laurel miller, thank you very much for joining us. me just turn to you with the argument general-- former general, retired general mcmaster was making. and that is that this is not just a failure for the united states right now, it is going to lead to a strengthening of the very terrorist group that the united states does not want to even think about being in our future. >> i think that that is really quite a speculative assessment. i mean it is true that there is some remaining al-qaeda presence in afghanistan. and it is true that there are connections and relationships between the taliban and those remaining al-qaeda elements in afghanistan. what isn't clear is what is going to happen with thenow. what the taliban has said and i'm not saying i take this at face value but what they have said is that they're going to keep a lid on those terrorist elements in afghanistan. i think we can be assured that if they don't, that is the one thing that could bring the u.s. back involved in afghanistan militarily. the taliban also are reaching o

judy: and now for a different perspective, we turn to laurel miller. deputy and then acting u.s. special representative for afghanistan and pakistan from 2013 to 2017. she's now director of the asia program at the international crisis group. thank you very much for joining us. let me just turn to you with the arguments general -- former -- retired general mcmaster was making. and that is that this is not just a failure for the united states, it is going to lead to a strengthening of the very terrorist groups that the united states does not want to even think about being in our future. >> i think that that is really quite a speculative assessment. it is true that there is some remaining al qaeda presence in afghanistan and it is true that there are connections and relationships between the taliban and those remaining al qaeda elements in afghanistan. what isn't clear is what is going to happen with them now. but the taliban has said, and i'm not saying i take this at face value, but what they have said as they will keep a lid on those terrorist elements

i'm joined now by laurel miller. kabul next?ogram director for asia at the think tank, crisis group. what's unclear as yet is whether the taliban or even need to attack kabul or whether the government will simply collapse before they have to make that kind of move. i think what we are seeing so far is that the taliban have had a very well laid strategy for surrounding the cities that they have now been able to move on, and for essentially encircling kabul. so it looks extremely fragile at the moment. it's unsure whether the government will collapse and the taliban has to fight for kabul or whether they surrender. given that context what do you think the prospect there are for a peace deal? there are no prospects for a peace deal anytime soon. the tele— are fighting for power, they are not fighting for power—sharing through a peace deal. and if they were not particularly interested in negotiating with any speed six months ago they are less interested now that they are achieving military victory after victory. what they might do i

thank program, laurel miller. you very much for being with thank you very much for being with us.from the us withdrawal deadline on the anniversary of september the 11th, we should be be going right up to the wire on us involvement, many would presumably have been scaling back. is there a likelihood we are going to go past this september 11 deadline? troops on the ground _ september 11 deadline? troops on the ground are _ september 11 deadline? troops on the ground are going - september 11 deadline? troops on the ground are going to - september 11 deadline? troops on the ground are going to be l on the ground are going to be completely withdrawn by the end of august. and to this point president biden and his ministration have said that after the end of august there's not even going to be further air support for the afghan government forces which is what has been swept up in recent weeks as the withdrawal has been proceeding. that is a real possibility that that decision to withdraw air support will be reconsidered because of the deteriorating security situation or at least there w

for more analysis, i spoke to laurel miller.'s asia program. formerly, she was the deputy and then acting special representative for afghanistan and pakistan at the us department of state. she said the speed at which afghanistan has fallen to the taliban will surprise everyone, including in washington. it is obviously an extremely fluid situation, as your reporting has shown. there are the immediate questions of, what is the, i don't even think we can say tradition to power to the taliban, because there is not an transition happening, the taking of power, what is that going to look like, what is the situation going to be just hours and days ahead? as someone, and in this case it can only be the taliban, attempts to ensure some kind of law and order in kabul and to ensure some kind of law and order in kabuland takes to ensure some kind of law and order in kabul and takes up the seat of government. we are then entering a very uncertain phase and a whole new context in afghanistan of what is taliban rule in this new situation going

well let's bring in laurel mir miller. she's the asia director with the international crisis group and previously served as the us state departments. former special representative for afghan stan and pakistan and she joins us by skype for washington. gets out with this. here on al jazeera, if we look at the status of what's happening enough. galveston right now, a little comes after the us to withdrawal. surely none of this comes as a surprise to washington. what would you say the us strategy is right now? well, as your just said, nothing that has happened so far is a surprise. it was not only predictable but was in fact predicted both by external experts and analysts and by people within the us government that's been publicly expressed by us government officials. and so you have to consider that the, the buying, the administration of the president biden personally made the decision to withdraw . knowing that this could well be what happens next. it gridable situation for an american perspective. it is an undesirable situa

let's get more on our top story now — i've been speaking to laurel miller — program directorfor asia group. i asked her if she thought kabul would fall next. what is unclear is whether the taliban are planning to or even needs to attack hubble or if the government will simply collapse before they have to make that move. what we are seeing so far is that the taliban has had a very well laid strategy for surrounding the city is that they have now been able to move on and for essentially, encircling the city. so it looks extremely fragile at the moment. it is just uncertain whether the government collapse before the taliban has to fight for the city or whether they will surrender.— city or whether they will surrender. , ., . ., surrender. given that context, what you _ surrender. given that context, what you think _ surrender. given that context, what you think the _ surrender. given that context, what you think the prospects l what you think the prospects are, then, for a peace deal? h0 are, then, for a peace deal? no prospects _ are, then, fora peace deal? in? prospects any time soon.

i'm joined now by laurel miller.the program directorfor asia at the think tank, crisis group. kabul next? what's unclear as yet is whether the taliban or even need to attack kabul or whether the government will simply collapse before they have to make that kind of move. i think what we are seeing so far is that the taliban have had a very well laid strategy for surrounding the cities that they have now been able to move on, and for essentially encircling kabul. so it looks extremely fragile at the moment. it's unsure whether the government will collapse and the taliban has to fight for kabul or whether they surrender.- taliban has to fight for kabul or whether they surrender. given that context what _ whether they surrender. given that context what do _ whether they surrender. given that context what do you _ whether they surrender. given that context what do you think- whether they surrender. given that context what do you think the - context what do you think the prospect there are for a peace deal? there are no pr

laurel miller is the director of the international crisis group's asia programme.er in light of unfolding events, the timeframe for the us�*s scheduled troop withdrawal from afghanistan was still on track. troops on the ground will be completely withdrawn by the end of august, and to this point president biden and his administration have said that after the end of august there will not even be any further air support for the afghan government forces which is what has been stepped up in recent weeks as the withdrawal has been proceeding. i think there is a real possibility that that decision to withdraw air support will be reconsidered because of the deteriorating security situation, or at least there will be a debate about whether to continue to provide that kind of backing. the former general david petraeus told the bbc that he considers afghanistan to be on the brink of a fully fledged civil war. do you agree with that statement? afghanistan has been in a civil war. it is already the deadliest conflict in the world. it is quite possible that the conflict will int

laurel miller is director of international crisis group's asia program, formerly she was the deputy and department of state. hello there. your thoughts first of all about the situation as it stands? ~ , ., , , ., stands? well, it is obviously an extremely _ stands? well, it is obviously an extremely fluid _ stands? well, it is obviously an extremely fluid situation, - stands? well, it is obviously an extremely fluid situation, as i stands? well, it is obviously an l extremely fluid situation, as your reporting has shown. there are the immediate questions of what is, i don't even think we can say transition to power to the taliban, because there isn't any transition happening, the taking of power by the taliban bgs what is that going tolike like, what will the situation be in the hours and days ahead? as someone, and in this case it can only be the taliban, attempts to ensure some kind of law and order in kabul and takes ensure some kind of law and order in kabuland takes up ensure some kind of law and order in kabul and takes up the seat of government. we are then entering a very uncert