1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: Live from our nation's capital. This is Bloomberg Sound On. 2 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: You have to have this debate in concert about whether 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: we should be in places like Afghanis death. This Taliban 4 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: has changed. We've got a hold of accountable will see 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: how they governed. Bloomberg Sound On, Politics, Policy and perspective 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: from DC's top names. The infrastructural bill or create jobs 7 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: that we desperately need in this country, good paying jobs. 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: We need to go all out through a green, renewable 9 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: economy and all of the infrastructure to make that happen. 10 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. The 11 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: last plane is wheels Up. America is out of Afghanistan, 12 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: as announced a short time ago by the Pentagon. The 13 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: f a A says effective immediately to meet cars II 14 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: Airport is uncontrolled. A twenty year effort over and an 15 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: ending punctuated by the Taliban taking control of the country. 16 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: The West conducting what was possibly the largest airlift in 17 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 1: human history. This hour, we will speak with retired Brigadier 18 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: General Mark Kimmitt, former Assistant Secretary of State for Political 19 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: Military Affairs, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Affairs, 20 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: also Bloomberg. Washington Bureau Chief Craig Gordon will be with us. 21 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 1: He was an embedded reporter in Afghanistan, of course, has 22 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: covered the White House since, and we'll get insights from 23 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: the panel. Glad to say we have both Genie she 24 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: and Zano and Rick Davis on this historic day. It 25 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: is now past midnight in Cobble, which makes it August 26 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: thirty one in Afghanistan, and the last American aircraft is out. 27 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: As we just heard from Sentcom Commander Marine Corps General 28 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: Kenneth Mackenzie, I'm here to announce the completion of our 29 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,199 Speaker 1: withdrawal from Afghanistan, in the end of the military mission 30 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: to evacuate American citizens, third country nationals, and vulnerable Afghans. 31 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: The last C seventeen lifted off from Hammad Karzai International 32 00:01:55,120 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: Airport on August this afternoon at three pm East Coast time, 33 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: and the last manned aircraft is now clearing the airspace 34 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: above Afghanistan. The last aircraft over the horizon gone from 35 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: h Kaya and we are now I should note standing 36 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: by to hear from the Secretary of States Anthony Blincoln. 37 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: Will hold a news conference at any time now. They 38 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: just wrapped the briefing at the Pentagon, so when he speaks, 39 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: we will join him. I'm glad to say that we 40 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: are now joined once again by retired Brigadier General Mark kimmittt. 41 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: It's great to have you back. General. We've been talking 42 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: about this in the run up to the final evacuation here, 43 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: and it appears that has happened. Seventy nine thousand civilians 44 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: evacuated with the help of the United States military, including 45 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: six thousand Americans. This indeed was likely an historic airlift 46 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: in its size and scale. General, as you look back 47 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: over the past twenty years, how would you describe the 48 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: war effort. Well, I think it's the last twenty days 49 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: that is sort of encapsulated for me. We went in 50 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: for the right reasons in nine eleven. We had had 51 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: to take the fight to the enemy. We had to 52 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: go after al Qaida and Osama bin Laden. My problem 53 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: is that we sort of, once we've finished that, we 54 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 1: got into this whole business of nation building, and unfortunately, 55 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: you can't build a nation in the space of a 56 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: couple of years. So we got ourselves to the point 57 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: where everybody was in agreement that we needed to withdraw, 58 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: but nobody was in agreement that we should do this 59 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: in such a shameful way as we've done over the 60 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: past twenty days. Well, shameful is a tough word to 61 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: be using. As the final Americans leave Afghanistan. We can note, however, 62 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: that this mission, this mission to evacuate, which involved five 63 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: to six thousand Marines and other troops, was itself in 64 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: itself a success. Now, well, that's true, But let me 65 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: be very clear why I said shameful, because the last 66 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: Americans did not leave on the Karsai airport. We have 67 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: left Americans behind, we have left Afghans who worked side 68 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: by side of the on the battlefield behind, We've left 69 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: the Taliban in charge, and we've left terrorism inside the country. 70 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: So that's shameful. Well, you set a lot there. Let's 71 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: talk about the Americans still there. The administration says about 72 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty people, many of them did not 73 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: leave on their own accord at Jensaki, the White House 74 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: Press secretary, describing why today. Part of the challenge with 75 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: fixing and percise numbers that they're a long time residents 76 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: of Afghanistan, as we've talked about in here, with American passports, 77 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: dual citizens, the vast majority who to Chimement, who are 78 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: still trying to determine if they want to leave or not, 79 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: or have been over the last couple of days in 80 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: some instances and many instances that's because they have many 81 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 1: family members there. But they have a range of reasons, 82 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 1: and we've been working with them to assess that for 83 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: whatever reason, an American decided to stay in Afghanistan. Do 84 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 1: you believe what the White House is telling us in 85 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: the Pentagon for that matter, that we will still be 86 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: able to get them out, that there will be a 87 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: path for their own evacuation, or do you doubt that 88 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 1: based on what you know of the Aliban. Well, anybody 89 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: that believes that the Taliban are going to live up 90 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: to their commitments hasn't been watching the Taliban since they 91 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: signed the agreement in February. Uh. They have broken almost 92 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: every commitment they've made, and they continue to break those commitments. 93 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: They are saying they're going to have a inclusive representative government. 94 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: I think we can be sure that's not going to happen. Uh. 95 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: They say we're going to allow women to go to school, 96 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: but then they say, well, within accordance with Sharia law 97 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: and in their interpretation of Sharia law that means no. 98 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: So I think that we have tried to hope for 99 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,799 Speaker 1: the best out of the Taliban, but I also believe 100 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: that personally, I believe we need to prepare for the worst. 101 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: I think they're going to go back to their pre 102 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: nine eleven Taliban days. Yeah, well, listen, if if if 103 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: you doubt Americans getting out at this point, surely you 104 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: don't believe that our Afghan allies have a chance. Is 105 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: that fair to say? Well, they've been directed to start 106 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: taking overland routes and the quickest way out of the 107 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: country is either the Pakistan who has closed the border, 108 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: or north to the Mazar Shrif to Uzbekistan, and the 109 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: Taliban control those borders. So I just don't know how 110 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: that's going to happen. I think it will in many cases, 111 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: not large number, but in certain numbers. It's going to 112 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 1: require Americans going back in or special operations missions to 113 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: get these people out. So that is the mission now. 114 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 1: It's going to be so called over the Horizon special ops. 115 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,720 Speaker 1: And based on what we've seen general this past couple 116 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: of days, these could be busy airmen, marine soldiers, sailors, 117 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: whomever has involved well, we'll see. First we have to 118 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: find these people just not wrong. There are probably some 119 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: Americans have decided to remain behind because they couldn't get 120 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: all of their family members behind out of there, and 121 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: that's understandable. But I think there's still a significant amount 122 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 1: of interpreters that we've worked with that we will want 123 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:04,159 Speaker 1: to get out, that the veterans community will demand that 124 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: we get out, and so we'll have to see what happens. 125 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: The other thing that is going to be over the 126 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: horizon is clearly, despite the Biden promise to end the 127 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: drone wars, I think we're going to start seeing the 128 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: drone wars pick up again significantly because Afghanistan is now 129 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: going to be a sanctuary in safe haven for terrorist 130 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: groups beyond isis K, and we've already started to conduct 131 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: the drone wars against those guys. And if we want 132 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: to keep Al Qaeda type groups from reforming, retraining, and 133 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: starting operations again from Afghanistan, we can't sit back and 134 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: watch that happen. Do you worry for the safety of 135 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: those Americans and our Afghan allies for that matter. On 136 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: this list that the US reportedly gave the Taliban, there 137 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 1: are there is some debate about how much information was 138 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: on that list, but to think that that names and 139 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: passports are going around has made some people very uncomfortable. Well, 140 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: it's really a moot issue because the Taliban were able 141 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: to capture the biometric data systems that we had used 142 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: for years and years to get by biometric data for 143 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: anybody that was working for the Americans. So they not 144 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: only have what has been provided to them by the Americans, 145 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: but they've got the biometric data that was held inside 146 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: the the data machine, the data basis. So there's going 147 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: to be a lot of information and this will be 148 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: the first test of the Taliban when we start hearing 149 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: what is happening to the people that we've left behind. 150 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: We're going to find out if this, in fact is 151 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:45,199 Speaker 1: Taliban two point oh, the kinder, gentler Taliban, or if 152 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: this is the same Taliban we went in against nine eleven. 153 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: We're talking with retired Brigadier General Mark Kimmitts on the 154 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,439 Speaker 1: Monday edition of Bloomberg Sound On, and we are waiting 155 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: to hear from the Secretary of State Anthony B. Lincoln. 156 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: We now see the podium set up and prepared for 157 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: his remarks whenever he does speak. In the Pentagon briefing today, 158 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: General we heard from from General Ken McKenzie about demilitarizing 159 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 1: the hardware that was left, the anti missile systems, the 160 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:15,719 Speaker 1: aircraft that were left on the field and cobbed. He 161 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 1: says those planes will never fly again, and the many 162 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 1: vehicles we had were disabled as well. But there's American 163 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: military equipment, much of it brand new, scattered around the country. Right, 164 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: We've seen lists of helicopters, tanks, guns, night vision goggles 165 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: and so on. What happens to all of that equipment 166 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 1: and is it to be used against us? Well, Ken 167 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: McKenzie is right, we're going to be able to demilitarize 168 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: the tanks, the helicopters, and the aircraft, but you're also 169 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: right that there is there are hundreds of thousands of 170 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:54,199 Speaker 1: other pieces of lethal equipment that was left behind, And uh, 171 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:56,959 Speaker 1: it doesn't really matter because the terrorist is not going 172 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: to be driving a tank into Washington, d C. He's 173 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: going to be using material that he gets from what 174 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: we've left behind, the small arms, the weapons. So it's 175 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: great we're going to demilitarize the tanks because I guess 176 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: we're awarded about tank battles between Tajika Stan and the Taliban. 177 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,959 Speaker 1: But uh, I'm more a word about those small arms 178 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: and machine guns that will be used as tools of 179 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 1: repression by the Taliban against the citizens of Afghanistan. Point 180 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: taken on that, I wonder what is the legacy of 181 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: this effort in your mind? General, or is it going 182 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: to take time for that book to be written. This 183 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: war has taken so many turns. Those fighting it, in 184 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: some cases weren't even alive for nine eleven. Yeah, I 185 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: think the legacy is, uh, we gave it a chance, 186 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: and I think that's the best we can say. We 187 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: gave the chance to Afghanistan and their people too. As 188 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: a famous general once said to me, go from the 189 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: fifteen cent free and rush headlong into the sixteenth century. 190 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: But we made advances in the society, made advances in 191 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: women's rights, human rights, education, standard of living. And the 192 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: important thing to see is that, hopefully I'm absolutely wrong, 193 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:22,719 Speaker 1: Hopefully the Taliban will take all of those advances that 194 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: have been made over the past twenty years and continue 195 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: to build on those. But I don't expect that to happen. 196 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: Retire Brigadier General Mark Kimnet, thanks for being back with us. 197 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,119 Speaker 1: And for all of your time, most recently on Bloomberg 198 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:41,199 Speaker 1: as we've sought some of the best minds to help 199 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: us understand what's going on. Then of course includes our panel, 200 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: and we have our classic sound on panel today. Rick 201 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: and Genie are with us Bloomberg Politics contributors Genie she 202 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 1: and Zano and Rick Davis on what I was calling 203 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: an historic day and I'm sticking with that as we 204 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: wait to hear from the Secretary of States Anthony B. Lincoln. 205 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: What's going through your mind? Right, and Genie, as you 206 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: consider the politics surrounding all of this, there's a big 207 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 1: job here for the Secretary of State speaking to a 208 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 1: nation waiting for some rationale for what they've seen these 209 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: past days. There is and you know, I think what's 210 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: going through my mind is that you just you know, 211 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: I'm about to start a semester with young people whom 212 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 1: weren't alive when this war started. Um and as we've 213 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: been talking about, so many of the soldiers killed there 214 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 1: the other day were infants on nine eleven, and when 215 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: this war started. If that and you look at the 216 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 1: number of years and the number the cost from the 217 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: human cost and all the tragedy and In my mind, 218 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: there's you know, two questions. The more immediate when we've 219 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: been talking about is what went wrong with this withdrawal. 220 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: But I think the bigger question here has to do 221 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: with our strategy in Afghanistan, going back to George W. Bush, 222 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: which I believe was terribly, terribly flawed. And so those 223 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: are things that as a country we're going to have 224 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,679 Speaker 1: to grapple with. So hopefully we identify the laws and 225 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: we don't do this again, either in Afghanistan or somewhere else. 226 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: As we hear a lot of people on the left 227 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: and the right say we're never going to get out 228 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: of here, We're gonna be back there. Um, we've got 229 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: to make sure we understand what went wrong in the 230 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: long term and in the last withdrawal, and how we 231 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: can avoid this again, because it has been disastrous from 232 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: over almost any sort of way that you can look 233 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: at it. For Presidents Rick Davis, you visited Afghanistan, I know, 234 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: on many occasions over the course of various administrations. As 235 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: you watch this last airplane leave, though you hear the 236 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 1: general's talking about it, we're about to hear from the 237 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: Secretary of State, I know there's a lot of criticize, 238 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: and we've spent a good deal of time hearing that criticism. 239 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: But is there any sense of relief for you to 240 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: sit back and say, it's twenty years later, it's over. 241 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 1: The only relief I get is the relief that our 242 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 1: service people today will not be in harm's way, they 243 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,079 Speaker 1: won't be victims of isis K. But it's a it's 244 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: a pretty sad moment for me because you know, it's 245 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: a culmination of all the bad decisions that have made 246 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: over those four presidencies that have led us to this 247 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 1: retreat in leaving the population of Afghanistan in the hands 248 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: of terrorists. Um uh. I think General Mackenzie uh In 249 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: the sent Coom Commander, and his briefing just now um 250 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 1: made the point about this sort of practical relationship they 251 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: developed with the Taliban. But I want to hear from 252 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: this administration of their views about a rogue regime, the Taliban, 253 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: who have been sworn enemies of ours and killed lots 254 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: of our service members over the last twenty years, and 255 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: what our expectations are for them, because it's not good 256 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: enough to say, well, they guarded a gate and also 257 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: denied access to American passport holders. To think somehow they 258 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: were cooperative. Well, what are you looking to hear from 259 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: the administration? The next voice we will hear from is 260 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: the Secretary of State. There's no word, no expectation that 261 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: we'll hear from Joe Biden tonight. This could be the 262 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: last word before everyone goes to bed, knowing that we 263 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: have left Afghanistan. What does he need to say? Well, 264 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: and that's what's shocking to me, Joe, is the point 265 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: you just made about the person we're going to hear 266 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: from on the day of our retreat out of Afghanistan 267 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: is going to be the Secretary of State. Uh. Joe 268 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: Biden said when this process started that he owns it, 269 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: and he owns this day. And this day I know 270 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: is full of crisises. Uh. You know, the horrible conditions 271 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: that people are in right now, and the path of IDA, 272 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: the challenges we have fighting COVID. But he owns this 273 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 1: retreat and it's unbelievable to me that he does not 274 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: use this moment in history to define it and to 275 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: talk about what his objectives are and how he sees 276 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: the continuing efforts on behalf of this administration to secure 277 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: women and girls American passport holders S I V S 278 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: in a country that we've now left completely to the Taliban, 279 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 1: and the idea that General Mackenzie and the Secretary State 280 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: are the ones who are defining this for us is 281 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: I think a huge mistake by this administration who's making 282 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: these decisions. Genie. This goes back to the communications shop, 283 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 1: as this coming from a White House that does not 284 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: want this president's image in a split screen today. They 285 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: absolutely don't. They They wanted this to go much differently, 286 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 1: as we know. They wanted to refocus attention, both in 287 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: foreign policy and domestic policy on other things. He wanted 288 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: to fulfill this promise, and he wanted to do it 289 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: as quietly as possible. But I agree with Rick completely. 290 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: This is an enormous mistake for the President not to 291 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 1: come out today and to talk about this. He is 292 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: the president. He must own this, and for the Secretary 293 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: of State to come out, we are not going apparently, 294 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: unless they change their mind, we're not going to hear 295 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: from the President who is responsible to tell us what 296 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: we are going to do going forward to ensure that 297 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 1: we secure the American and ally is who are American 298 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: lives and allies who are over there, that we protect 299 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: ourselves should there be terrorist attacks, as as you were 300 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: just talking to General Mackenzie about you know, how are 301 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: we going to ensure against what is looking like it 302 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 1: is going to be just you know, a sprouting up 303 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 1: of terrorism over there. How are we going to protect 304 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: ourselves and our allies? What is their vision of doing that? 305 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 1: That should come from the president and so you know, yes, 306 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: the Secretary of State and is important, but the President 307 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 1: needs to come out on this, but I don't see 308 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: it happening. I don't think he wants to answer the questions. Yeah, 309 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: Jen Saki did speak today at the White House briefing. 310 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: As we heard her voice just a moment ago, a 311 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: lot of talk about mitigating and this is this echoes 312 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: the talking points we heard from Jake Sullivan on the 313 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: Sunday shows mitigating not eliminating risk. Here's the Press secretary today. Well, 314 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: we had with respect to the cobble air, but we 315 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 1: of course had been warning about for days, which was 316 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: the potential for the rising threats, the rising threats from 317 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 1: isis k uh that's such a and how could take 318 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: place and could take place at any moment in time. Well, 319 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: we can do and what our commanders on the ground 320 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: do who have access to all this information as well? 321 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: Is mitigate risks, we can't eliminate risk. We're going to 322 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: hear that again. And to that end, I just saw 323 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: the Secretary of State script dropped on the podium here, 324 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: so we might be getting closer. What does that tell 325 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: both of you? Rick, When you hear talking points like 326 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: that repeated by multiple officials out of the administration, that's 327 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: a warning, right that we can't really guarantee what's going 328 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: to happen from here, if if terrorism is based in Afghanistan, 329 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: or if Americans are targeted once again, Yeah, I mean 330 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: this is spin right, and and this administration is trying 331 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 1: to put um uh, as we used to say, lipstick 332 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: on a pig. They're trying to spin their way into saying, oh, 333 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: look at we got you know, a hundred people out. 334 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: You know, we did this, you know in the best 335 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 1: way we could. Sure we've left people behind. But and 336 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,159 Speaker 1: then they have no explanation for that. So they have 337 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,199 Speaker 1: to keep focused on what they were able to accomplish 338 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: and put the most positive spin on it. But there 339 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: are going to be investigations. There's going to be a 340 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: long list of of issues that need to be determined, 341 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: both at the military and at the State department level, 342 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: is to what went wrong and how many times this 343 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: administration made decisions it turned out to be the wrong way. 344 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 1: And so I think we are just entering the post 345 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,719 Speaker 1: Afghanistan period. We know that other organizations are gonna be 346 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: looking at drone strikes we did. I thought that General 347 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: Mark Kimmitt, who you just interviewed, made an incredibly good 348 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: point about the fact that this president, Joe Biden, has 349 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 1: been campaigning against using drones as a weapon of war 350 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 1: and attacking UH terrorists with them. UH and yet the 351 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: first things that he uses as as as as weapons 352 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,879 Speaker 1: of of retreat were to use those same drones to 353 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: attack the is s K. I can't imagine a sarrea 354 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 1: where that does not continue in order to sure the 355 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,199 Speaker 1: safety of our Americans. So we're just beginning a new phase. 356 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:08,640 Speaker 1: It's the post combat phase. But it will occupy space 357 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: in all of our minds and on all of our 358 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:16,439 Speaker 1: papers for some time to come. Mitigate, not eliminate genie. 359 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,360 Speaker 1: Is it another way of saying that terrorists only need 360 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 1: to be right once. We need to be right every time. 361 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: That's right, And you know the Biden administration has a real, 362 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: real challenge on their hand because you know, the danger 363 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: here would be he becomes Jimmy Carter in seventy nine 364 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:37,159 Speaker 1: and into eighty with the prisoners, and America ends up 365 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: looking weak. And you know, we've left the country in 366 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 1: the hands of the Taliban. We see this fomenting of terrorism. 367 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: Our allies are frustrated. We've got people within the military frustrated. 368 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: We you know, it's hard to see how we don't 369 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: look weak as a result of this, and that will 370 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 1: become even more of a problem if we see the 371 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 1: u United States engaged in massive drone attacks over there. 372 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 1: That was a big challenge for President Obama as well. 373 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: And if we see any form of terrorist attacks around 374 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,640 Speaker 1: the world and we see women and children and other 375 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: suffering over there. Because we went in this mess, we 376 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: are leaving and Joe Biden, he didn't start this, but 377 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: he certainly owns it as he leaves. And that's why 378 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,439 Speaker 1: this is such a fraught situation for them. And I 379 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: was somebody told me the other day and I looked 380 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: back on it. It was the New York Times a 381 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: couple of weeks before the election, when Reagan beat Carter, 382 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 1: who described America by that point as diminished and weak, 383 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: and that really had an impact on the election. And 384 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: you know, Joe Biden has to be very very concerned, 385 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: as do Democrats, that this is how this turns out 386 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 1: for them. Some tough ideas here, I'll tell you. As 387 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: the United States military leaves Afghanistan, if you're just joining 388 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: us on Bloomberg Radio, it's done. Headline on the terminal. 389 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: US troops exit Afghanistan after twenty year military presence, America's 390 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 1: law gest war ends with massive final week evacuation. Jennifer Epstein, 391 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 1: Tony Capaccio at the Pentagon sharing that byline from the 392 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: White House and the Pentagon. The U S officially ending 393 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: its military presence Tuesday with the final flight out of 394 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 1: Cobble I believe General mackenzie said it was at three 395 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: pm Eastern time, Wall Street time, as we like to 396 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: say here on Bloomberg, and we're joined by the panel. 397 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: Rick and Jeanie are with us, and it's a good 398 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: thing on a day like this. The f a A 399 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:35,360 Speaker 1: issued an alert that says, effective immediately, the airport is uncontrolled. Rick, 400 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 1: Is this the beginning, as you say, of of the 401 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 1: post war period? Here? In Afghanistan, which will be featured 402 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,400 Speaker 1: by lawlessness. How does the Taliban run an international airport? 403 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,959 Speaker 1: There were talking people talking about going back into bog 404 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: Room for instance. Uh, and that does not appear likely 405 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: at this point. If we were to attack, it would 406 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:58,679 Speaker 1: have to be a drone or a cruise missile or 407 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: something like that. Correct, we will not have people on 408 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: the ground. Well, we have enormous capability, you know, with 409 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,239 Speaker 1: helicopters and V twenty two's to come in land and 410 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 1: go out, um, and that that won't be diminished by 411 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: any of this. I would say the most startling aspect 412 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 1: I thought of General Mackenzie's briefing to the press just 413 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 1: now was the fact that, uh, he made a very 414 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: clear distinction that they left the airport, they did not 415 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 1: turn it over to the Taliban, and that uh there 416 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: was no sort of ceremony or handing over the keys 417 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,879 Speaker 1: to the control tower. So I think you're right. I 418 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 1: think you point out a very important aspect. There is 419 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:40,920 Speaker 1: absolutely no indication that the Taliban can manage a country, 420 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,879 Speaker 1: the city of Kabul or the airport itself, and so 421 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: we're gonna see what potentially could be a train wreck 422 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: in that country. Which could result in a lot of 423 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:57,120 Speaker 1: humanitarian issues that the world is just bracing for right now. 424 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:59,919 Speaker 1: When you look at the responses from all our allies 425 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: around the world. When you cut off the one route 426 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,400 Speaker 1: to leave the country with any speed, Genie, that does 427 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,959 Speaker 1: create a new issue. I mean, we don't have an 428 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 1: aircraft control mechanism there to take over, that's right. And 429 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: you know, let's be clear, we didn't leave the Taliban 430 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: in control as a government. They have not formed a government. 431 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: We left a terrorist network in a capital. They may 432 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: want to form a government. That government hasn't been formed. 433 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: And you look at basic things that people need as 434 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 1: we think about the humanitarian disaster over there to live 435 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: in the modern world, things like access to credit cards, 436 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:42,120 Speaker 1: things like the ability to you know, have identification. There 437 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 1: is no government there, and when there's no government, we 438 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: can be sure that there will be there is a 439 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,159 Speaker 1: power vacuum that will be filled and it is likely 440 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 1: to be filled by some very very dangerous groups over there. 441 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,159 Speaker 1: So that is what is going on, and that is 442 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 1: what we've left. And I am curious to hear as 443 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: we wait for the Secretary of State how the United 444 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,480 Speaker 1: States responds to that and what we do when some 445 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: other country, countries like Russia and China and others, are 446 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 1: going to recognize the Taliban, How do we handle this 447 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 1: and what do we do in a world in which 448 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: cameras and all these things send us pictures so readily 449 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 1: when these pictures of a humanitarian crisis start to come here, 450 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 1: that's something that we didn't have in seventy nine or 451 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: certainly you know earlier, but we have it now. So 452 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:33,439 Speaker 1: the American public is going to be seeing this live, 453 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: and that's very, very difficult for our government to manage. 454 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: Genie she and Zano Rick Davis, they'll be back with 455 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:41,880 Speaker 1: us a little bit later on this hour, and hope 456 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: we have a chance to dissect some of the Secretary's remarks. 457 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: Will bring them to you as soon as he speaks. 458 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 1: As we're joined now in our Washington studio by Craig Gordon, 459 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 1: Bloomberg's Washington bureau chief, who spent a lot of time covering, 460 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,880 Speaker 1: of course, the war. He was an embedded reporter in Afghanistan, 461 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: has spent many years covering the the White House and 462 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 1: certainly this administration. Craig, it's great to see you on 463 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: this day. I wonder what your thoughts are as we 464 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 1: head for this address from the Secretary of State, and 465 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: the decisions that have been made to communicate this through 466 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: the Pentagon, through the State Department, as opposed to, you know, 467 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,639 Speaker 1: an oval office address something more more traditional by the 468 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: Commander in chief himself. Is this an effort to remove 469 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:26,400 Speaker 1: him or or share, if you will, imply some sort 470 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: of shared decision making across the administration. Yeah. Look, there's 471 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: no no two ways about it. This is a bad 472 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,679 Speaker 1: day for Joe Biden. UM. Americans you know, don't always 473 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: focus on places like Afghanistan, but on a day like today, 474 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 1: when it's pretty clear we're pulling up, um, you can 475 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 1: call it whatever you want, a retreat, a tactical retreat, whatever. 476 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,400 Speaker 1: We were there fighting a war against people the twenty 477 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: years ago after nine eleven were identified as the bad guys. 478 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,959 Speaker 1: The Taliban hosted al Qaeda all those years, Um, and 479 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:57,400 Speaker 1: now we're leaving the country to them. So there's sort 480 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 1: of no no good way to spend this really for 481 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 1: Joe Biden. And honestly, this is one of those days 482 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: when you have a Tony Blinken or uh General mackenzie 483 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: and and they are your heat shield. You know, they 484 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,640 Speaker 1: are your blast shield and you send them out out 485 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: to take it. I do think Biden spoke pretty you know, 486 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: pretty passionately about this topic. Just just a few days ago. 487 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 1: I were told we're probably gonna hear from him again 488 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 1: this week, but on this day. Yeah, I'm I'm pretty 489 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: sure that people are in charge of communications the White 490 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:27,360 Speaker 1: House don't really want Joe Biden's face on every six 491 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: o'clock news program right next to the pictures of America retreating. 492 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 1: Not that the Secretary of State is some low ranking official. 493 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,159 Speaker 1: What will Anthony B. Lincoln have to say today? Does 494 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: he keep this tight? Is this is this explaining what's 495 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: just going on in the last week or two were 496 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: retracing the last twenty years? Correct? I think it's gonna 497 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 1: stay stay pretty tight. Um, most everybody knows the history 498 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 1: by now why the United States was there and now 499 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: why why the United States is leaving. I think Mackenzie, actually, 500 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: General McKenzie actually did a pretty good job of if 501 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: people are sort of paying attention and not just the 502 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 1: headlines of America pulls out that, you know, the numbers. 503 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:06,479 Speaker 1: He cited a hunter twenty three thousand civilians getting out 504 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: Afghan You know, allies just on the on the last 505 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 1: few flights before the before the US left. Um that 506 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: that is the tiny, tiny silver lining in all this. 507 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 1: I personally think that, you know, part of the reason 508 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:22,360 Speaker 1: BID was taking so much heat for this a week ago, 509 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: ten days ago was that it felt like they were 510 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:27,920 Speaker 1: never going to get all these Americans out and never 511 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 1: gonna get these Afghan allies out. And it turns out 512 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: they actually did a half decent job of that. Um 513 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: Mackenzie acknowled there are still a few hundred Americans on 514 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: the ground there, um that still you know, still are there. 515 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 1: So there's a few folks to be pulled out. But 516 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: I think that they have at least a little bit 517 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:44,959 Speaker 1: of a story to tell we we told you this 518 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: was gonna be dangerous. We told you they were going 519 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: to be attacks. Thirteen Americans are dead. Nothing can change that. 520 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 1: But we did manage to to get a lot of 521 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: people out that we tried to get out and and 522 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 1: that's not nothing. So they don't have much to work with, 523 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 1: But they do have some some positive news on on 524 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: the getting some of the Americans and Afghan civilians out, 525 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 1: and that's sort of all they've got to work with. 526 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: Today we went there as a reporter Craig uh an 527 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: embedded reporter in Afghanistan. And I don't want to have you, 528 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 1: uh ask you to relive all of that on the 529 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: air here, but I wonder what your thoughts are uncovering 530 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: Afghanistan now that the US military is out? What will 531 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: this be like for journalists? So we're gonna have any 532 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: idea what's going on on the ground. I mean, look, 533 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: the ugly truth is that once the American troops are out, 534 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: once the American military presence ended, which you know just 535 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: did some ninety minutes ago, Americans are gonna not pay 536 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 1: as much attention. Um. You know, I think we we 537 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: spoke um a few days before the horrible bombing that 538 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 1: killed those Americans, and we talked about the idea that 539 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 1: you know, Biden can kind of weather this as long 540 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: as there aren't you know, that American soldiers, that American Marines, 541 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: and of course now they were there were thirteen of them. 542 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: But you know, I do think once the U. S 543 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: military presence is gone, people are gonna look away a 544 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: little bit. Um. I think one of the Biden has 545 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 1: to survive a couple of important milestones. One is obviously 546 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 1: the twenty Anniversity of nine eleven coming up with twelve 547 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: days from now. Um. That that's you know, we're all 548 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: gonna be reminded of why the United States went in. Um. 549 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: We all know the United States left and the people 550 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: we were trying to get rid of our are now 551 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: in power. So that's a that's a pretty rough way 552 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 1: to know. Not too much you can do to spend that. 553 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: I think the other thing that Joe Biden is right 554 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:22,240 Speaker 1: now is the Taliban hand to behave themselves. Um. And it 555 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,760 Speaker 1: it would be kind of blunt, um if we start 556 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:27,239 Speaker 1: seeing executions in soccer stadiums, if we start seeing them 557 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:29,560 Speaker 1: blowing up you know, monuments like they did when you know, 558 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: when they first sort of came to the world's attention. 559 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: Um And and it sort of reminds Americans of what 560 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: we have left behind there and what who is in 561 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: power there. That will also be very very difficult for 562 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: Biden to kind of square um as he tries to 563 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 1: tell the story of this. You know, a lot of 564 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 1: talk about the Taliban, you know, a relationship of necessity, 565 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 1: and they were practical and pragmatic and all that. I mean, look, 566 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:52,400 Speaker 1: you know, we all we all kind of probably know 567 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: who they are. But I do think every day after 568 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:59,479 Speaker 1: today that there there aren't horrible abuses happening, you know, 569 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 1: on live live on the six o'clock news every night. 570 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,200 Speaker 1: UM is going to help Biden sort of get past 571 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: this and help the United States. People in the United 572 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 1: States kind of look away from a place they weren't 573 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 1: really looking at all that much before about three weeks ago. 574 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: People have awfully short memories. It's really true, I guess. Lastly, Craig, 575 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 1: you're a journalist, you're a storyteller. You've talked to a 576 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,480 Speaker 1: lot of people about the war in Afghanistan and the 577 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 1: way it is now, well it has ended, and the 578 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 1: voices that we've been hearing today, certainly over the last 579 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: half hour, the very personal year from Rick and Genie, 580 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 1: you hear from General kimmeet so many others we talked 581 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: to earlier on balance of power. This is personal for people, 582 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: and I wonder how long it's going to take before 583 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 1: we have some real perspective on what happened. Yeah, I 584 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:48,520 Speaker 1: mean it, you know again, I won't I won't tell 585 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: all my war stories, which are very brief and in 586 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: minuscule and com from comparison to most people. But I 587 00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: will tell you. The thing that I remember from my 588 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: trip there was the bravery of the marines twenty year 589 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: all marines. They were told to dig a hole, you know, 590 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,000 Speaker 1: five yards out from the main base and sleep there 591 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 1: until the general told him to stop. And that was 592 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: already weeks at a time by the time I've been there, 593 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 1: and the weeks more to come. So you cannot come 594 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: away from this with anything other than admiration for the 595 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: for the fighting men and women that we sent in there. Um. 596 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: But as you said, memories, memories are short. Um. People 597 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: are looking at New Orleans right now. I think Joe 598 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: Biden another test he's got to get through this week, 599 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: and there'll be another one after that, and another one 600 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 1: after that, another one after that. I do think for 601 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 1: most Americans who never set foot in Afghanistan, blessedly never 602 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: had a soldier or a person they had to send there, 603 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:37,480 Speaker 1: it will fade fairly quickly. But anyone who was touched 604 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: by the country, it's not going away anytime. So we're 605 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:41,720 Speaker 1: proud to call him our bureau chief here in Washington. 606 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 1: That's Bloomberg's Creig Gordon. I really appreciate your coming by, Creig. 607 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 1: You're on Bloomberg Sound On. I'm Joe Matthew and Washington 608 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: as we wait to hear from the Secretary of State 609 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: Anthony Blincoln. You will hear his remarks live as they 610 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: are delivered, and appreciate your being with us on the 611 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,840 Speaker 1: Monday edition of Bloomberg Sound On. Thank you for joining 612 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: us as we broadcast live from Washington in anticipation of 613 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: a speech from the Secretary of State Anthony B. Lincoln. 614 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: We're told we'll speak imminently, but they were seeing that 615 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: thirty five minutes ago, and it's of course unclear always 616 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 1: in these moments, whether it's the commander in Chief, the 617 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: Secretary of State, or on down what is going on 618 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: behind closed doors. We are looking at an image of 619 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: an empty podium there at the State Department. They did 620 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: appear to drop a script on that podium, but unclear 621 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: exactly what is happening or slowing down this address. When 622 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: he speaks, we will of course bring you that address live. 623 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: If you're just joining us, we have breaking news. It 624 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 1: was only two hours ago Wall Street time the last 625 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 1: US aircraft those wheels up in cobble. We are out. 626 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 1: We will soon release a photo of the last seventeen 627 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: departing Afghanistan with Major General Chris Donohue and the US 628 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:53,440 Speaker 1: Ambassador Afghanistan, Ross Wilson Board. While the military evacuation is complete, 629 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:57,720 Speaker 1: the diplomatic mission to ensure additional US citizens and eligible 630 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: Afghans we want to leave continues. And I know that 631 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: you have heard, and I know that you're going to 632 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: hear more about that from the State Department shortly General 633 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 1: Ken McKenzie and the Pentagon briefing that made all of 634 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: this official a short time ago. We are now understanding 635 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 1: learning from the State Department. But Anthony Lincoln will not 636 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:17,759 Speaker 1: likely speak for another twenty minutes or so. They have 637 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: moved his address to six pm Wall Street time, which 638 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: gives us an opportunity to speak with Congressman Garamendi. John 639 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:29,200 Speaker 1: Garamendi of California sits on the Armed Services Committee, and 640 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 1: I believe the last time we spoke it was Infrastructure. Congressman, 641 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:36,320 Speaker 1: welcome back. You're certainly in some very important committee assignments 642 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 1: here as well, the Subcommittee on Readiness. As you see 643 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: that last airplane fly out of Cobble. What is on 644 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 1: your mind today? We've heard words going from shameful to wrong. 645 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 1: Is there any relief. In this moment, at the end 646 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 1: of a twenty year war. I think it's a time 647 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:59,840 Speaker 1: for us to consider the historic and really the historic 648 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:06,480 Speaker 1: nature of this evacuation, in the twenty years of effort 649 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 1: that went before it. Our minds are just reeling with 650 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 1: the bobs of the I don't know that the people 651 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:20,240 Speaker 1: we knew that died were badly injured. I remember getting 652 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:23,959 Speaker 1: off in auroplane and Sacramento, coming back from Washington. God 653 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:27,319 Speaker 1: has been nine years ago, and they were holding us up, 654 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:29,760 Speaker 1: not able to get off. I looked out the window 655 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:34,279 Speaker 1: and there was a coffin flag draped coffin. When I 656 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:37,360 Speaker 1: did get off, I asked what was that about, and 657 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 1: they said, she was killed in Afghanistan. We all have 658 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:45,239 Speaker 1: these memories, and certainly the men and women that fought there, 659 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:50,719 Speaker 1: bravely carrying out their responsibilities, carrying out their duty of 660 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 1: service to this country. Uh, you know, in the trenches, 661 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: as was said just before I got on. But then 662 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 1: I think about the meetings that I was in over 663 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:07,279 Speaker 1: the years. Every six months the commanding general or sent 664 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:09,759 Speaker 1: calm commander would come in and brief us, and it 665 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:12,440 Speaker 1: was always the same, We're gonna win this we're going 666 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: to win this. We need more time, we need more money, 667 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,400 Speaker 1: And there was a time when they wanted more troops. 668 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 1: I kept asking, but what is this all about? What 669 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,279 Speaker 1: is our goal? What are we trying to do? Well? 670 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 1: It's been lotten. Will we killed them a lotten seven 671 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: years ago? And so I think, Yeah, I got a 672 00:36:31,719 --> 00:36:34,759 Speaker 1: lot of memories. And I'm sure that the men and 673 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:39,120 Speaker 1: women that thought there, the contractors, the State Department, of 674 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:43,920 Speaker 1: the volunteers, of the nonprofit NGOs that were there. You know, 675 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:47,880 Speaker 1: they're all going back in their memory thinking about what 676 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 1: they did, and I want them to have this firmly 677 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: in their mind that they did well. They did the 678 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 1: very very best they could, whether they were an n 679 00:36:56,920 --> 00:37:02,640 Speaker 1: GEO training women and schools there, or whether they were 680 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:07,239 Speaker 1: a Red Cross volunteer, whatever, they did very very well. 681 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:12,759 Speaker 1: From the soldiers to the contractors and on. But and 682 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 1: here's the big capital. But but of what purpose? And 683 00:37:18,239 --> 00:37:20,319 Speaker 1: as we look back, we're going to have a very 684 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:24,040 Speaker 1: very difficult time trying to make sense of the last 685 00:37:24,840 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 1: decade of this twenty year war, and maybe even the 686 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:33,239 Speaker 1: last eighteen years of this twenty year war. Um, A 687 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,680 Speaker 1: lot of policy mistakes were made. Yeah, well, they were 688 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:38,480 Speaker 1: going to have time to review them. I'm sure in 689 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 1: your committee is going to be I'm sure partly in 690 00:37:40,680 --> 00:37:43,400 Speaker 1: charge of that. But if you ask the President, I 691 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:45,480 Speaker 1: think he would tell you, but that we did win, 692 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,719 Speaker 1: that we the war was one. Maybe we stayed too long. 693 00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:55,839 Speaker 1: Is that the final analysis? Well, presumably you always start 694 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:58,480 Speaker 1: a war with a purpose. What are we doing here? 695 00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:01,840 Speaker 1: What is the purpose of this war? And the purpose 696 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:06,759 Speaker 1: at that time two thousand one, nine eleven was to 697 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:11,760 Speaker 1: get Ben Lawden and to rid Afghanistan as a place 698 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:18,440 Speaker 1: for um then laden to al Qaeda to persist and exist. 699 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:21,959 Speaker 1: And we succeeded at that, actually succeeded at that within 700 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:26,840 Speaker 1: within six seven months, and then we went astray. We 701 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:30,200 Speaker 1: left most of the military, most of the effort, most 702 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 1: of the attention, left Afghanistan and went to Iraq as 703 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:38,360 Speaker 1: George W. Bush decided that there was some horrible danger 704 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,560 Speaker 1: in the rock at Toddam Hussein had weapon some mass destruction, 705 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:44,920 Speaker 1: and on and on and on, and we were basically 706 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:51,640 Speaker 1: absent from the field in Afghanistan for five six seven years, 707 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 1: and the Taliban re emerged during that period of time. 708 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,719 Speaker 1: Al Qaeda did not. We continued to go after them, 709 00:38:58,760 --> 00:39:01,239 Speaker 1: and during that period of time, and I said about 710 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:06,000 Speaker 1: seven years ago, we did finally captured ben Laden. But 711 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:09,320 Speaker 1: what went wrong was the notion that we could build 712 00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: a modern questern democracy in Afghanistan, a country that never 713 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 1: had anything like a Western democracy and was with very 714 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:28,400 Speaker 1: significant tribal differences, differences of religious Shia and Sunny and 715 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:34,400 Speaker 1: northern tribes that ethnically different than the southern tribes of Pastoons. 716 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:40,720 Speaker 1: So we never accepted or understood or calculated the great 717 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,799 Speaker 1: divisions that have always existed in that country while we 718 00:39:43,800 --> 00:39:47,840 Speaker 1: were trying to build a national government, not taking into 719 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:54,440 Speaker 1: accounties regional differences. The result was that we never established 720 00:39:54,680 --> 00:40:00,799 Speaker 1: a viable central government and probably never could not in 721 00:40:00,840 --> 00:40:03,120 Speaker 1: the way we not in the way we attempted to 722 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:09,280 Speaker 1: do it. And so when the Taliban as following Trump's 723 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:13,719 Speaker 1: announcement and negotiations with the Taliban and the deal that 724 00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:16,800 Speaker 1: he cut with the Taliban and signed with the Taliban 725 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:19,320 Speaker 1: that the America would be out of there on May first, 726 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:26,920 Speaker 1: and five months ago, um the Taliban simply began to 727 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:31,799 Speaker 1: overtake the various provincial capitals and eventually surrounded or came 728 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:33,840 Speaker 1: to a couble. I don't even think they surrounded it, 729 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:37,080 Speaker 1: probably had a thousand people. And that's the government that 730 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:42,760 Speaker 1: we had set up for twenty years just simply disappeared. 731 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:46,640 Speaker 1: GANI got on a plane, probably with suitcases full of 732 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:51,000 Speaker 1: American hundred dollar bills and went to Dubai or Cutter. 733 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:55,240 Speaker 1: The rest of the government faded into their houses, faded 734 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:59,680 Speaker 1: into the background, or probably put on their old Taliban 735 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:04,560 Speaker 1: uniforms and went back into the streets. The result of 736 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:10,279 Speaker 1: that was the evacuation was an extraordinary display of America's might. 737 00:41:11,200 --> 00:41:16,680 Speaker 1: Their Mobility Command did an extraordinary evacuation with front it 738 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:20,480 Speaker 1: within forty eight hours after the collapse of the CBO government. 739 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 1: They deserve an enormous amount of credit for the airlift. Congressman, 740 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:28,080 Speaker 1: I wonder, though, if the Committee on Armed Services is 741 00:41:28,120 --> 00:41:30,799 Speaker 1: about to engage in a series of hearings on this 742 00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:34,720 Speaker 1: is this. You know, we've heard comparisons to BEng Ghazi 743 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:37,799 Speaker 1: from President Biden's critics. I don't necessarily want to go there, 744 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:41,840 Speaker 1: but we had hearings on Benghazi for years. This is 745 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:47,239 Speaker 1: going to preoccupy Congress for some time, is it not? No, 746 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:52,120 Speaker 1: it should not. The lessons are all there for anyone 747 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:54,920 Speaker 1: that wants to to read anyone who wants to study 748 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:58,040 Speaker 1: these shru Guard, which is the out of their general's reports. 749 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:02,440 Speaker 1: They're all there. Muss has been written about this. We 750 00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:05,640 Speaker 1: have some very very serious issues that we must deal 751 00:42:05,719 --> 00:42:09,440 Speaker 1: with going forward. One of them is a terrorism that 752 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:13,600 Speaker 1: has morphed and metasticized throughout the world. We have to 753 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:18,600 Speaker 1: deal with that. We have China, we have natural disasters 754 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:21,319 Speaker 1: of all kinds. We have famine, we have the Hill 755 00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:26,040 Speaker 1: of Africa. Uh these are things. And we have Russia 756 00:42:26,120 --> 00:42:30,400 Speaker 1: and we have an ongoing nuclear ration that's going to 757 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:33,120 Speaker 1: cost us another couple of trillion dollars in the next 758 00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:36,280 Speaker 1: couple of decades. So there are a host of issues 759 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:40,720 Speaker 1: that are out there. These are today and tomorrow's issues. Afghanistan. 760 00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:43,960 Speaker 1: There are lessons to learn, very simple lessons that we 761 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:49,839 Speaker 1: should have learned in Vietnam, and that is that you 762 00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 1: you cannot succeed when you have a civil war or 763 00:42:54,400 --> 00:42:59,080 Speaker 1: or a domestic insurgency. You can't do it. You have 764 00:42:59,239 --> 00:43:02,399 Speaker 1: to be able. Are going to enter that on one 765 00:43:02,440 --> 00:43:05,920 Speaker 1: side or another of the civil war deal ware, and 766 00:43:06,040 --> 00:43:10,879 Speaker 1: it's not likely to turn out well. And so those 767 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:13,520 Speaker 1: lessons are there there down through the history. Yes, we 768 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:16,960 Speaker 1: should review them, But to spend weeks and months on 769 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:20,480 Speaker 1: the Benghazi type of hearing, why bother We'd have to 770 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:23,279 Speaker 1: call George W. Bush In and we'd have to call 771 00:43:23,360 --> 00:43:28,200 Speaker 1: him the his uh aids and assistance that set the 772 00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:33,239 Speaker 1: policy to invader and Afghanistan and then pull out to 773 00:43:33,320 --> 00:43:41,080 Speaker 1: Invadeer Rock. We'd have to go through Obama's surge. Why 774 00:43:41,120 --> 00:43:44,160 Speaker 1: in the world did he do a surge? Some think 775 00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:47,000 Speaker 1: there should be hearings just on the on the withdrawal, Congressman, 776 00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:50,799 Speaker 1: just on what has happened since Donald Trump first made 777 00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:53,719 Speaker 1: that agreement with the Taliban, But of course we'll wait 778 00:43:53,760 --> 00:43:56,520 Speaker 1: to see how that goes, and we'd like to stay 779 00:43:56,520 --> 00:43:59,439 Speaker 1: in touch with you on it. Congressman John Garamandi, many 780 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:02,440 Speaker 1: thanks for coming in on a very busy afternoon with 781 00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:04,440 Speaker 1: a lot happening. We appreciate your being here. This is 782 00:44:04,480 --> 00:44:07,720 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Sound On. I'm Joe Matthew, and we are waiting 783 00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:10,360 Speaker 1: to hear from the Secretary of State in a speech 784 00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:12,600 Speaker 1: that has been rescheduled for the top of the hour. 785 00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:15,200 Speaker 1: It's been moved several times, but that's been par for 786 00:44:15,280 --> 00:44:19,560 Speaker 1: the course lately here with the administration and everything that's 787 00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:22,520 Speaker 1: been happening. In Afghanistan. Anthony B. Lincoln will speak even 788 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:25,480 Speaker 1: if it follows this program, you'll hear him live here 789 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:29,799 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio Panels with us Rick and Genie and 790 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:31,759 Speaker 1: I wish we had something better to talk about, but 791 00:44:32,440 --> 00:44:34,920 Speaker 1: this is why they are here, for their insights and 792 00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:38,400 Speaker 1: their instant analysis on what's happening around us. Genie she 793 00:44:38,560 --> 00:44:41,200 Speaker 1: and Zano and Rick Davis. Ricky spent plenty of time, 794 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:45,120 Speaker 1: as we've already referred, in Afghanistan with Senator John McCain 795 00:44:45,280 --> 00:44:47,759 Speaker 1: and others as his advisor. You've been watching all of 796 00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:52,280 Speaker 1: this unfold now listening to what Congressman John Gara Mendy 797 00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:54,360 Speaker 1: was just saying. I wonder if you think we're about 798 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:57,480 Speaker 1: to enter the year of hearings on all of this, 799 00:44:57,600 --> 00:44:59,640 Speaker 1: if not the entire war, just what's happened in the 800 00:44:59,640 --> 00:45:01,960 Speaker 1: past couple of months. Well, you know, I think the 801 00:45:01,960 --> 00:45:05,200 Speaker 1: first thing he would say is that we are not 802 00:45:05,520 --> 00:45:10,359 Speaker 1: ending our longest war. We are retreating from it. Uh. 803 00:45:10,400 --> 00:45:13,280 Speaker 1: We are leaving in place the people that we opposed 804 00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:16,120 Speaker 1: uh twenty years ago. Uh. This is not a war 805 00:45:16,200 --> 00:45:19,000 Speaker 1: that's gonna end. This is a war that's gonna become 806 00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:22,520 Speaker 1: more difficult and different. For us to fight because we've 807 00:45:22,560 --> 00:45:25,360 Speaker 1: just turned over an entire country to a jihada government. 808 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:27,839 Speaker 1: I would say to the one thing John mcaine used 809 00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:31,360 Speaker 1: to say a lot about these charges that we can't 810 00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:36,279 Speaker 1: go into a country like this, uh, and whether a 811 00:45:36,320 --> 00:45:41,560 Speaker 1: civil war. Just look at South Korea. The Korean Peninsula 812 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:46,040 Speaker 1: was divided by war. It was ours and our allies efforts. UH. 813 00:45:46,320 --> 00:45:50,399 Speaker 1: Many more service members lost their lives to protect the 814 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:53,640 Speaker 1: South from the invasion of the North and the Chinese, 815 00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:56,960 Speaker 1: and we left twenty five thousand troops there for the 816 00:45:57,000 --> 00:46:00,600 Speaker 1: last fifty years to preserve that peace. And as a result, 817 00:46:00,920 --> 00:46:05,080 Speaker 1: we have a thriving democracy that has added millions of 818 00:46:05,120 --> 00:46:09,600 Speaker 1: people to freedom and prosperity, and in a in a 819 00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:12,160 Speaker 1: government that we can depend upon is one of our 820 00:46:12,239 --> 00:46:15,160 Speaker 1: chief allies in a region that is now being pressured 821 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:18,640 Speaker 1: by the Chinese. So I don't mean to differ with 822 00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:22,239 Speaker 1: the congressman, but he's just wrong with the idea that 823 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:25,799 Speaker 1: these kinds of activities have done properly can't work. The 824 00:46:25,920 --> 00:46:29,360 Speaker 1: mistakes are repped. I mean, everybody knows him, and the 825 00:46:29,440 --> 00:46:31,799 Speaker 1: idea that we're not going to explore those mistakes, so 826 00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:35,400 Speaker 1: we don't uh let them occur again in the future. 827 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:38,960 Speaker 1: I would be very surprised if not this administration, and 828 00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:42,400 Speaker 1: if not this Congress, certainly future Congresses will spend time 829 00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:44,840 Speaker 1: trying to learn from all of this. You remember the 830 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:49,520 Speaker 1: Benghazi hearings, Certainly, Genie, some thought those were not deserved. 831 00:46:49,600 --> 00:46:55,040 Speaker 1: What's deserved here? You know, Congress's role is importantly to 832 00:46:55,280 --> 00:46:59,160 Speaker 1: oversee their oversight role of the executive branch, and it's critical. 833 00:46:59,239 --> 00:47:02,000 Speaker 1: And they did it with Benghazi, probably too much in 834 00:47:02,080 --> 00:47:04,879 Speaker 1: my mind, um, And they should do it here. That's 835 00:47:04,920 --> 00:47:08,040 Speaker 1: certainly the case. Um. And you know, one of the 836 00:47:08,080 --> 00:47:11,640 Speaker 1: big questions I have as we think not only about 837 00:47:11,800 --> 00:47:14,400 Speaker 1: what happened to get us into this situation, but what 838 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:16,920 Speaker 1: we're going to do going forward that I hope the 839 00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:21,120 Speaker 1: President and the Secretary of State address, is how are 840 00:47:21,200 --> 00:47:25,880 Speaker 1: we going to fulfill Anthony Lincoln's promise to continue to 841 00:47:26,080 --> 00:47:29,959 Speaker 1: help Americans and our Afghan allies now that we don't 842 00:47:29,960 --> 00:47:32,520 Speaker 1: have boots on the ground. How are we going to 843 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:35,640 Speaker 1: do that? Is in my mind the big question, because 844 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:38,800 Speaker 1: I do agree with with Rick. We keep hearing today 845 00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:41,600 Speaker 1: the war is over. It is not over. It has 846 00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:45,279 Speaker 1: changed substantially, and they need to guide us in terms 847 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:48,439 Speaker 1: of how it's changed. And the other thing I think 848 00:47:48,480 --> 00:47:52,640 Speaker 1: that's really important to think about is, you know, we 849 00:47:52,840 --> 00:47:58,080 Speaker 1: keep talking about this, you know, issue of how we 850 00:47:58,120 --> 00:48:03,040 Speaker 1: got into this situation. Those issues remain with us today. 851 00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:06,239 Speaker 1: We got in there. We keep hearing because of we 852 00:48:06,239 --> 00:48:10,880 Speaker 1: were attacked on nine eleven. How do we disrupt terrorism today? 853 00:48:11,120 --> 00:48:13,080 Speaker 1: If we are out of there, what are we going 854 00:48:13,120 --> 00:48:15,520 Speaker 1: to do? Which is the fear many people have that 855 00:48:15,560 --> 00:48:17,920 Speaker 1: we will be dragged right back in there in some 856 00:48:17,960 --> 00:48:20,799 Speaker 1: capacity or another. So in my mind, those are the 857 00:48:20,840 --> 00:48:22,960 Speaker 1: two big questions we have to think about as we 858 00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:26,720 Speaker 1: go forward without now boots on the ground and without 859 00:48:26,760 --> 00:48:30,000 Speaker 1: the intel that that would give us. You know, there 860 00:48:30,040 --> 00:48:33,360 Speaker 1: was a question about getting our Afghan allies out of 861 00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:36,120 Speaker 1: country in the White House briefing today and I'm I'm 862 00:48:36,200 --> 00:48:39,120 Speaker 1: noticing a headline on the terminal now u n as 863 00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:43,400 Speaker 1: in United Nations taking up call for continued safe passage. 864 00:48:43,800 --> 00:48:48,239 Speaker 1: This is how Jensaki talked about when Afghan allies will 865 00:48:48,239 --> 00:48:52,280 Speaker 1: get out knowing the airport is now basically closed or uncontrolled, 866 00:48:52,280 --> 00:48:54,359 Speaker 1: as the f a A calls it, How long then 867 00:48:55,000 --> 00:48:56,759 Speaker 1: will they have to wait? Well, I will, I will 868 00:48:56,760 --> 00:49:01,080 Speaker 1: tell you that there's ongoing immediate, urgent conversations happening at 869 00:49:01,120 --> 00:49:03,600 Speaker 1: a very high level with international partners now, and we 870 00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:06,080 Speaker 1: hope to have more of an update on that in 871 00:49:06,120 --> 00:49:08,920 Speaker 1: the coming days. There are different components of this, right 872 00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:12,160 Speaker 1: the airport operations. It may take some time to get 873 00:49:12,200 --> 00:49:14,759 Speaker 1: that going, but we are working through a range of 874 00:49:14,760 --> 00:49:17,759 Speaker 1: mechanisms so that there can be an ongoing efforts to 875 00:49:18,320 --> 00:49:21,160 Speaker 1: move people out who who are looking to depart Afghanistan. 876 00:49:22,200 --> 00:49:23,759 Speaker 1: So what do you make of that, than, Jennie, Is 877 00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:27,920 Speaker 1: that a qualified answer to the question that you just asked. 878 00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:32,080 Speaker 1: It's a qualified answer. Certainly, they are trying to address it. 879 00:49:32,120 --> 00:49:35,160 Speaker 1: But we are going to need more than that, because 880 00:49:35,200 --> 00:49:38,239 Speaker 1: the reality is the United States is going to have 881 00:49:38,400 --> 00:49:41,520 Speaker 1: to lead that effort. I mean, let's just go back 882 00:49:41,600 --> 00:49:45,440 Speaker 1: to the promise that that Anthony B. Lincoln made. He 883 00:49:45,600 --> 00:49:49,440 Speaker 1: said that he had vowed that we will continue every 884 00:49:49,520 --> 00:49:53,080 Speaker 1: day past August thirty one to work to resettle the 885 00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:57,520 Speaker 1: refugees around the world. That's likely he said to take years. Um, 886 00:49:57,560 --> 00:50:01,319 Speaker 1: we will remove and we will help any Americans there 887 00:50:01,320 --> 00:50:05,080 Speaker 1: get out. We will help our allies that safe passage promise. 888 00:50:05,360 --> 00:50:08,200 Speaker 1: How do you fulfill that once we don't have boots 889 00:50:08,200 --> 00:50:10,640 Speaker 1: on the ground is a big question, and the United 890 00:50:10,640 --> 00:50:13,080 Speaker 1: States is going to have to take the lead on that. 891 00:50:13,360 --> 00:50:16,200 Speaker 1: And of course, as our allies with are frustrated without 892 00:50:16,239 --> 00:50:19,680 Speaker 1: how this withdrawal has been handled, the question is do 893 00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:22,439 Speaker 1: they trust us to take the lead on that? Well, 894 00:50:22,440 --> 00:50:25,240 Speaker 1: that's a big question. Rick. We just learned that President 895 00:50:25,280 --> 00:50:31,239 Speaker 1: Biden will address the American people on Afghanistan tomorrow afternoon. 896 00:50:32,080 --> 00:50:35,400 Speaker 1: I don't know what kind of choreography is happening behind 897 00:50:35,440 --> 00:50:37,720 Speaker 1: closed doors right now and why we have not heard 898 00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:41,080 Speaker 1: from the Secretary of State this whole hour, but that's 899 00:50:41,080 --> 00:50:44,000 Speaker 1: going to be the address right that that puts the 900 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:47,399 Speaker 1: the final stamp on this from the administration. What does 901 00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:50,759 Speaker 1: the President need to say tomorrow? Yeah, I mean, obviously 902 00:50:50,840 --> 00:50:55,359 Speaker 1: the President's going to wrap his comments around the appreciation 903 00:50:55,440 --> 00:50:59,160 Speaker 1: of the service personnel that gave the their lives to 904 00:51:00,200 --> 00:51:03,279 Speaker 1: Afghanistan and trying to do the right thing, whether they're 905 00:51:03,320 --> 00:51:07,280 Speaker 1: the ones who were killed by terrorist attack this last 906 00:51:07,320 --> 00:51:10,520 Speaker 1: week in in the airport, or or the twenty almost 907 00:51:11,960 --> 00:51:16,080 Speaker 1: who gave their lives during the entire campaign in Afghanistan. 908 00:51:16,600 --> 00:51:23,120 Speaker 1: Um he is the great um Uh, compassionate candidate and president, 909 00:51:23,520 --> 00:51:26,839 Speaker 1: so I suspect we'll hear about that. But the real 910 00:51:26,960 --> 00:51:30,280 Speaker 1: question that I will be interested to see if he addresses, 911 00:51:30,520 --> 00:51:34,840 Speaker 1: is what we think our our role and our actions 912 00:51:34,840 --> 00:51:37,400 Speaker 1: are going to be in the near term in the 913 00:51:37,440 --> 00:51:40,080 Speaker 1: future of Afghanistan. How are we going to deal with 914 00:51:40,120 --> 00:51:43,600 Speaker 1: the Taliban? What will be our role to ensure safe 915 00:51:43,600 --> 00:51:48,320 Speaker 1: passage UH for the Afghanistani's and the Americans and the 916 00:51:48,440 --> 00:51:52,000 Speaker 1: other allies who are still remaining in Afghanistan and may 917 00:51:52,040 --> 00:51:55,279 Speaker 1: want to leave UH. So it will be interesting to 918 00:51:55,320 --> 00:51:58,359 Speaker 1: see how much detail that he has UH to give 919 00:51:58,440 --> 00:52:01,520 Speaker 1: to the American people. But I am not surprised that 920 00:52:02,040 --> 00:52:05,480 Speaker 1: within this UH period of the time that we were 921 00:52:05,520 --> 00:52:08,719 Speaker 1: talking on our show, that the White House had made 922 00:52:08,719 --> 00:52:13,920 Speaker 1: a decision to ensure that Biden punctuates the American presence 923 00:52:14,000 --> 00:52:16,759 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan for the last twenty years by addressing the nation. 924 00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:20,880 Speaker 1: Rick and Genie, we thank you as ever are Bloomberg 925 00:52:20,920 --> 00:52:23,799 Speaker 1: Politics Panel, Genie she and Zano and Rick Davis. The 926 00:52:23,800 --> 00:52:27,440 Speaker 1: President rights in the statement just released, the Taliban has 927 00:52:27,480 --> 00:52:30,879 Speaker 1: made commitments on safe passage and the world will hold 928 00:52:30,920 --> 00:52:35,080 Speaker 1: them to their commitments. More to follow here on Bloomberg Radio. 929 00:52:35,160 --> 00:52:37,279 Speaker 1: Stick around for the Secretary of State. You'll hear him 930 00:52:37,320 --> 00:52:39,960 Speaker 1: live I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg