1: expanding entry points reinforcements of those areas. But I think 641 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:33,320 Speaker 1: the aerial component you can show that send a message 642 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 1: that we've got eyes on the field with very discreet sensors. 643 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,479 Speaker 1: That's right. I don't I forget if it was Hank 644 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 1: Taylor or General Mackenzie yesterday made clear Tony that just 645 00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:45,759 Speaker 1: the site having having essentially such an intimidating site to 646 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:47,799 Speaker 1: see one thirty gun ship light things up in the 647 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:51,680 Speaker 1: air has shown to be a deterrent in the past. Right, 648 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:56,200 Speaker 1: The C one thirty gun ship is ungainly propeller driven, 649 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:58,080 Speaker 1: But I got to tell you this is one of 650 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,399 Speaker 1: the weapon major weapons of the last four the years 651 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:04,400 Speaker 1: the United States employees the big Mogidi issue in Samaya. 652 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:06,719 Speaker 1: The big argument there was why didn't we deploy a 653 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 1: C one thirties? But those things when there's when there's 654 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:13,640 Speaker 1: no air defense, right, they can circle slowly and pound 655 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:16,280 Speaker 1: the living daylights out of an area with very precision 656 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 1: howitzers and many many machine guns. Yeah, it's pretty remarkable. 657 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:22,960 Speaker 1: If you don't know what Tony is talking about, google 658 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:26,440 Speaker 1: it justin How about politically speaking, at the White House, 659 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 1: are we going to be seeing the President on a 660 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:31,600 Speaker 1: daily basis. We've got Sunday shows to deal with. How 661 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: is the communications and messaging and to work coming out 662 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: of the White House this weekend. Yes, we know the 663 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 1: presidents already sort of canceled and they have planned vacations. 664 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:42,880 Speaker 1: It's going to receive briefings on this. I wouldn't be 665 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: surprised if we hear from him either on Afghanistan or 666 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 1: of course the hurricane that's sort of barreling towards Louisiana 667 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:52,919 Speaker 1: right now over the weekend. The White House has also 668 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 1: said that he um uh is likely to reach out 669 00:36:57,520 --> 00:36:59,239 Speaker 1: to some of the families that the service members that 670 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:02,560 Speaker 1: are lost there. The possibility um as the flights come 671 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:04,879 Speaker 1: back into Dover, that the President would would go up 672 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:09,399 Speaker 1: to receive some of the fallen soldiers there. And so 673 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:12,800 Speaker 1: I think we will see some of those type of 674 00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 1: uh messaging slash uh, you know, mourner in chief type 675 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:21,799 Speaker 1: images coming out of the White House. But you know, 676 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 1: obviously that's the political fallout of the last couple of 677 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:28,200 Speaker 1: weeks is going to be severe for the President and 678 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:30,160 Speaker 1: something that the White House is gonna have to work 679 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 1: a long time to sort of h Yet it's the 680 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 1: pull itself out of because right now I think there's 681 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 1: there's legitimate bipartisan criticism on both sides and disappointment with 682 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:42,719 Speaker 1: how the White House is handled. Whe the next couple 683 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: of days are going to be something our Friday Reporters 684 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:47,960 Speaker 1: round Table. This is why we do this with such 685 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:52,000 Speaker 1: talent here at Bloomberg. White House Correspondent Justin Sinc. Pentagon 686 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:55,640 Speaker 1: Correspondent Tony Capaccio. Many thanks to both of you for 687 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 1: your expertise. And that is it the fastest hour in politicy. 688 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:02,840 Speaker 1: We'll do it again Monday. Keep your eyes on the 689 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 1: news and on the terminal this weekend. I'm Joe Matthew. 690 00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:07,600 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg m