The struggle started in late 2001 after Al-Qaeda’s September 11 assaults in America (Representational)
Washington:
US protection chiefs stated they felt ache and anger Wednesday and would humbly research the teachings of the Afghan struggle after leaving the nation beneath the management of the Taliban, whom they fought for 20 years.
Of their first public appearances since US forces departed from Afghanistan on Monday, Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chair Basic Mark Milley mirrored somberly on a battle that took the lives of two,461 American troops, together with 13 within the closing days of the airlift at Kabul airport.
“These have been extremely emotional and attempting days, and certainly years,” Milley stated.
“We’re all conflicted with emotions of ache and anger, sorrow and unhappiness, mixed with pleasure and resilience,” he stated.
Austin acknowledged the outpouring of intense emotions in regards to the struggle that started with the removing of the Taliban from energy in late 2001, with many criticizing the withdrawal now, and others questioning why it didn’t come years earlier.
“I do know that these have been troublesome days for many people. And as we glance again as a nation on the struggle in Afghanistan, I hope that we are going to all accomplish that with thoughtfulness and respect,” stated Austin.
“We should not anticipate Afghan struggle veterans to agree any greater than some other group of Individuals. I’ve heard sturdy views from many sides in current days. And that is very important. That is democracy,” he stated.
The struggle started in late 2001 after Al-Qaeda, primarily based in Afghanistan and guarded by the Taliban authorities, launched the September 11 assaults that killed 2,977 folks in a single morning.
However it went past placing again at Al-Qaeda to attempting to construct a brand new nation and combating to stop the Taliban from retaking energy, which they finally did on August 15.
“As we all the time do, this division will look again, clearly and professionally, and study each lesson that we are able to,” Austin stated of the end result, with out characterizing it as a “loss” or “defeat.”
Milley stated there are various tactical, operational and strategic classes to be discovered.
“How we acquired to this second in Afghanistan will likely be analyzed and studied for years to come back. And we within the navy will strategy this with humility, transparency and candor,” he stated.
“Conflict is difficult. It is vicious. It is brutal. It is unforgiving,” stated Milley.
“Once we see what has unfolded over the past 20 years and over the past 20 days, that creates ache and anger,” he stated.
Milley additionally advised it was “potential” that the US may work with the Taliban sooner or later to counter the ISIS-Khorasan group that carried out the suicide bombing on the perimeter of Kabul airport that took the lives of 13 US troops.
Austin praised the airlift that took greater than 120,000 folks out of Kabul in simply two weeks, fleeing the restored Taliban rule.
He stated he deliberate to journey to the Gulf area subsequent week, the place allies Qatar and others supported the US evacuation operations and are taking in some Afghan refugees.
“Now, as one mission ends, others should go on,” stated Austin.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
