have elsewhere. ♪ ♪ >> narrator: a recently surfaced video has only added to the concerns about al qaedang to eastern afghanistan. (horn honks) publicly, the taliban have continued to insist they will not harbor terrorists. (man speaking afghan language) but when the new government was formed in early september, key posts went to some of the most extreme figures closely associated with al qaeda. like sirajuddin haqqani, now the interior minister, whose infamous haqqani network was behind suicide bombings and attacks on coalition forces. he is still on the state department's most wanted list, with a10 million reward for information leading to his capture. his uncle, khalil haqqani, also part of the new cabinet, has been linked to al qaeda terror operations. >> (speaking afghan language): >> narrator: even mullah baradar, the co-founder of the taliban, appears to have been sidelined by the haqqanis. neither side would talk to najibullah about the power struggle, but the rift has intensified concerns that afghanistan could erupt in factional violence. ♪ ♪ those fears are especially high amo

al qaeda sponsored afghanistan.spleg from august of this year on. >> we need to keep an eye on the situation, not to do the same thing we did prior to 9/11 as we were seeing al qaeda was developing, training, organizing, and we didn't have a serious strategy on response on 9/11. we shouldn't repeat that mistake again. >> brennan: do you feel you were misled by the taliban. >> i don't allow people to mislead me. i do my homework. i was not all alone doing this. i had the military, the intelligence, everyone with me displeg you're the only one out here defending it, though. >> well, that's one reason-- >> brennan: i give you credit for coming and talking about it. >> one reason i left the government is that the debate wasn't really as it should be based on realities and facts of what happened, what was going on, and what our alternatives were, the decision was ultimately made to put condition-based aside and follow calendar. >> brennan: president biden could have asked to keep troops longer is what you're saying? >> h

as i said before at first it was clear al-qaeda was in any.s but by the time rumsfeld wrote that memo al-qaeda was gone in afghanistan but we were still fighting people. we were fighting people that we couldn't always understand what their motivations were, what group or network there were a part of it. we had this term the taliban but the taliban covered in the number of insurgent groups can sometimes they were criminal networks for smugglers are people who are just opposed to the people in charge in afghanistan. as rumsfeld said who are the bad guys? this is a simplistic view of the american set in afghanistan. there were good guys and bad guys. that's how we look at it but the problem was a lot of the good guys, americans like to think of ourselves at good guys but our allies in the afghan government, these warlords, corrupt government officials, they were not always so good and the population didn't like them very much. the bad guys was just shorthand for anyone who is shooting at us. yet we could always define their motivations. this was

they also thought what would have a real impact on al qaeda that decapitating al qaeda, they didn't really know to what degree bin laden was still an operational leader. it turned out from the treasure trove it was still running al qaeda but they thought that this would have a body blow to al qaeda and terrorists and this was probably my toughest to get was a fellow called gary the head of the pakistan and afghan department which was really the lead in terms of hunting down bin laden. but he said they brought them to ground zero and the pentagon and shanksville and we wanted to say to the world our friends and enemies you're going to bring the battlefield back but as it turns out, to pakistan. so, that was a variety of reasons from bringing the mastermind to justice to the message that it would send to the world about america's determination, resolve and confidence and capability. >> did you have a different opinion about obama at the end than you did before you started this project? >> i can't say that it was 180 degrees but yes, it was two things. one is that if you study it and delve in

they also thought it would have a real impact on al qaeda that decapitating al qaeda.y really did not know to what degree bin laden was still an operational leader of al qaeda. it turned out from the treasure trove of information that he was very much an operational leader. very much still running al qaeda. they thought this would have a body blow to al qaeda and terrorists. and as one of the people this is probably my toughest interview to get was a fellow we called gary. he was head of the pakistan afghan department that was really the lead group in terms of hunting down bin laden. he says they brought the battlefield to ground zero, to the pentagon and to shanksville for everyone to say to the world friends and enemies we are going to bring the battlefield back, they thought to afghanistan but it turns out pakistan. there were a variety of reasons from bringing the mastermind to justice, to the message it would send to the world about america's determination, resolve confidence and capability. >> did you have a different opinion of obama at the end before you starte

there's no question the taliban was allied with al qaeda.ted out with this war with the fight against al qaeda and we ended up getting dragged into or inserting ourselves in a long-running civil war in afghanistan where we didn't really understand the different factions very well. >> one of the -- the overriding thrust of the book that makes it so powerful is that you contrast the private impressions of a series of diplomatic and military and non-governmental leaders involved in average with the public declarations and the sort of enormous contrast between them, but as you mentioned early on, compared to iraq, afghanistan was the so-called good war, right, the one that made sense. that's where al qaeda was when they perpetrated the 9/11 attacks. so why did officials feel the need to lie or spend to maintain support for the war that at least initially had some support, both nationally and internationally. >> a really good question. why would they feel the need because initially people were behind it. back in 2001 polls showed more than 80% of

>> what does that mean for the taliban and al qaeda?sands of people, probably more than 2500 at one time as they continue to lose or casualties with the assessment? sending tens of billions of dollars every year and also sacrificing our servicemembers and that would have continued. >> if our presence would have been required indefinitely that was on years of military assessment and then it should humble everyone in this room it should cause all of us to reflect on how badly everyone got it wrong and above all it should be a call for congress in this committee in particular to start exercising more oversight with the military operations instead of waiting until it is over and politically advantageous to do so. >> you testified to senator tillis to in the closed session you dismissively told senator ernst you were on your couch during that period so while you were on your couch we preparing for the confirmation hearing. >> it was after my confirmation hearing i was preparing as best i could with open source materials. >> from the time you

while the united states ended its military mission in afghanistan, we must continue to ensure al qaeda, isis-k and other terrorist groups cannot go to afghanistan to attack the united states and our allies. we must remain vigilant about these threats and ensure that we establish an effective andro bust counterterrorism architecture moving forward. last week, members of this committee had an update of threats. the american people are deserved to make sure that the united states is actively engage in defending the homeland emanating from this region. i'd ask you to the extent you can during today's open session provide an update on efforts to address the threat from terrorist groups operating in afghanistan and across south and central asia. i'd also appreciate an update on building a new regional counterterrorism architecture. finally, i'd like to understand the status of negotiations with reeng national allies and partners to the stymie such efforts and strategies. before i turn to ranking member inhofe for his opening remarks, i will remind my colleagues there will be a classified ses

frankly either for al qaeda or isis-k.o think we have to look at how events in afghanistan or anywhere else in the world, could be nigeria, could be somalia, could be yemen, could be syria, could have a galvanizing effect on the internet and others to inspire recruits and homeland security and our intelligence community is pretty focused on that. >> general, anything to add to any of that? >> if you look at kind of how we pars violent extremist organization out and how you analyze our ensuing efforts. the threat itself, internally, externally focused, doesn't have a post nation capacity to interdict that, the will and intent and the capacity and the capability. right now, as doctor kahl pointed out. they're internally focused to be externally focused and they're still limited. our efforts in the months ago ahead and as we continue to improve our over the horizon architecture is to ensh your that that external capability never comes to fruition. >> thank you. >> on behalf of the chair, senator rosen via web ex. >> well, tha

containing the al qaeda/isis threat. are you aware of that? >> i think there has been inconsistent statements. >> they just literally said that. >> there have been inconsistent statements but their statements are not anything that we can rely on. >> when they tell you to your face we aren't going to help you, do you think they are kidding? do you think they will really tell us? >> isis-k, al qaeda and associated forces continue to be. >> we're talking about the taliban. the taliban has told the united states they will not work with our counter terrorism forces when it comes to al qaeda or isis. what response should we have regarding the taliban when they say that? >> i think we have a number of different tools available >> like what? >> economic sanctions, they need money from the united states states for humanitarian and other reasons. >> the leverage over the taliban is whether or not we give them money? >> the job of the justice department is protecting using the f.b.i. and the national security agencies. >> the natio

al qaeda in syria. what did you, what do you, how do you look up on that to attack on syria or in 2018? we certainly weren't defending isis or, or anyone else way would have seen it. well, they would be wrong to see it that way. what happened was the syrian government used chemical weapons, probably chlorine based against civilian targets in and around damascus almost exactly one year earlier in april 2017. the syrian government done, same thing us had responded militarily and clearly aside, had not been deterred from engaging in that kind of conduct again. so this was actually started my 1st day in office, april the 9th 2018. it was a busy week, but the british and french came together with us. we did another retaliatory attack in response. i don't think that deterred assad either. but to me, it was, it was evidence that the, that the danger of the anarchy we saw in syria with presence, ryan forces has both coming over from lebanon to support the sad regime. the accumulation of chairs forces in and aro

i'm al qaeda isis. kate, i'm this, people drift back and forth. i think the, the main threat right now of regrouping terrorist in afghanistan is al qaeda. i think ok is never really left. i think they've been embedded with taliban in their exile across the border in pakistan for the last 20 years. and i think al qaeda will take advantage of renewed taliban control to recreate the sanctuary is the rear base area that they used afghanistan before isis is a new phenomenon. but look in iraq and syria. it was an offshoot of al qaeda and isis k, which is the acronym for the isis affiliate claims to control the tip. roughly the territory of afghanistan is just another manifestation, the, the tragedy at the mosque. you mentioned a similar bombing occurred a few weeks ago. i c k 2 credit for both for shi masks. isis k, obviously fanatic. sunni terrorist group, but there's rivalry between isis k and taliban. but i, i could say rivalry today i could see a coalition between them tomorrow. this is a changing environment in afghanistan. obviously, just a couple

>> senator, i think there are remnants of al qaeda still in afghanistan. >> does anyone believe al qaeda is gone from afghanistan? president biden said at the united nations recently that this nation is no longer at war. is it your personal view al qaeda is no longer at war with us? start at the right, general. >> i believe al qaeda is in afghanistan. i believe they have aspirations to reconstitute and if they develop the capability, i believe that they have aspirations to strike. er for it's too early in the process right now, senator too, determine the capability but i do believe -- >> do you believe the personal view that was stated that al qaeda is no longer at war with us right now? >> i think al qaeda is at war with the united states still and never has not been. >> thank you. does a withdrawal from afghanistan decrease or increase the likelihood of an al qaeda or isis attack on the u.s. homeland? >> you asking me, senator? my view is that it makes it much more difficult for us to conduct intelligence and we can strike from almost anywhere in the world but the find fix function is

it's isis coursen and two, al qaeda and al qaeda's affiliates. over the years, sustained ct pressure on both groups, al qaeda but given isis k's more recent arrival also pressure there has really relegated those two groups to primarily a regional threat. now, in the wake of our withdrawal, the question is at what point does that regional threat build to a capability and intent that is focused externally. and particularly focused on the homeland. and i would say from an intelligence community perspective that is one of our highest priorities, which is to monitor and assess the degree to which those groups present external threat. >> you have done some monitoring of it. i mentioned they have adjusted their projections as to the threat to the homeland and particularly al qaeda moving back into afghanistan. is our homeland more or less safe? >> the cia and dia assessments are within the area one to three years. i think it is fair to say -- >> they are saying it is less time now and that is a conservative estimate. >> i think it is fair to assess the

the taliban are back, and it looks like al-qaeda are, too.ama bin laden�*s former security chief, amin al haq, returning to his homeland from pakistan. it's been verified by the un. despite repeated requests to the haqqani network for an interview, they did not agree to one. the taliban continue to insist they have no links with al-anda, and will not shelter them. but there's another terror threat that's already very real. islamic state in afghanistan, or is—k. it killed at least 182 people, including 13 us soldiers, outside kabul airport during the evacuation. and despite taliban claims to be fighting back, a week ago, more than 50 died in a suicide bombing at a shia mosque in kunduz. during the last 20 years of war, millions of afghans have been driven from their homes. just this year, an estimated 665,000 have been displaced. shahr—e—naw park in kabul is now home for many families with nowhere else to go. other than three loaves of bread that we got a couple this family has been here for two months. the world food programme says 1a million

i didn't recognize that al qaeda was gone. general mckenzie is al qaeda gone?>> al qaeda maintains a presence in afghanistan. >> and secretary blinken said on august 22 the threat of terrorism metastasized out of afghanistan a long time ago. general mckenzie is there any terror threat in afghanistan now?t >> what we see as isis legitimated with the prisoners that came out of prison. they are gathering strength and we have yet to see how this will manifest itself but we know for certain that they do aspire to attack us on our homeland and we know it's a same prow qaeda so that threat has metastasized and it's happening in other parts of the world to do my part of the world though it's certainly afghanistan. >> it's been reported that the top 22 officials of the new taliban government are associate with al qaeda including those in prison at guantÁnamo bay and 13 more sanctioned by the united nations as terrorist post-9/11 and i'm very alarmed secretary austin that your undersecretary policy claims there is a minimal threat called the terror threat from afghanista

forces and cutting ties to al-qaeda. forces were withdrawn down to 2500. -- i think, chairman milley, you mention the november 2020, the worse ended, and then the november 2020 drawdown to 2500 by 19 january, is that correct? >> there was a memo dated 11 november, two days after secretary asper was fired. and then on the 17th it was rescinded. the first memo said zero, the second set go to 2500. >> thank you. so were you consulted on the decision to open negotiations fully with the taliban to the exclusion of the afghan government, general? >> very, very late in the game. before the signing. >> general milley, where they're concrete plans for withdrawal from the previous administration that were shared and developed with military leadership? >> we were at 12,600 on the day that the doha agreement was -- when the doha agreement was signed. part of that agreement was to go to 8500, i think it was 135 days. i would have to go back to the agreement. then it was to bring down all of the u.s., military and nato and contractors

we got panama morning 60000 migrants are coming and seeing apprehended al qaeda, people with al qaeda panama trying to come to the u.s. when you put that all together, what's going on here? >> it's understandable governor abbott asked for federal emergency declaration after the del rio experience 15000 migrants appearing suffering by living the water, food and shelter. border protection immigration is a function of the federal government, not the states and get texas class pick up the bill, they've devoted $3 billion fighting the border crisis and get fema good night the request when fema granted other requests at a rate of ten a month but different's request from texas would be admissions the biden administration policies created an emergency. >> we've got republican texas congressman gonzales putting out press releases say panama is morning migrants with al qaeda ties intend to cross. that's dangerous we are playing politics at the sign of weakness to say was clearly a disaster zone, to say it's not is what's coming out of the white house, really? >> this is a national security cris

forces and cutting ties with al qaeda. by the time he left office, president trump had drawn down forces to 2,500, and publicly indicated his intent to complete the withdrawal if he had been re-elected. and i think, chairman milley, you mentioned the 10 november, 2020 withdrawal of troops by 15 january, 2020, which was rescinded, and then the 17 november, 2020, drawdown to 2,500 by 19 january. is that correct? >> it was a memo dated 11 november, two days after secretary esper was fired. and then on the 17th, it was rescinded. the first memo said go to zero. the second one said go to 2,500. >> thank you. and so were you consulted on the decisions to open negotiations solely with the taliban to the exclusion of the afghan government, general? >> very, very late in the game, like days before the signing. >> and general milley, were there concrete plans for withdrawal from the previous administration that were shared and developed with military leadership? >> well, we were 12,600 on the day that the doha agreement -- 12,600 u.

al qaeda are completely intertwined with the taliban. they and other terrorist organizations are celebrating jihadist victory over the world superpower. they are using our surrender and withdrawal as isis used the establishment of the islamic state in 2014 after complete withdrawal from iraq december 2011 to recruit more to the cost far beyond their emirate in afghanistan. islamic emirate of afghanistan jihadist access to the lucrative trade and other enterprises, state revenue diverted international assistance but these organizations are not only growing larger in numbers, they are richer and also becoming more destructive humiliating withdrawal terrace with billions of dollars of weapons that will be shared among over 20 u.s. designated organizations in the terrorist echo system across afghanistan pakistan some of the groups have already turned against nuclear armed pakistani army and government. it's not difficult to imagine terrace gaining access to the most destructive weapons on earth. for these reasons i believe are self defeat an

is there any evidence they have broken with al qaeda? tack breach the doha agreement in your opinion. >> it did not. i >> do you know which taliban forces provide security in front of the airport quick. >> yes we do. al>> specializing in suicide hebombing attacks. had the suicide bomber, i think he suggested the congressman they might have been in prison in bagram before. >> i don't recall suggesting that. >> do we know if he had been quick. >> we are still working very hard to find out where the suicide bomber came from. >> do we have the opportunity to take them out prior? >> we did not. >> we do not have an opportunity to take them out.ut does the over horizon posture we are now adopting require more or less difficult now that we are out of the country? >> it will be very difficult to do but not impossible authority said that for the record. >> your time is expired your time is recognize. >> general mckenzie, you said reports of engaging with the taliban with the red line around kabul. does that mean there was no discussion of a plan t

first, i didn't recognize al qaeda was gone. general mckenzie, is al qaeda gone? >> al qaeda still maintains a presence in afghanistan. >> and secretary blinken had said on august 22nd that the threat of terrorism metastasized out of afghanistan a long time ago. is there any terrorist threat in afghanistan now? >> we see isis nearly rejoouf nated with the prisoners that came out of the prison. they are gathering their strength. we have yet to see how that's going to manifest itself. we know for a certainty they do aspire to attack us in our homeland. so that threat has metastasized and is resident in other parts of the world. >> it has been reported that the top 22 officials of the new taliban government are known associates of al qaeda, including five terrorists once in prison at gitmo and 13 more sanctioned by the u.n., the united nations as terrorists post 9/11. and i'm very alarmed, secretary austin, that your undersecretary of defense for policy claims there's a minimal threat. he called the terror threat insignificant on a call with senators less than a mont

first, i didn't recognize that al qaeda was gone. general mckenzie, is al qaeda gone? >> al qaeda maintains a presence in afghanistan. >> and secretary blinken said on august 22nd that the threat of terrorism metastasized outside of afghanistan a long time ago. general mckenzie, is there any terrorist threat in afghanistan now? >> there is a -- we see what we see is isis nearly rejuvenated with the prisoners that came out of the prisons. they're gathering their strength, we have yet to see how that's going to manifest itself, but we know for certainly they aspire to attack us in our homehand. and it is resonant and in other parts of the world, in my part of the world, it certainly is in afghanistan. >> it has been reported that the top 22 officials of the new taliban government are known soeshlts of associates of al qaeda, including terrorists from guantanamo bay, and 13 for sanctioned by the u.n. and united nations as terrorists host 9/11, and i'm very alarmed secretary austin, that your under secretary of defense for policy, colin call claims there is a minimal threa

we have warnings about migrants with potential ties to al qaeda trying to cross.p. we told you. a jam-packed hour. up next, gop strategist ford o'connell. george soros group criticized for backing defund police, defunding police movements in austin, texas, and minneapolis as crime slams minority neighborhoods and cities. you are watching "the evening edit". hi, my name is tony cooper, and i'm going to tell you about exciting medicare advantage plans that can provide broad coverage and still may save you money on monthly premiums and prescription drugs. with original medicare you are covered for hospital stays and doctor office visits but you have to meet a deductible for each, and then you're still responsible for 20% of the cost. next, let's look at a medicare supplement plan. as you can see, they cover the same things as original medicare, and they also cover your medicare deductibles and coinsurance. but they often have higher monthly premiums and no prescription drug coverage. now, let's take a look at humana's medicare advantage plans. with a humana medicare

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