The U.S. said it will continue to support Afghan forces by carrying out airstrikes as the Taliban continues its ongoing attacks. U.S. Central Command Chief General Mark McKenzie Jr. made the statement of support during a press conference Sunday.
Iraq’s Prime Minister spoke out and said his country no longer needed a U.S. military presence. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said in an interview on Friday, the Islamic state group would continue to ask for U.S. training and military intelligence gathering without a U.S. presence.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the Taliban has put pressure on key cities in Afghanistan and has strategic momentum in its efforts to retake the country amid a U.S. troop withdrawal.
Senators across the political spectrum are banding together to rollback several tools in Joe Biden’s foreign policy toolbox. On Tuesday, the delegation made of of GOP Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Democrat Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) introduced the National Security Powers Act.
The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, voiced concern about political influence in the military. In an interview Sunday, he said the nation’s intense political environment is creating unprecedented division.
Joe Biden’s State Department is struggling to explain the relocation of Afghan interpreters and allies to other countries. During a press briefing Wednesday, department officials faced criticism for not doing enough to protect those who were helping U.S. troops.