Former United States Central Command Marine Corps General (retired), FrankMcKenzie, voiced his skepticism regarding the reliability of the AfghanTaliban in light of their connections with al-Qaeda. General McKenzie, whoplayed a pivotal role in overseeing the US withdrawal from Afghanistan,emphasized that the Afghan Taliban maintain close and enduring ties withal-Qaeda, raising significant concerns.
In an interview with CBS News conducted on September 10, just a day priorto the solemn anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, General McKenzie underscoredthe profound nature of the relationship between the Afghan Taliban andal-Qaeda. He characterized it as a “long-term familial and customaryrelationship,” highlighting the gravity of the situation.
During the interview, the retired commander shed light on one of theprimary motivations behind the US presence in Afghanistan, which was toprevent the country from becoming a launchpad for orchestrating orinspiring attacks on American soil and the homelands of US allies.
However, he lamented that the withdrawal from Afghanistan has made itsignificantly more challenging to achieve these objectives, casting ashadow over national security efforts.
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General McKenzie’s stance on the matter has been consistent since hisretirement, as he openly opposed the decisions made by both President Bidenand former President Trump to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan. He hadstrongly recommended leaving 25,000 US troops in Afghanistan to maintain acrucial American presence in the region, though his counsel was ultimatelydisregarded by President Biden
