Michael Morell, former President Barack Obama’s Acting CIA Director, called for an investigation into the drone strike that reportedly killed a family, including several children, a few weeks ago, saying that the Biden administration owed the American public the truth about what happened.
Morell made the remarks in response to a question from CBS News host Margaret Brennan about a report in The New York Times on Friday that called into question the administration’s claims about the drone strike, noting that the man who was allegedly targeted was an aid worker for a U.S. organization.
Morell noted that the strike was not an “over the horizon” operation because the mission was carried out using assets who were on the ground in Afghanistan.
“You know, what happened here needs to be investigated,” Morell said. “And I would hope that the administration, once it does the investigation, that it tells all of us publicly exactly what happened, and if we made a mistake, why. You know, President Obama was very strong on being open about making mistakes with drone strikes. And I think this administration needs to do the same.”
When asked whether or not this was a question for the Pentagon or the CIA, Morell responded, “It’s a question for the White House.”
WATCH:
.@MichaelJMorell calls for investigation into US drone strike in Afghanistan, after new reports suggest wrong target: “I would hope that the administration, once it does the investigation, that it tells all of us publicly exactly what happened, and if we made a mistake, why.” pic.twitter.com/erFkY9wkyb
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) September 12, 2021
TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED VIA CBS NEWS:
MARGARET BRENNAN: And on that point, over the horizon, it’s just a euphemistic word for flying in drones and planes from far away. So, you had this drone strike that now The New York Times and The Washington Post is raising questions about. This was to target some of the members of ISIS who killed U.S. troops and over a hundred Afghans just a few weeks ago.
MICHAEL MORELL: Correct.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, did we actually kill the person intended, and if we didn’t, doesn’t that show that over the horizon has some problems?
MICHAEL MORELL: So, this wasn’t over the horizon, right? This was done with assets in Afghanistan. So you got to remember that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Assets still in Afghan?
MICHAEL MORELL: Yes. You know, what happened here needs to be investigated. And I would hope that the administration, once it does the investigation, that it tells all of us publicly exactly what happened, and if we made a mistake, why. You know, President Obama was very strong on being open about making mistakes with drone strikes. And I think this administration needs to do the same.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And that’s a question for the Pentagon, or that’s a question for the CIA?
MICHAEL MORELL: It’s a question for the White House.
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