Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald Neumann told CNN on Monday that President Joe Biden’s actions in Afghanistan amount to a “disaster” and that while the whole world seemingly knows that this is “an American defeat,” Neumann is not so sure that Biden knows it.
“Is there any way to turn this around?” CNN’s Jim Sciutto asked. “But beyond saving as many lives as possible, is the Afghan experiment dead? Is there any future to negotiations with the Taliban government?”
“Immediately? The answer, I think, is no,” Neumann responded. “Now, there’s a, you know, there’s a whole generation that have come of age in 20 years, people that have bought to our values, a lot of them would like to leave but probably aren’t going to get out. The country has changed. It’s now going to go through a period in all probability of a lot of repression. Where the seeds sprout in those years might grow in the future, who knows?”
“But in the short term, this is a disaster,” he continued. “I mean, this is an American defeat. The Taliban know it. Al Qaeda knows it. And all of our allies know it. I’m not sure President Biden knows it. But, you know, the British Parliament had a two-hour session condemning the United States, from one of our oldest and best allies.”
WATCH:
Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan: “This is a disaster. This is an American defeat. The Taliban know it, al-Qaeda knows it, and all of our allies know it.
"I’m not sure if President Biden knows it…” pic.twitter.com/RyNLdnFis0
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) August 23, 2021
TRANSCRIPT:
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: But before I get to blame here, because I do want to ask you, given your many years on the ground there, talk about now. Is there any way to turn this around? But beyond saving as many lives as possible, is the Afghan experiment dead? Is there any future to negotiations with the Taliban government?
RONALD NEUMANN, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO AFGHNISTAN: Immediately? The answer, I think, is no. Now, there’s a, you know, there’s a whole generation that have come of age in 20 years, people that have bought to our values, a lot of them would like to leave but probably aren’t going to get out. The country has changed. It’s now going to go through a period in all probability of a lot of repression. Where the seeds sprout in those years might grow in the future. Who knows? But in the short term, this is a disaster. I mean, this is an American defeat. The Taliban know it. Al Qaeda knows it. And all of our allies know it. I’m not sure President Biden knows it. But, you know, the British Parliament had a two hour session condemning the United States, from one of our oldest and best allies.
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