U.S. relying on Taliban for security: 'You can't trust them' says Trump admin official
WASHINGTON (SBG) - 13 U.S. service members were killed in Afghanistan and at least 15 others wounded Thursday after two suicide bombers targeted the Kabul airport, the only escape for Americans and Afghan allies, while gunmen opened fire. The Pentagon says they expect terrorist attacks to continue while they rely on the Taliban for security.
"We've lost the ability to push out our perimeter that we want to have and have the security there because we don't have the wherewithal to do it," said retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg to The National Desk’s Jan Jeffcoat.
Kellogg says that trusting the Taliban to protect U.S. troops in Afghanistan is “not something I’d recommend.”
“The only people I trust are the Americans that are there and the other allies that may be there, the Brits or the French that are there, but trusting the Taliban, I'm sorry that doesn't go very far with me,” said Kellogg.
Kellogg says that he would recommend the Biden administration speak to Taliban leaders and push back the August 31 deadline.
“We're going to stay here as long as we have to, to make sure we extract every U.S. citizen that wants to get out, and also the Afghan allies that have been with us over the years who want to get out and take control of their security and that means we push out the perimeter to do that. That's the only way you get to control this situation,” said Kellogg.
According to a report by Politico, U.S. officials gave the Taliban a list of names of American citizens, green card holders, and Afghan allies to grant entry into Kabul’s airport.
“There may have been. But I know of no circumstance. It doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist, that here’s the names of 12 people, they’re coming, let them through. It could very well have happened,” said President Joe Biden to reporters Thursday.
Kellogg says he was “stunned.”
“Why would we provide anybody with any information about our friends or allies or American citizens to the Taliban?” said Kellogg. “You can't trust them. We don't know who they really are. We don't know if they're working in conjunction with ISIS K or other terrorist organizations.”
