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Afghanistan: Rep. Michael McCaul says US has no intel in nation, gives victory to Taliban, other adversaries
By Lisa Bennatan
Published August 22, 2021
Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News the U.S. has no intelligence in Kabul outside the airport, marking a victory for the Taliban, Russia, China and Iran.
"The Taliban, their stripes just got bigger," McCaul told Fox News in an interview.
"We have no intelligence on the ground now," he continued. "We are completely dark. With the exception of the airport we will be dark."
The U.S. shut down Bagram Airfield, formerly the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, and evacuated the U.S. Embassy.
McCaul told Fox News there has been no attempt to set up intelligence capabilities in another country nearby. He described the situation as "a nightmare unfolding before your very eyes."
"That is a victory, not only for the Taliban but for Russia, China and Iran because we can't see their activities in the region anymore."
Numerous reports have indicated that the Taliban are tracking or killing anyone found to have connections to the U.S., despite promising to pardon them. McCaul told Fox News that he pleaded with the Biden administration for months to evacuate interpreters and Afghan partners.
"They completely failed to do so," McCaul said. "The intelligence community was very clear and had gave a very grim assessment about the conditions on the ground. The Biden administration chose to ignore that intelligence."
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"This decision will have long-term ramifications for the United States' standing in the world," McCaul added.
The Texas Republican said the Taliban "are still working with al Qaeda and other terror organizations in Afghanistan from which they can conduct external operations to kill Americans in the United States but also our allies in Europe."
He said Afghanistan would become "a breeding ground for terrorism."
https://www.foxnews.com/us/afghanistan-we-are-completely-dark