1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: Live from our nation's capital. This is Bloomberg Sound on 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: Middle income families need help. We're coming out of cop 3 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 1: AT nineteen. You want to keep our economy strong. When 4 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: you have an infrastructure build, there's spin off, the backs, 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: spin offtion cities from towns all across from America. Floomberg 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: Sound On Politics, Policy and Perspective from DC's top name. 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: So we need to incentivize the manufacturing of chips in America. 8 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: I do believe the acting state of effective, but I 9 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: think what government's role is to share the clients, share 10 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: the fact share the benefits. Schloomberg Sound On with Joe 11 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: Matthew on Bloomberg Radio Live from Washington, where there are 12 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: so many questions and in some quarters outraged over the 13 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: chaos in Afghanistan. Over the next hour, we will seek 14 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: answers with help from Congressman Seth Moulton, Democrat from Massachusetts. 15 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: In a rock War veteran. Will also talk with retired 16 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: Air Force General David Deptula, who led the air operation 17 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: is over Afghanistan and the outset of Operation Enduring Freedom analysis. 18 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: Coming up from the panel today, we have Bloomberg Politics 19 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: contributor Jeanie she and Zano as well Matt Gorman, vice 20 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: president at Targeted Victory. He's former communications director at the 21 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 1: National Republican Congressional Committee. We've got our bases covered. We're 22 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: watching history unfold once again today in Afghanistan as the 23 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: Taliban settles into the presidential palace in Cobble and the 24 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: American military takes control of Kabbal's Hamid Karzai Airport known 25 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: as h Kaya. We have had no hostile interactions, no attack, 26 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: and no threat by the Taliban. We remain vigilant. We 27 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: also have not experienced any additional security incidents at h Kaya. 28 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: General Hank Taylor briefing reporters today at the Pentagon hours 29 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: before White House, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke from 30 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: the White House about the thousands of people waiting to 31 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: be evacuated at the end of the day. The question 32 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: is can we effectively evacuate those people who we intend 33 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: to evacuate, And that is what we are planning for 34 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: and executing against. Beginning today, where the airport is secure, 35 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: the flights are going, the people are coming, and we 36 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: will continue to do that in the days ahead, Sulivan, 37 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: adding the US is in talks with the Taliban now 38 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: to keep the airport open and ensure safe passage for 39 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: those trying to leave the country, including civilians, including our 40 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: Afghan allies. And that is where we begin today with 41 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: Congressman Seth Molton, Democrat from Massachusetts and one of the 42 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: most outspoken veterans on Capitol Hill, the Marine who serve 43 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: four combat tours in Iraq. Congressman, Welcome to Bloomberg Radio. 44 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 1: Good to be here, Joe. Thanks. I have a number 45 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: of questions for you, Congressman, but I'd like to start 46 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 1: with the difficulty that we've had evacuating our Afghan allies, 47 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: which I know you have been talking about for a 48 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: couple of months now. I was recalling a ring you 49 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: had with the Defense Secretary on this some time ago. 50 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 1: I just left the White House briefing with Jake Sullivan. 51 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: He says it is our responsibility to get them all 52 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: out safely. He would not speculate on a timetable for 53 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: that to happen. And I wonder, at this point, after 54 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 1: everything we've seen the past several days, do you believe 55 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,119 Speaker 1: America will get everyone out who wants to get out. 56 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: It's gonna be very difficult at this point, and That's 57 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: why I've been calling on the administration for months now 58 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: to begin the evacuation. That was my very first question 59 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: to the Secretary of Defense and the hearing you mentioned, 60 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: I said, why have you not begun this evacuation already? 61 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: The problem now is not just getting people off the 62 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: ground from Cobbal Airport, whether we have the airlift capacity, 63 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: it's getting them to Cabbal Airport when the Taliban controlled 64 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: the country. Jake Sullivan has gotten out there as National 65 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: Security Advisor instead that we have an obligation to get 66 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: these people out. I want to hear a more specific plan, 67 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: and I want to hear a commitment to stay until 68 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: it's gone. Do you believe the administration has a clear 69 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: understanding of what's going on the ground right now? It 70 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: sounds like they have a much better understanding than they 71 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: did a few days ago, that's for sure, And if 72 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: you think about it, let's give credit where credit is due. 73 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: But the situation is under much better control now than 74 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:18,799 Speaker 1: it was just twenty four hours ago. My concern, of course, 75 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: is that it could get far worse. The Taliban have 76 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: for some reason decided not to massacre civilians, not to 77 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: try to attack Kabbal Airport, or even simply shoot down 78 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: the planes that are taking off. That could change in 79 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 1: a heartbeat. You can't trust the Taliban. I think if 80 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: America knows anything from the last twenty years, it's that 81 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: so the administration deserves credit for stabilizing the situation for 82 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: right now. But because they're so behind on planning this 83 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: evacuation operation and starting it, I don't know if it's 84 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 1: going to get done uh in the next few weeks 85 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: um and if it's going to effective at the end 86 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,799 Speaker 1: of the day. Control of that airport has been an issue. 87 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: It appears as we understand from the Pentagon that things 88 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: have been secured and that we're working to get a 89 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 1: flight out per hour. Based on what you've seen with 90 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: the airborne on the ground, do you believe that we 91 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: can hold that airport for the rest of the month 92 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: and will the Taliban allow us to do what we 93 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: need to do? Well, as we always stay in the Marines, 94 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: don't forget that the enemy has a vote. If the 95 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: Taliban continue their present posture, which is just to essentially 96 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:38,479 Speaker 1: maintain order outside the airport and not try to disrupt 97 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: operations within, then yes, we probably can stay. If the 98 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: Taliban decide to conduct a defensive against the airport or 99 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: do any other number of disruptive things that could be 100 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: a real problem. And let's not forget that there are 101 00:05:55,080 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: thousands upon thousands of our Afghan allies elsewhere in Afghanistan 102 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 1: who have not yet made it to Kabbal Airport who 103 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: need to be evacuated. By some reports, there's still five 104 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 1: or ten thousand Americans throughout Cobbal and surrounding areas who 105 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: have not yet got the Kabbal airport. Is a Taliban 106 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: just going to escort them onto the airport so they 107 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: can leave? I find that very hard to believe. I 108 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: talked to an Afghan American whose wife is sheltered in 109 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 1: the basement of her house in Afghanistan right now trying 110 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: to figure out how she can get to Kabbal Airport 111 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: to be evacuated. Candidly, were at a loss for what 112 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: to do with that said, is it right that America 113 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: is talking with the Taliban? Should we in fact be 114 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: negotiating with them right now? You have to talk with 115 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: your enemies. I mean, this is a point that presidents 116 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: have made throughout history. It's not pleasant, Uh, it's not easy, 117 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: but you have to talk with your enemy, and I 118 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 1: think the administration deserves some credit for whatever talks have 119 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: been going on so far, because I'm sure that's part 120 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: of why the Taliban has not assaulted the airport or 121 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: otherwise UH conducted large scale massacres of Americans or are 122 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: Afghan allies, which they certainly are within their power to 123 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: do so. Again, this could get far worse before it 124 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: gets better, but the administration deserves credit UH for writing 125 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: the ship at least. Where we are speaking today, we're 126 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: talking with Congressman Seth Molton, Democrat from Massachusetts, and i'm 127 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: reading your statement that you released yesterday, Congressman, as as 128 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: one of the combat veterans in Congress, you're pointing out 129 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: that this tragedy must serve as a wake up call 130 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: to Congress, which of course holds, as you write, the 131 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: ultimate constitutional responsibility for sending our best and brightest to 132 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: war on the nation's behalf years ago. I know, Congressman, 133 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: you were calling for a new authorization of force. We've 134 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: been working on the same one for a couple of 135 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: different conflicts. Now, how does that need to change based 136 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: on what we're seeing now, this this moment in history, 137 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: this inflection points we leave Afghanistan, and do you think 138 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: that there will be a more deliberate debate about using 139 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: armed forces because of what we're seeing now, Well, I 140 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: certainly hope. So there are so many people in Congress 141 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: right now who just want to blame the President for 142 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:33,239 Speaker 1: what's going on, when we in Congress bear a tremendous 143 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: amount of responsibility ourselves. Fact, according to the Constitution, we 144 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: bear ultimate responsibility for the wars that we conduct with 145 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: our nation, with our nations young people. So what needs 146 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: to happen is we have to have this debate in 147 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,319 Speaker 1: Congress about whether we should be in places like Afghanistan, 148 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: or where we should go next, or how we should 149 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: best use the resources that we have. That debate needs 150 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: to be held in open before the American people, and 151 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: then more Americans will understand why we're in a place 152 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: like Afghanistan in the first place. One thing you hear 153 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: about throughout the country is that people don't understand why 154 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: the why that we were there, or or even know 155 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: that until the most recent news that we still were there. Well, 156 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 1: that's because Congress has failed to have this debate and 157 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: communicate a real rationale to the American people. We owe 158 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: it to our troops, to our allies, and to everybody 159 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: in America, every American citizen who pays through these wars, 160 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: through their tax dollars dollars, to have this discussion about 161 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 1: why we're in a place like Afghanistan. And there are 162 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: good reasons to be there, there are also good reasons 163 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 1: to leave. But in the democracy, the point is you 164 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: have to have that debate. In Congress for years now 165 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: has been afraid to do it. You went on to 166 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: write the failure to whole votes for reauthorizing this conflict 167 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: for the last two decades means that all of us, 168 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:06,839 Speaker 1: You're right, all of us in Congress should be ashamed. 169 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 1: You include yourself in that absolutely. As a veteran, someone 170 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 1: who's not afraid to take responsibility for my actions, I've 171 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,319 Speaker 1: been spending much of the last seventy two hours racking 172 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: my brain to think if there is something more I 173 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 1: could have done, Something more I could have done to 174 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: force this debate in Congress. Something I'm more I could 175 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: have done to convince the administration to follow my advice 176 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: and start this evacuation earlier so we wouldn't see the 177 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: chaos that's been unfolding at Kabbal Airport over the last 178 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: couple of days. I don't know an answer to that, Joe. 179 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: I don't know if there is more I could do. 180 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: But my point is that I'm not afraid to ask 181 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: that question, and I'm not afraid to sit here a 182 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: bit ashamed that I wasn't more successful in helping the 183 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: administrations and helping Congress do the right thing. Well, I'm 184 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 1: going to guess, Congressman that that's because you've been there, 185 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:08,719 Speaker 1: You've you've actually fought in combat, you have a different perspective. 186 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: Is that true? Well, I think it is. And one 187 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: of the things you'll see in Congress, despite all the 188 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: bitter partisanship that is such a part of politics today, 189 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: you'll see a united consensus among veterans on both sides 190 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 1: of the aisle that we should be having a debate 191 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: about the authorization for the use of military force, that's 192 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 1: the technical term for having a debate about the vote 193 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: to go to war. We should be having that discussion. 194 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: And you've seen bipartisan groups of veterans in a bipartisan 195 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 1: group of veterans in Congress, under Democrat and under Republican 196 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: president calling for this discussion, calling for this debate and 197 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: saying that we can't keep doing what we've been doing 198 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: for twenty years under the rationale from two thousand one. 199 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: We've got to have a fresh debate with the American 200 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 1: people to justify why we continue sending Americans into harm's way. 201 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: Thomas from Molten. You went on to write in your 202 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: statement a message to our Afghan veterans and their families, 203 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 1: and you said, quote, I'm too honest to stand here 204 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 1: today and try to convince you that your sacrifice was 205 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: worth it. That's quite a statement. What did you mean 206 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: by it? There are many American veterans who will rightfully 207 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: take pride in the work we were able to accomplish 208 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: an Afghanistan, the millions of Afghan women and girls who 209 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: experienced more liberty and opportunity than they ever would have 210 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: experienced under the Taliban. The same is true for many 211 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: Afghan men. But the fact that we tracked down and 212 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:54,959 Speaker 1: killed Osama bin lauded part of the initial reason for 213 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: going there, and the fact that we've prevented terrorist attacks 214 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: on the homeland from a originating in Afghanistan for two decades, 215 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 1: but seeing so much of what we fought for go 216 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 1: to waste, as a Taliban took over the country so quickly. 217 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: I know many other veterans will say, why did we 218 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: even go there in the first place, and why did 219 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: my friend die? My point in saying that, Joe is 220 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: it's not for me to decide whether this was worth it. 221 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: I know a lot of veterans are in anguish about 222 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: that very question right now. But I'll tell you as 223 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:40,079 Speaker 1: the veteran of the as a veteran of the Iraq War, 224 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 1: another war that widely criticized and criticized, often for good reason, 225 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 1: criticized by myself. In fact, I'm proud to have gone 226 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 1: so that no one had to go in my place. 227 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: I'm proud to be from a country that sends Americans 228 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: to fight for freedom all over the globe, to stand 229 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: up for our values and be willing to share those 230 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 1: values with other people, just as the Americans who stand 231 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: the spending freedom at Cobble Airport are doing tonight. As 232 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: you say, others will ask that haunting question that you 233 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: heard from your own marines in Iraq, why are we 234 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: here so no one has to be in our place? 235 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: And as someone who never served in the military, certainly 236 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: combat Congressman, that's a lesson for me is that as 237 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: good as it gets, I've always said that that's never 238 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: an adequate answer, but it is true. It's the best 239 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: answer that I could give to my young Marines when 240 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: they asked me that haunting question, and a lot of 241 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: us took places I did. I was proud to be 242 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: over there so that someone else didn't have to go. 243 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: We often forget that when people don't serve in the military, 244 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: it's not just like there's an empty seat. Donald Trump 245 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: dodged the draft for Vietnam. There wasn't just an empty 246 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: position for Lieutenant Trump and Vietnam. Some other American had 247 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: to take his place. He was probably black, undoubtedly poorer 248 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: than Donald Trump, and we don't know if he's still 249 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: alive today. The lesson that we can't forget is that 250 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: until we can figure out how to solve our conflicts 251 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: without going to war, young Americans will have to bear 252 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: that responsibility for all the rest of us, and we 253 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: should be proud that's so many brave Americans are willing 254 00:15:55,160 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: to do that. Congressman Seth Malten, Democrat from Massage, she sits, 255 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: we'd like to stay in touch with you as you 256 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: renew the debate to authorize the use of force, and 257 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: we thank you for your service. Thank you, Joe. It's 258 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: a conversation you will not hear anywhere else today but 259 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Sound On. Let's bring in the panel for 260 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: some reaction to what we just heard. Bloomberg Politics contributor 261 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: Jeanie she and Zano is here, along with Mac Gorman, 262 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: vice president at Targeted Victory, former communications director for the 263 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: National Republican Congressional Committee. Thanks to both of you for 264 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: being here. Genie, I'm going to start with you because 265 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: you were rather critical of President Biden yesterday at this time. 266 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: To hear a veteran like Seth Moulton, also a Democrat, 267 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: speak existentially about our war commitment. To speak personally like 268 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: that pulled us all out of the Washington bubble and 269 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: it reminded me of what we're talking about here, Genie. People, 270 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: it's Americans, it's Afghanis. Are we going to get everyone out? 271 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: It did? I thought that was such a fascinating conversation 272 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: because with everything we've been here ring and you and 273 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 1: I have talked about over the last seventy two hours, 274 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: one conversation we haven't had is the one you just 275 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: had with Congressman Malton, which is so critical, and it 276 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: has to do with Congress turning over after two thousand 277 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:15,680 Speaker 1: and one to the president, this authorization for the use 278 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 1: of military force and the fact that we need a 279 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 1: concerted conversation in this country about pulling that back and 280 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 1: how we go forward with what the Constitution says is 281 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 1: a shared power. The Congress has the power to declare war. 282 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: That shouldn't be given to the president, and so this 283 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: is something we have to talk about, and we haven't 284 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 1: heard that. I think we do get most people out, 285 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: at least I'm praying and hoping so, but that is 286 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: going to be a huge charge, and I wish the 287 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: administration was more clear and how they're going to do that. 288 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: Mc gorman, you spend a lot of time around Congress, 289 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 1: around Capitol Hill. What role should lawmakers be playing right now? 290 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: We have been totally consumed with this infrastructure debate. When 291 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: it comes to an authorization for use of force or 292 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: even writing language on what's happening on the ground. Now, 293 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: where do members of Congress come in. Well, I think 294 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 1: what you're gonna hear in the next couple of days 295 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: you're already hearing already is what these members of Congress 296 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:15,440 Speaker 1: were told in classified sessions over the last month. You heard, 297 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 1: for example of Mark Warners and we had warned the 298 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: administration over and over again if this could happen, and 299 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 1: they they shrugged it off. I think you're gonna be 300 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: hearing a lot of that what was said behind closed doors. 301 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: But I think in the in the days and weeks 302 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: to come, I think you're the pobabish an effort in 303 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: whether it's led by set Mullen or or an Adam 304 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: Kinsing or others to your right, reassert that role. And 305 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 1: let's let's remember we were very close to to de 306 00:18:40,359 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: authorizing the use of military force from the War on Terror. 307 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 1: That was passed I believe in it was late two 308 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: thousand one UM. And so you know, does that get 309 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: revisited and how do we talk about that. I think 310 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 1: there's gonna be a lot for Congress to reassert in 311 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 1: the next couple of weeks. And you're right, we talked 312 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: a lot of infrastructures listening infrastructure summer events, had other ideas. Yeah, Genie, 313 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 1: based on the briefings that we got today from the 314 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: Pentagon and from the White House, we heard from Jake Sullivan, 315 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,360 Speaker 1: trying to answer some of the questions that we were 316 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: all asking yesterday. It does appear that we have the 317 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,719 Speaker 1: airport under control, that there's security at least in that 318 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: immediate area, but we're also talking with the Taliban. And 319 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:25,639 Speaker 1: when Jake Sullivan was asked about that, he wouldn't speculate 320 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: on how long we might have it. He made it 321 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: sound like we were at the mercy of the Taliban 322 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: in terms of timeline and whether we can get everyone out. 323 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 1: I think that's right. And of course we have control 324 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:38,919 Speaker 1: of the military part of the airport, there's still the 325 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: civilian part as well, and we are at the mercy 326 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: of the Taliban at this point. And this is something 327 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: that the United States should have been prepared for. It's 328 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: a simple equation. What if they do take over faster 329 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 1: than we thought, and all of our people and the 330 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 1: people who have helped us are not on, are not 331 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: are not out? What do we do then? It is 332 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: astonishing to me that well after we try to leave, 333 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: we are now battling with this and we are absolutely 334 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: at their mercy. The Taliban deserve a little bit of credit, 335 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: if you can say it, for how they've handled this 336 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: so far, but there are no guarantees looking at you know, 337 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:17,199 Speaker 1: recent and history going back, that they will continue to 338 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: be What do we do when human rights violations start? 339 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: If they do, what do we do if they don't, 340 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: if Americans are killed God forbid or others. I'm not 341 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: given the Taliban credit yet here, Jeanie, but I do 342 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: want to hear from John Kirby, spokesman for the Pentagon, 343 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,639 Speaker 1: who was asked today in his briefing about talks ongoing 344 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: between Americans and the Taliban. Are commanders at the airport 345 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:48,399 Speaker 1: UM are in communication with Taliban commanders on the ground 346 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 1: outside the airport. There have been discussions, There is communication 347 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: between them and us UM, and I would just let 348 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 1: the results speak for themselves. I'm not going to get 349 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: into the details of of how those discussions are progressing, 350 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 1: because they there are interactions multiple times a day. Mac Gorman. 351 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 1: I asked Seth Malten, the congressman, about that. He says, 352 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: you have to talk to your enemy. Are we doing 353 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 1: the right thing there? I mean, you have no choice. 354 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,439 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously in a perfect world you would have to, 355 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: but we have that. There's no choice. I mean, cobble 356 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: uh as as I just read before coming on the 357 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: Taliban control all the checkpoints to uh the airport, so 358 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: you know, everyone who's there already can maybe get out. 359 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: You've got to get past the Taliban and giving get 360 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 1: to the airport. Um so you need to do whatever 361 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: you need to do to get to get our folks out. 362 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:38,440 Speaker 1: I mean, this thing was bungled absolutely by the by admonstration. 363 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: We We've said it over and over again, but you know, 364 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: you got to fix it the best you can. I'm 365 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: hopefully you can get everybody out, but with talent being 366 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 1: controlling the process, it is going to be a mighty 367 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,439 Speaker 1: tough lift. So what if we don't, Genie, this is 368 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: the test now. Jake Sullivan made it clear we're not 369 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 1: talking about the past at this point. We're focused on 370 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: getting evacuees and then we'll have the hot wash and 371 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: see what we could have done better, and let's see 372 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: what we did well. This isn't up for negotiation, right 373 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: The United States needs to get this done. We need 374 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: to get this done. And you know, to Matt's point, 375 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: I mean, let's be clear, if you are one of 376 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 1: the lucky people who is in couble in at the airport, 377 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:17,919 Speaker 1: maybe you have a chance. At this point but what 378 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 1: about the people, And there's thousands of people who haven't 379 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,399 Speaker 1: even gotten that far. We are very much at the 380 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: mercy of the Taliban at this point, and the United 381 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: States has no choice now but to get this done. 382 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,880 Speaker 1: That requires working with the Taliban. But we should never 383 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,959 Speaker 1: have been in this position in the first place. You're right, 384 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: there'll be time to talk about that going forward. But 385 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: what I was so frustrated about yesterday with the President 386 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 1: was he kept defending the decision to leave, versus explaining 387 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: why that decision wasn't executed in the way it should 388 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: have been. And that's got to be the focus. Genie, 389 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,679 Speaker 1: how concerned are you at this point about women and 390 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: girls in Afghanistan? And I ask you that because the 391 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: Taliban has been trying to I think, to your point earlier, 392 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: trying to rest some sort of softer image that they've 393 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: somehow evolved in the last twenty years. And I guess 394 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: that some women will be allowed to work, but there 395 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,920 Speaker 1: are many who are deeply concerned about what's going to happen, 396 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: particularly uh two younger women, some of whom were serving 397 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: in the army. I am very concerned and we should be. Um. 398 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 1: You know, one thing the United States and our allies 399 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 1: were able to do over the last twenty years. Was 400 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 1: we were able to help create a civil society in 401 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: which women and girls and minorities of all kinds in 402 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: Afghanistan could begin to be educated, flourished. I mean in 403 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: your business, for instance, many female presenters and reporters. All 404 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: of that is, you know, questionable at this point will 405 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: they be able to continue doing that work. Briefings all 406 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 1: around the horn today in Washington, d C. Beginning earlier 407 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 1: with the Pentagon, where we heard from spokesman John Kirby 408 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: about working with talking with the Taliban in an effort 409 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:02,919 Speaker 1: to keep the airport open and keep evacuees on track 410 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: to get on an airplane. Warmed US that they're donna have, 411 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 1: tb are prepared, warmed US that they don't have. We'll 412 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: get to that when we can. But the General is 413 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: on the line, as I mentioned, coming in to talk 414 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: with US. General David depp Tool a former director of 415 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 1: the Combined Air Operations Center for Operation Enduring Freedom, where 416 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: he orchestrated air operations over Afghanistan. General, thanks for being 417 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 1: with us today on Bloomberg sound On. I wonder if 418 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 1: you could start with what's happening at the airport there. 419 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: You know a lot more about this than most people. 420 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: We understand that the US is in control, that we 421 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 1: have security, and that we're going to be pushing basically 422 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: one flight per hour into the air as long as 423 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: we can to get people out. Do you have confidence 424 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: in our logistics there in the security around the airport 425 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,879 Speaker 1: to try to get civilians out of Afghanistan? Well, Joe, First, 426 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 1: thanks very much for giving me a horror and uh 427 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 1: having the up ttunity to chat with you, um with 428 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: respect to what's actually going on on the ground. Obviously 429 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 1: I'm not there, although I can tell you I've got 430 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 1: great competence in the airmen and who are flying in 431 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 1: those aircraft and the security forces that are protecting the airfield. UM. 432 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: It's unfortunate that we've had to get to this point, UM, 433 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: which is perhaps something else we could chat about, but 434 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: I wanted to get across the point that in all 435 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 1: the discussion, it's very important that we go back and 436 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 1: look at how we got here to make sure that 437 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:37,919 Speaker 1: the kinds of mistakes that occurred over the last twenty 438 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: years uh don't occur again in the future. UM. So 439 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: I think it's important to remind the audience that in 440 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 1: two thousand and one, as you mentioned in your your 441 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 1: run up to our discussion, it was the measured application 442 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: of air power that worked in conjunction with a handful 443 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: of special ops folks who then partnered with the Afghan 444 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: with an alliance and did in three months what the 445 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 1: Northern Alliance themselves weren't able to do in the previous 446 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 1: five years, and that was to remove the Taliban regime. 447 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 1: But that was just one of three critical objectives that 448 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 1: affected our security. The other two are supporting a new 449 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:18,199 Speaker 1: government that would predict the people of Afghanistan, and the 450 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 1: big one for US was eliminating the allocaded terrorist training camps. 451 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: So we accomplished all those objectives by the end of 452 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 1: December of two one. Well, that's what I was going 453 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,200 Speaker 1: to tell you, is that the trillion dollar questions why 454 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: did the US and our coalition partners not then declare 455 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,359 Speaker 1: victory and say see you later, have a nice life. 456 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: If you do it again, will be back. I mean 457 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:50,399 Speaker 1: that answer illustrates the importance of clearly defining U S 458 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: security objectives and acting with the right kind of force 459 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:58,720 Speaker 1: to achieve them, and knowing when to leave General Jake Sullivan, 460 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: the National Security of speaking today from the White House, 461 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 1: went through a lot of components here and talked about, well, 462 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,880 Speaker 1: let's not relitigate the past, let's focus on the evacuations 463 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: and get people out of the country. He also said 464 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 1: that we've proven in other areas of the globe that 465 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 1: we can fight terror remotely, that we do not have 466 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:25,920 Speaker 1: to have a permanent base to do that. Would you agree, Uh, Look, 467 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: it's a complex set of issues. The bottom line is 468 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 1: uh to his bottom line? Did direct to answer your 469 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: question is yes, But this is not a binary issue. 470 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: The question is, well, then where the hell were you 471 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: the last several months in the run up in the 472 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 1: preparation um for your withdrawal. We we should not be 473 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 1: doing strategy by counting the number of boots on the ground, 474 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 1: which kind of goes back to my point. The reason 475 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: that we were successful in two thousand one was we 476 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: brought some thing to the indigenous Appian forces on the 477 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 1: ground that they didn't have, and that's air power, the 478 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: ability to watch, to do surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance from above, 479 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:18,639 Speaker 1: and then to strike critically at points that would overturn 480 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: a negative situation into a positive one, and that's what 481 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:26,920 Speaker 1: we should have prepared to do. But what we saw, um, 482 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:31,359 Speaker 1: what was the situation, uh in a critical error of 483 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:35,159 Speaker 1: U S strategy that was perpetuated by four presidents in 484 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: twenty years of US army leadership, that dominated the US 485 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: military and who simply didn't learn the lessons to be yet. Now, 486 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 1: boy general, you know about air superiority. If we were 487 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: doing our job, would those have been airborne attacks? Should 488 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: we be on the ground and be able to insert 489 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: special forces? How should that work? Well, it's a combination. 490 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: I mean, monfl that we use in two thousand one 491 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: was enormously successful, you know, handful of folks on the ground. 492 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: And by the way, after twenty years of working with 493 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 1: the Afghani military, you know we we could have reduced 494 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: the significant number personnel on the ground but provided the 495 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 1: key personnel those that could assist in the application of 496 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 1: air power where it's important, and also provide the intelligence 497 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 1: surveillance from reconnaissance that the Afghans themselves just simply can't 498 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: accomplish because they don't have that equipment. So, you know, 499 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: we we could have sustained a situation to protect our 500 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 1: vital interests and that is to tamp down the UH 501 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: counter terrorist elements. Um, yeah, we we can do that. 502 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 1: We're doing it all the way, or like you mentioned, 503 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: we're doing that around the world today with not a 504 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 1: lot of fanfare and not with a lot of people 505 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: on the ground. But again, twenty years of army leadership 506 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: that you know, wanted to impose occupation UH and try 507 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 1: to turn collection of fourteenth century tribes in a modern 508 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 1: Jeffersonian democracy. That's unobtainium and that's not the role of 509 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 1: the US military. General David Deptula, former director of the 510 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: Combined Air Operations Center for Operation and during Freedom, I 511 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 1: wish you had more time with you a fighter pilot 512 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: with three thousand hours in the air. Thank you for 513 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 1: your service and for being with us on Bloomberg Radio. 514 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg. You signed on with Joe Matthew 515 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio. We've heard from a member of Congress 516 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 1: and an Air Force general. We've brought you sounds from 517 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: the administration's briefings today. Now we turned to the panel 518 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: to talk policy and politics. Bloomberg Politics contributor Jeanie she 519 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: and Zano is here today as well. Matt Gorman, Vice 520 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: President Matt Targeted Victory and former communications director for the 521 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: National Republican Congressional Committee. Thanks again to both of you 522 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:08,680 Speaker 1: for being here. Matt Well, Republicans support renegotiating or relegislating 523 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: a use of fourth force authorization, something we talked about 524 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:14,360 Speaker 1: with Congressman Molten at the start of the hour. After 525 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 1: seeing the chaos that has come from our leaving Afghanistan, 526 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 1: I'm very skeptical that that we're going to renegotiate one 527 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: to go back in. I think we're probably still on track, 528 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: if not probably more advanced to uh to repeal the 529 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: one that we had already been talking about with the 530 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 1: War on Terror that was in progress. I mean, I mean, look, 531 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 1: I think Jennie alluded to it before, right. Biden tried 532 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: to make it a binary choice, I think to you know, 533 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 1: obscure his own you know, incompetence in the problem where 534 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 1: it was a choice between a forever war or you know, 535 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 1: getting out the way he did, where really the problem 536 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 1: was in the middle, where they would not plan for 537 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 1: the evacuation appropriately. It's clear they did not have a 538 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 1: plan again Americans out. That's where the critique is. I 539 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: don't foresee any more engagement, aside from the seven thousand 540 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: or so troops that are there right now that with 541 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: with the plan to get our folks out to that end. Matt, 542 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:13,480 Speaker 1: what should lawmakers be doing now? Republicans or Democrats for 543 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: that matter, those who are criticizing the Biden administrations handling 544 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:20,520 Speaker 1: there's another branch of government the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue. 545 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 1: What can they do? I think the biggest thing is 546 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 1: something that they've quite frankly lacked, and that's serious oversight 547 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 1: and investigation into what went wrong. I mean, as I 548 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:33,960 Speaker 1: said before, he had Mark Warner and Lindsay Graham and 549 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 1: others and Johnson Asso both parties saying we raised these 550 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 1: issues for months. How did they drop the ball? They 551 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: being the Biden administration so badly? And I think it's unfortunate. Uh. 552 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: Somebody made a very good point I heard the other day, 553 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: where you know some of the investigations and oversight that 554 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 1: does do, say the Janiary Sip Commission, it doesn't change 555 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: any minds uh. And yet it doesn't really investigate it 556 00:32:58,080 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: more of just a political move where then has the 557 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 1: opportunity to be the opposite, uh, and they need to 558 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 1: take the opportunity at givings done. So, Jennie, should we 559 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: start preparing for a Cobble commission? Are we going to 560 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: have hearings for the next several years on this? I 561 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,239 Speaker 1: think we probably will. It's it's hard to believe we're 562 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: going to add that to the plate of things that 563 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 1: Congress is already going through this summer, in this fall, 564 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 1: but I think we will. I think we should. I 565 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 1: think it is broader than what's happened in Afghanistan. I 566 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 1: think it has to do with the role of the 567 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: President and Congress and their relationship as it comes to 568 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:38,400 Speaker 1: making these kinds of decisions. And I thought your interview 569 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 1: with the Air Force General was just fascinating because, amongst 570 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 1: other things, he talked about the fact our objectives as 571 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: as some people understood them, and there's debate there were 572 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: achieved by the end of two thousand and one. That's 573 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:53,960 Speaker 1: something that we need to think about before we enter 574 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:57,120 Speaker 1: these kinds of conflicts. The other thing is he talked 575 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 1: about the lessons from Vietnam and how we still have 576 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 1: not embraced and understood those. All of those things are 577 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:08,440 Speaker 1: discussions that Congress can lead, and of course, you know 578 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 1: in the media and education and elsewhere, but their conversations. 579 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,359 Speaker 1: We have to have but one thing. And I'm not 580 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:17,240 Speaker 1: sure who said that, the Congressman or you or the general, 581 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: but you know, I will tell you a lot of 582 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:22,040 Speaker 1: students in the last five years that I've spoken to 583 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:25,919 Speaker 1: yearly when you mentioned we were still at war in Afghanistan, 584 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 1: had no idea and so you know it because we 585 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 1: had a small force there, there wasn't a lot of activity. 586 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: These are you know, kids who were born, you know, 587 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:37,799 Speaker 1: eighteen years ago. So you know, we own as Americans 588 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 1: part of this as well. Matt. When you start considering 589 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:47,640 Speaker 1: commissions and hearings, is this gonna be Joe Biden's Benghazi? Look, 590 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:50,799 Speaker 1: I think it could be worse because you have you know, 591 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:52,879 Speaker 1: Ben Kazi was over in the middle of the night. 592 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: This has You're seeing photos and developments for you know, 593 00:34:57,000 --> 00:35:00,320 Speaker 1: almost a week now, and the ramification are going to 594 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,439 Speaker 1: be a lot longer because now it is a safe 595 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 1: having for terror already. Al Qaeda what has been downplayed 596 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:07,399 Speaker 1: a lot, and I think you're going to hear more 597 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 1: about it is the Caliban's links with al Qaeda as 598 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:13,160 Speaker 1: of right now are are quite strong. They don't they 599 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: don't need to to grow, and when you see places 600 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:21,160 Speaker 1: like China and Russia react to how we treated Afghanistan 601 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:24,000 Speaker 1: when they relate to say Ukraine when it comes to Russia, 602 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: or Taiwan when it comes to China, how those provocations 603 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:32,360 Speaker 1: will be met, and also the reliability among our allies, 604 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 1: whether they can trust us, whether we'll be there in 605 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,879 Speaker 1: the tough times, which we always have been. In a way, 606 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 1: this has a lot of long range and effects. I 607 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:43,880 Speaker 1: think pasta President Biden, quite frankly, how do you react 608 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,799 Speaker 1: to that, Genie? Is that fair? You know, this has 609 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 1: involved for presidents, for administrations, as President Biden keeps saying 610 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,879 Speaker 1: two Republican to Democratic. You know, both of our our 611 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 1: current president, our previous president wanted to get out, they 612 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:00,680 Speaker 1: wanted to draw down. So I think if we're going 613 00:36:00,719 --> 00:36:03,400 Speaker 1: to talk about blame, you know, there's a lot of 614 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,759 Speaker 1: blame unfortunately to go around on this one. But I 615 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,920 Speaker 1: hope that we could think about this less as blame 616 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: on President Biden, Trump or Bush or Obama or anybody else, 617 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:17,360 Speaker 1: and more about lessons to be learned. And you know, 618 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:19,720 Speaker 1: just to go back for a minute to to Biden's 619 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 1: speech yesterday, you know, I wish he had done what 620 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,880 Speaker 1: Kennedy did after Bay of Pigs and talked about lessons 621 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:30,799 Speaker 1: to be learned. Instead, he was incredibly defensive. Let's think 622 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 1: about lessons going forward versus blame and defensiveness. I think 623 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: that's something that we can take away from this well. 624 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:39,320 Speaker 1: To that end, as we spend time with Genie and 625 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 1: Matt Gorman, it's not over. Joe Biden is still up 626 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 1: at Camp David's. Tomorrow is a new day. There are 627 00:36:46,239 --> 00:36:50,959 Speaker 1: new opportunities to address the American people. There are also 628 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:56,359 Speaker 1: new opportunities to draw new policies. Matt, what can Joe 629 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:58,759 Speaker 1: Biden say as he comes down from the mountain here 630 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:02,759 Speaker 1: at some point this week for Camp David to reassure 631 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 1: Americans about what's happening there and and frankly, about the 632 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:11,520 Speaker 1: commitment of our troops in any theater of combat. I 633 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:13,880 Speaker 1: think I think the Biden administration has made a communication 634 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 1: strategy that I certainly don't think it's the right one, 635 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: but they are essentially going to ignore the at least publicly, 636 00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 1: the issues in the ground, and as we said, sorry yesterday, 637 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,439 Speaker 1: make the case that this is solely a false choice 638 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:32,800 Speaker 1: between staying forever UH and pulling out, which they claim 639 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:35,839 Speaker 1: is the right thing to do, and that most Americans 640 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 1: agree with that. They're not willing to talk about that 641 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:41,239 Speaker 1: middle ground whether they got people out safely. So I 642 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:43,719 Speaker 1: think what you're gonna try and see by the Bid 643 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: administration is just pivoting and talking about, you know what, 644 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:50,399 Speaker 1: what they are doing to get folks out, but they're 645 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:52,279 Speaker 1: not going to concede anything. I think that they have 646 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:55,759 Speaker 1: made that conscious strategy to really not delve into the 647 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:58,960 Speaker 1: details here. Do you worry mad that the gop risks 648 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:03,000 Speaker 1: kind of relishing in the chaos here criticizing Joe Biden 649 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:06,319 Speaker 1: at this sensitive time, Well, no, it look it's it's 650 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:08,560 Speaker 1: it's a bipartisan criticism number one. And I think as 651 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:10,960 Speaker 1: long as there's American citizens in the ground, you know, 652 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:15,000 Speaker 1: possibly thousands of them that Americans can't guarantee their safety, 653 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: let alone evacuate them, that is something that that's certainly 654 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:20,920 Speaker 1: fair game. But I think broader when it comes to 655 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:25,719 Speaker 1: political aspect of this, This is less about Afghanistan in 656 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:30,560 Speaker 1: a vacuum, but whether you look at this inflation, rising 657 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:33,640 Speaker 1: gas prices, rising crime, I think what they will be 658 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:36,600 Speaker 1: able to make and this gets this comparison gets thrown 659 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:39,200 Speaker 1: around a lot. I get it. It's a Jimmy Carter 660 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,560 Speaker 1: esque comparison where Biden is a bystander two events and 661 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:46,560 Speaker 1: not leading them, that shaping them. He's a bystander. And 662 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:48,680 Speaker 1: I think as you go in the next year, if 663 00:38:48,719 --> 00:38:51,319 Speaker 1: these things start keep continuing, you're going to hear that 664 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: that he said the buck stops with him and he 665 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:58,239 Speaker 1: takes full responsibility of what happened. You not believe him. Well, 666 00:38:58,239 --> 00:39:00,680 Speaker 1: that was clearly what they wanted to be the headline, 667 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,359 Speaker 1: and they seem to have got it. But the rest 668 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:06,880 Speaker 1: of that speech was blaming the Afghan military, blaming Trump. 669 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 1: They knew what they were doing by kind of inserting 670 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 1: that in there when the rest of the speech was 671 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:14,359 Speaker 1: anything but it was kignited distance. How about Eugenie, Did 672 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:17,920 Speaker 1: you believe that? Um? Uh? You know, I think President 673 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 1: Biden does believe that the buck stops there. Um. But 674 00:39:21,239 --> 00:39:24,319 Speaker 1: I I also think that, you know, he he did 675 00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 1: make a mistake yesterday again in not taking responsibility and 676 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:31,440 Speaker 1: telling us how he was going to lead going forward. 677 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:34,160 Speaker 1: I would also say this is a tough one for 678 00:39:34,239 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 1: Republicans because, you know, pre Donald Trump, maybe the old 679 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:43,280 Speaker 1: style Republican Party, the sort of Liz Cheney, Dick Cheney Wing. 680 00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:47,239 Speaker 1: They could make the case about you know, isolationism and 681 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,920 Speaker 1: the end, you know, the ending, these endless wars about 682 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 1: how how that's something that's a Democratic stronghold. But now 683 00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:58,080 Speaker 1: you've got the most energized part of the Republican Party, 684 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:01,880 Speaker 1: the Trump portion, and agree with Biden and the liberals 685 00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:05,320 Speaker 1: on this. These are strange bedfellows. These are the Rand Paul's, 686 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:07,480 Speaker 1: the Donald Trump's, that Joe Biden's. They're all at one. 687 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:10,879 Speaker 1: So this is going to be a hard argument to make. 688 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:13,120 Speaker 1: That's why I think Liz Cheney coming out over the 689 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:17,000 Speaker 1: weekend was so fascinating because she now represents this very 690 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: small aspect of the Republican Party, at least vocally small, 691 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:23,839 Speaker 1: that has another view on this, And I think that 692 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:27,200 Speaker 1: is an easier case to make versus the Donald Trump wing. 693 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:30,320 Speaker 1: Mc gorman, you spend time as communications director for the 694 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 1: National Republican Congressional Committee. Are they writing ads already with 695 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:40,359 Speaker 1: the mid terms in mind? With images from Cobble, I 696 00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:43,480 Speaker 1: think it'll be a part of it. Absolutely, And again, 697 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:46,839 Speaker 1: Donald Trump and Joe Biden essentially it wanted the same 698 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:48,879 Speaker 1: outcome at games and they want to pull everybody out 699 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:51,879 Speaker 1: there close have been closed the same position. And that's 700 00:40:52,120 --> 00:40:54,160 Speaker 1: you know, people that people who could disagree with that, 701 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:58,200 Speaker 1: Liz Cheney at there and others. That's certainly defensible. I 702 00:40:58,239 --> 00:41:00,239 Speaker 1: think what you're going to see the GOP criticism it 703 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:02,560 Speaker 1: is not whether you want to stay in there forever, 704 00:41:02,680 --> 00:41:05,360 Speaker 1: but how we left, whether we put our folks in 705 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:08,440 Speaker 1: danger and leaving and then leaving people there. That is 706 00:41:08,480 --> 00:41:11,200 Speaker 1: what you're going to see the line of attack, um, 707 00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:13,520 Speaker 1: and that's how you're gonna message this. You know, we 708 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:15,520 Speaker 1: have less than a minute. Genie. Can you picture those 709 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:18,520 Speaker 1: ads already? Oh? I can picture them already. I also 710 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:21,440 Speaker 1: can picture the Democrats firing back because it was of 711 00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:24,480 Speaker 1: course Donald Trump who negotiated with the Taliban, and as 712 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:27,359 Speaker 1: Matta says, he agreed with what Biden wanted to do. 713 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:30,560 Speaker 1: I agree on the execution was problematic, but Trump didn't 714 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:34,799 Speaker 1: address that in particular either. Bloomberg Politics contributor Jeannie she 715 00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:38,799 Speaker 1: and Zano macgorman, vice president at Targeted Victory, We thank 716 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:41,120 Speaker 1: you both for trying to help us make sense of 717 00:41:41,160 --> 00:41:43,319 Speaker 1: all of this, and we'll do it again tomorrow as 718 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 1: we swing again. In the Wednesday edition of Bloomberg sound 719 00:41:46,600 --> 00:41:49,360 Speaker 1: On News update I had let the latest on Greg 720 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,080 Speaker 1: Abbott's testing positive for the virus. Will get into that 721 00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:55,239 Speaker 1: tomorrow as well. I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg