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Top Pentagon Officials Speak on Afghanistan Withdrawal. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired September 01, 2021 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[13:00:00]

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Hello. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York.

At any moment, we'll hear from the nation's top military leaders and their first remarks since the formal end of America's longest war. A short time ago, we received new images from one of the final evacuation flights from Afghanistan, and it shows some of the last remaining U.S. troops boarding the military transport plane in Kabul in the final hours of a 20-year war.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, will discuss Afghanistan just one day after the last evacuation flights.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is at the Pentagon. Sam Kiley is in Doha, Qatar, where many of those evacuations flights landed. Also with us, CNN Military Analyst, retired General.Wesley Clark, and Mike Lighter, former Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, and he served under both Presidents Bush and Obama from 2007 to 2011.

Oren, let's start with you. What do we expect to hear in these remarks?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, first, in terms of the expectation of how this plays out, we expect opening statements from both Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley, and then some time for questions. Generally, when these two have spoken together in front of the press, this have lasted a tight 30 minutes and, again, that's what we expect here. So there should be some time for questions at the end.

Second, in terms of what we expect to hear, I think this will focus on a message of support, a message of absolute confidence in the troops, and a message of mourning for the 2,641 U.S. service members who lost their lives in 20 years of war, including especially the 13 service members who lost their lives in a terrorist bombing from last Thursday, and then, of course, a message of support for some 8,000 other service members who served in Afghanistan over the course of two decades of war.

I don't expect we will hear from either of them too much insight about the disagreements and discussions that went into not only the decision to withdraw but also of the final days of the evacuation, that they are almost certain to keep themselves as they give their opening statements and as they answer some of the reporters' questions, which we hope to have a chance get in here.

Beyond that, it is worth noting here that in the major statements from the highest levels of the administration, that is President Joe Biden yesterday, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken the day before, this is the first chance we expect to be able to ask questions of the highest level of the administration, so that is worth noting, even if we all get too many questions in, at least we finally have the chance here or we expect the chance here to pose questions here, and that is certainly worth something, Ana.

CABRERA: Yes. And, General Clark, it sounds like these remarks will likely be aimed at U.S. troops. How important is that after such a tragic and chaotic end to the war?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, I think the troops also our armed forces are anxious to hear from the secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. What they say is very important to the troops. It will be amplified by --

CABRERA: Forgive me, General. Let's listen in.

LLOYD AUSTIN, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Good afternoon and thanks for being here. It's been a busy time for all of us in this department, a proud one and a solemn one too. We have concluded our historic evacuation operation and ended the last mission of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. America's longest war has come to a close.

Now, both as secretary and as a veteran of our Afghan war, my thoughts have been with the brave Americans who stood up to serve after Al Qaeda attacked us on September 11th, 2001. And my heart is with their families and loved ones, and with our friends and allies and with our fellow citizens whose lives were lost or changed forever over 20 years of war.

We remember 2,461 American service members and personnel who paid the ultimate price in this war. And more than 20,000 wounded Americans, some still carrying the scars that you can't see on the outside, and we also remember the thousands of American contractors who have lost their lives, hundreds of our allies and partners from NATO and beyond, and tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers and police officers, and tens of thousands more Afghan civilians.

Now, we have just concluded the largest air evacuation of civilians in American history.

[13:05:02]

It was heroic. It was historic. And I hope that all Americans will unite to thank our service members for their courage and their compassion. They were operating in an immensely dangerous and dynamic environment. But our troops were tireless, fearless and selfless. Our commanders never flinched and our allies and partners were extraordinary.

The United States evacuated some 6,000 American citizens in a total of more than 124,000 civilians, and we did it all in the midst of a pandemic and in the face of grave and growing threats. I am incredibly proud of those that made it happen, and they made it happen with grit and skill and humanity.

Our outstanding men and women showed steady judgment under crushing pressure, including some very young service members who summoned up exceptional courage at close quarters. They ran an international airport. They sped up visas. They fed the hungry. They comforted the desperate. And they got plane after plane after plane into the sky.

Our forces risked their own lives to save the lives of others, and 13 of our very best paid the ultimate price. And many of them are too young to personally remember the 9/11 attacks. The United States military will always honor their heroism. We mourn with their families and we owe them support through the days and years ahead.

It is noteworthy that on the day of the attack at the airport, our troops and their partners pushed hard and carry on, putting 89 rescue flights in the air in the span of 24 hours and lifting 12,500 souls to freedom. It has been an enormous achievement, not just by the U.S. military, but also by the militaries of our allies and partners and, of course, by our teammates at the State Department.

Now, the war is over and we're entering a new chapter, one, where our diplomats and interagency partners take the lead. We are part of an urgent team effort to move Afghan evacuees out of temporary housing in intermediate staging bases in the gulf and in Europe and on to begin new lives. And I will be traveling to the gulf next week to thank our partners there who have done so much to help save and shelter Afghan civilians.

Now, some of those brave Afghans will be coming to make new lives with their families in America after careful screening and security vetting run by our interagency partners. We're temporarily sheltering some of these evacuees at military facilities here at home, and I am proud of the way our military communities have welcomed them.

Some of these courageous Afghans fought alongside us. And they and their families have more than earned their places in the land of the free and the home of the brave. In welcoming these Afghans isn't just about what they've done, it's about who we are.

Now, as one mission ends, others must go on. And even during our Afghan retrograde, this department was racing to help victims of natural disasters at home and abroad, and we still are. We have been driving to end the pandemic and we have continued to tackle security challenges from China and Russia, Iran and North Korea.

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It's our duty to defend this nation, and we're not going to take our eye off the ball. And that means relentless counterterrorism efforts against any threat to the American people from anyplace. It means working with our partners to shore up stability in the region around Afghanistan. And it means a new focus to our leadership in this young century, to meet the security challenges from China, to seize new opportunities in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere, and to deepen our ties with old allies and new partners, and to defend our democracy against all enemies.

But for today, I want to end with a word to the force and their families. I know that these have been difficult days for many of us, and as we look back as a nation on the war in Afghanistan, I hope that we will all do so with thoughtfulness and respect. I will always be proud of the part that we played in this war.

But we shouldn't expect Afghan war veterans to agree anymore than any other group of Americans. I've heard strong views from many sides in recent days, and that's vital. That's democracy. That's America. As we always do, this department will look back clearly and professionally and learn every lesson that we can. That's our way. But right now, it's time to thank all those who served in this war because you are the greatest asset that we have. You, the extraordinary men and women who volunteered to keep us safe and your families. So my prayers are with you.

And with the gold star families who lost loved ones in Afghanistan, and with the warriors that mourn their fallen brothers and sisters, and with those who bear the wounds of war to body and to soul, we will never forget what you did and what you gave. Our country owes you thanks that won't fade and support that won't falter. The war has ended but our gratitude never will.

And, finally, just a word about the Navy helicopter mishap overnight off the coast of California. I know that the Navy is working diligently at search and rescue operations. And on behalf of the whole department, I want to pass on our thoughts and prayers for the best possible outcome. It's yet another reminder of the dangers our men and women face every day overseas, at sea and here at home.

Let me now turn it over to the chairman.

GEN. MARK MILLEY, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Thanks, secretary, and good afternoon, everyone.

Three weeks ago, the United States military received the mission to conduct a noncombatant evacuation operation from Afghanistan and support the Department of State in order to evacuate American citizens. The Department of State designated Afghans with a directed completion date of 31 of August.

The key military tasks were to secure and defend the international airport in Kabul, evacuate all embassy personnel, evacuate all American citizens that wanted to get out and evacuate other Afghans as designated by the Department of State and retrograde all of the U.S. military. In short, the United States military was tasked to conduct two highly complex missions simultaneously of retrograde while in contact with the enemy and a NEO in a non-permissive environment.

We executed that mission in a highly dynamic, dangerous operating environment from a war-torn country and it was conducted across nine countries and 26 intermediate staging bases and temporary safe havens. We deployed between 5,000 and 6,000 military personnel on the ground, some of whom were for deployed based on our contingency planning. These elements came from the 82nd Airborne Division Special Forces in the Marine Corps along with Navy and Air Force personnel, flying in support with combat from the Air Force and the Navy as well as incredible support from the transport aircraft, the pilots and crews of the United States Transportation Command.

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And afloat, we had our (INAUDIBLE) a carrier strike crew. We flew 387 U.S. military C-17 and C-130 sorties and we enabled 391 non-U.S. military sorties, a total of 778 sorties evacuated a total 124,334 people, which included almost 6,000 American citizens, third country nationals and Afghans designated by the Department of State. And we will continue to evacuate American citizens under the leadership of the Department of State as this mission has now transitioned from a military mission to a diplomatic mission.

Evacuees flowed through the intermediate staging base safe havens and Central Command and European Command for onward movement to the United States, a third country or their home of origin for repatriation, evacuees' complete medical and security screening, vetting in accordance with the lead federal agency's guidance, the Department of Homeland Security.

Currently, there're approximately 20,000 evacuees in seven staging bases in five countries and Central Command, another 23,000 in seven staging bases in four countries in Europe, and as of this morning, there are approximately 20,000 Afghans who arrived at eight different military bases in the continent of the United States.

This mission costs 11 marines, one soldier and one Navy corpsmen their lives, and 22 others were wounded in action, in addition to over 100 Afghans killed and wounded in a horrific terrorists attack on the 26th of August at Abbey Gate, on the southeast perimeter of the airport. Those soldiers, sailors and marines gave their lives so others may live free. They literally gave their tomorrows for the tomorrows of people they never knew. Those 124,000, they never knew the 13 who died and they will never know the 22 who were wounded, and with the thousands of dead and thousands of wounded who came before them, but they will now live in freedom because of American bloodshed on their behalf.

Nearly two decades have passed since that horrible, dark September day in our nation's history, when 2,977 innocent lives were murdered. Since then, the men and women of the United States military and our interagency partners have fought tirelessly to defeat terrorists Afghanistan and around the world, both at home and abroad, their talent, their efforts have carried this fight day and night.

In Afghanistan, our mission -- our military mission has now come to an end. And we're going to learn from this experience as a military. How we got to this moment in Afghanistan will be analyzed and studied for years to come. And we in the military will approach this with humility, transparency and candor. There are many tactical, operational and strategic lessons to be learned. 800,000 of us in uniform served in Afghanistan over the last 20 years. Our nation spent over $1 trillion, and most importantly, 2,461 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines gave the last full measure of devotion, while 20,691 were wounded, and untold thousands of others suffer with the invisible wounds of war as we close this chapter in our nation's history. And all of those casualties alongside our allies and partners and we should never forget that 60,000 Afghan national security forces gave their lives in the conduct of this war.

Our counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan and that region, over 20 years, has protected the American people from terrorist attacks and the men, women and children who were just evacuated will ultimately be the legacy to prove the value of our sacrifice.

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For the past 20 years, there has not been a major attack on our homeland, and it is now our mission to ensure that we continue our intelligence efforts, continue our counterterrorism efforts, continue our military efforts to protect the American people for the next 20 years. And we in the American military are committed to do just that.

For those of us in uniform who served in Afghanistan, for our families who have suffered and sacrificed along our side, for those who have supported us, these have been incredibly emotional and trying days, and, indeed, years. We are all conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness combined with pride and resilience. There are no words that I or the secretary or the president or anyone else will ever do to bring the dead back, but we can always honor them.

And one thing I am certain of, for any soldier, sailor, airmen or marine and their family, your service mattered and it was not in vain. Thank you.

AUSTIN: Okay. I think we have enough time for a few questions. We will start with you, Bob.

REPORTER: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Looking ahead in Afghanistan, a question for both of you, please, given the experience of the past couple of weeks at the Kabul airport, where U.S. commanders were coordinating or at least communicating daily with Taliban commanders to an affect that General McKenzie himself said was, at times, very helpful, and also, I know General Milley, in your case, you, last year, had face-to-face meetings with Taliban leaders at least on a couple occasions, I am wondering what you think these experiences say about the prospect for a United States relationship with the Taliban to include the possibility of any kind of coordination in counterterrorism operations against ISIS-K in Afghanistan?

AUSTIN: First of all, let me applaud the initiative of our commanders on the ground, who would stop at nothing to accomplish the mission that they were provided of evacuating as many American citizens, third-country nationals and SIVs as possible.

We were focused on -- we were working with the Taliban on a very narrow set of issues, and it was just that to get as many people out as we possibly could. And so I would not lead to -- I would not make any leaps of logic to a broader -- to broader issues. I would just say that, again, I am immensely proud of what our troops have done to this point, and it's hard to predict where this will go in the future with respect to the Taliban.

MILLEY: I would just say, Bob, you know, the secretary and I both served in Afghanistan and many of us did, and you all did too. We don't know what the future of the Taliban is, but I can tell you from personal experience that this is a ruthless group from the past, and whether or not they change remains to be seen. And as far as our dealings with them at that airfield or in the past year or so in war, you do what you must in order to reduce risks to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do.

REPORTER: Any coordination against ISIS-K with them?

MILLEY: It's possible.

AUSTIN: Going forward, Bob, again, I would not want to make any predictions. I would tell you that we're going to do everything that we can to make sure we remain focused on ISIS-K, understand that network and the time of our choosing in the future hold them accountable for what they have done.

Let's go to Helene Cooper.

REPORTER: Thank you so much for doing this. I have a question for you and then another one for General Milley.

Mr. Secretary, perhaps it's possible that there's no exit from Afghanistan that would not have been chaotic given what we now know and for all the reasons that the administration has mentioned, but I would like to know now in hindsight, is there one thing that you wish that you or the Pentagon would have done or could have done differently?

[13:25:04]

AUSTIN: Thanks, Helene. I would just tell you that there has not been a single operation that I have ever been involved in where we didn't discover that there's something that we could have done better or more efficiently or more effectively. And I would also say that no operation is ever perfect. I will tell you that we will do what we always do, and that is to look at ourselves and do after-action reviews and we want to make sure that we learn every lesson that can be learned from this experience.

But I want to take the time to do it the right way and so we'll do that in the days -- in the days ahead.

REPORTER: Do you think that -- oh, sorry.

AUSTIN: I was just going to say, I would just say again, Helene, that I am enormously proud of our men and women who worked hard to accomplish what they just accomplished, which I think, as I said earlier, is historic and heroic.

Go ahead.

REPORTER: Do you think we should have maybe thrown out the book on the whole SIV -- I mean, the previous administration did leave. I understand that Biden did put a lot of hurdles in the way of the SIV program that this administration had to then deal with upon arrival. Do you think at all because the Pentagon worked so hard with these people 20 years, these translators and interpreters, that we should have thrown the whole book out?

AUSTIN: What I would say, Helene, is that the SIV program is obviously not designed to accommodate what we just did in evacuating over 100,000 people. And so perhaps this program should be looked at going forward.

It is a -- it is designed to be a slow process. Secretary Blinken and the State Department worked hard early on to shorten the timeline that it takes to work your way through that process. But, again, for the type of operation that we just conducted, I think -- I think we need a different type of capability.

REPORTER: And for General Milley, I wanted to ask you about Sunday's drone strike. Can you take us back to that morning? You have intel that ISIS-K is plotting another attack. The military spots a vehicle that you believe is full of -- carrying explosives, and we take the car out with a drone strike. And reports now say that we may have -- that ten civilians -- as many as ten civilians may have been killed. Because of the urgent threat environment at the time, do the preliminary assessments indicate that we may have rushed, relaxed or waived altogether some of the normal checks and balances that we do before a strike like that?

MILLEY: A couple of things. One, is, as we always do on all of these things, we initiate the investigation. And we are reviewing all the video and all that. But having said that, what do we know, what we don't know, what we do we think sort of thing, at that time, and I think this is still valid, we had very good intelligence that ISIS-K was preparing a specific type of vehicle at a specific type of location. We monitored that through various means and all of the engagement criteria will be met, and we went through the same level of rigor that we've done for years, and we took a strike. So, that, we did.

Secondly, as we know, there were secondary explosions. Because there were secondary explosions, there's a reasonable conclusion to be made that there was explosives in that vehicle. The third thing is we know from a variety of other means that at least one of those people that were killed was an ISIS facilitator.

So, were there others killed? Yes. There were others killed. Who they are, we don't know. We will try to sort through all that. But we believe that the procedures at this point -- I don't want to influence the outcome of an investigation, but at this point, we think that the procedures were correctly followed and it was a righteous strike.

AUSTIN: So we've got time for one more question. We will go to Barb for the last question.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, sir. While your messages today from both, your messages of compassion and gratitude are certainly understood. In the last few days, both of you, at multiple times, have issued these kinds of messages and statements. And what I am curious about is what do you see in the country with troops, with veterans, that makes you feel -- it's a rare thing that makes you feel these messages must continue and you have put out so many in the last few days.

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