Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker said Sunday that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has “encouraged violent Islamic radicals.”
On CBS’s “Face the Nation,” guest host Major Garrett asked Crocker if events in Afghanistan have weakened the U.S. position against countries like China, Russia and Pakistan.
“It has created a global crisis, frankly,” said Crocker, who served as four U.S. presidents. “He has encouraged violent Islamic radicals and I think we will all see the consequence of this, certainly in Pakistan, a Taliban champion.”
“The victory of the Taliban, the narrative of defeating the great, the great infidels gives power to the Pakistan radicals with whom they will have to deal if they can,” Crocker added.
“China has its Uighur Muslim population in the west. They are attuned to it. They are definitely looking at what happened in Afghanistan. And of course the Russians have their own Muslim populations in very violent places in the past, like Chechnya. maybe they would be doing a little exaltation. “
Crocker said in an interview after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban last week that “he had some serious questions left on my mind [President Biden
Joe BidenBiden to address nation on Afghanistan evacuation Sunday afternoon Pelosi says House working to pass infrastructure bills by Oct. 1 Facebook report finds top link in 3-month timeframe was about doctor who died after getting COVID-19 vaccine MORE‘s] ability to lead our nation as commander in chief. “
“What President Biden has done is to adopt Afghan politics President Trump
Donald Trump: Democrats sound alarmed at loss in Connecticut suburbs, Abbott Laboratories orders employees to remove quick test materials from COVID-19 Sunday shows preview: Chaos in Kabul marches US evacuation efforts MORE, and that’s the result, ”Crocker told The Spokesman-Review, who has served as U.S. ambassador to numerous Middle Eastern countries throughout his career, including Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Pakistan in Iraq.
Garrett asked Crocker on Sunday to explain what he meant in that interview.
“President Biden did not create this whole scenario. President Trump did so by engaging the Taliban in talks without the Afghan government in the room that initiated a process and the delegitimization of the state and its security forces. being a factor that contributed tremendously to where they are now, ”Crocker said.
“I mean, having said that, President Biden owns it. He has become the owner of the policy. He has become the owner of the envoy who negotiated this thing. There is a lot of blame out there, but not everything falls. about President Biden, “Crocker added.