Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday the Trump administration knew conditions “had to be right” before withdrawal — and never found them so during former President Donald Trump’s tenure.
In an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Pompeo said the Biden administration has “failed” at the ill-timed and badly executed withdrawal.
“Everyone knew that [former] President [Donald] Trump wanted to get young men and young women back home,” he said. “We always knew that conditions had to be right to achieve that.”
“We never found the conditions right to do so,” he argued. “So we continued to pound the Taliban when they violated the agreement, when they moved on a checkpoint or moved in a place that they weren't permitted. We used American power and made clear to the Taliban that there would be real consequences.”
According to Pompeo, when the Taliban pushed on the Trump administration, “we pushed back even harder and imposed real cost.”
“When the Biden administration pushed, they withdrew to commercial airport that in no way has capacity to get our people out with speed that needs to happen to keep them safe,” he said.
“It's been a tough week to watch the president being disconnected from the reality that we can all see,” Pompeo added. “I pray that they get this right. I hope that President [Joe] Biden is up to the task. Today he's demonstrated that in Afghanistan he's failed.”
“The incompetence of the administration has been tragic, and will have long-lasting implications. I hope they are able to ride the ship and get this right. I know that every American wishes that for our own country.”
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